"ITVR: Chapter 80"
Announcements.

By Jadedoll, Penumbren, & Raising Kane

Mark found himself nearly holding his breath as the silence stretched out, Sean's reaction a little more... shocked, than he'd expected. Had he been so horrible that the mere action of his apologizing was unbelievable? The sudden pressure of Jeff leaning against him took him by surprise, and he glanced up, meeting bright green eyes smiling down at him. Unnamable emotion swelled his heart, and he blinked, not quite sure what his face looked like for that moment, as he felt Jeff's fingers combing through his hair. Even that soft touch had him tilting his head slightly, and he knew that the change in their relationship had to be screamingly obvious to everyone in the room... and for once, reserved though he might be, he found that he didn't care. When he'd been with Shawn, he'd always wanted to be able to tell the world, but the realities of life at that point in time had kept them quiet, as well as his own natural discretion. Looking back, it was probably a good thing that they hadn't, but that lingering wish had always remained. "And yes oh Guru of Love... I have to admit it... you were right." Somehow, Mark suspected that they'd be hearing about that line for years to come. Ignoring the curious eyes that were practically burning holes in his head, he reached out, sliding an arm around Jeff's waist, and felt a small tension somewhere inside ease. It was more demonstrative than he normally was, but a quiet enough touch�that he didn't feel uncomfortable doing it in public.�Jeff would probably get him over that uncomfortable feeling anyway, because one thing his whirlwind was not was reserved, and there was no way that Jeff�wouldn't touch him... and no way that Mark wouldn't want him to.�Their upcoming separation, while eminently practical and in a very real way necessary, was going to�be hell, he could tell already. "...I'm kind of surprised that you told Mark about it, though." Raising an eyebrow at Jeff, Mark resolved to ask him just what exactly Sean had said to him when the two of them were out of earshot of himself and Glen. Apparently it had been something... interesting. "I appreciate the sentiment, really, but we both know that it won't work." What? While he hadn't been expecting Sean to fall all over himself with joy that finally, the big bad mean Undertaker wanted to stop being a prick and be friends with him, Mark hadn't quite been expecting what amounted to a flat refusal. In a way, he was slightly offended by that. "And everyone knows that I annoy my friends more than anyone else, so if you'd like to rescind the offer... I won't take it personally. We can stick with you growling at me and me vacating the room before I lose my head." Well... actually, Mark hadn't really thought about that. He'd watched Sean with the rest of the Clique, but he'd always taken that group's interactions with a grain of salt anyway, so it wouldn't have occurred to him to be concerned about it when he'd made the offer. Did he want to rescind it? Sean would undoubtedly drive him insane, irritate him, and push all of his buttons... For some reason, Shawn's cocky smirk and earlier question came to mind: "Is it just his talent that's attracting you... or is it just him?" Being honest with himself, Mark knew that the same comment from Sean would've prompted a growl and a harsh, "None of your damned business!" in response, not the bluntly honest answer that he'd given. So it wasn't the teasing... was it the person? No, because although he'd been honest in saying that he didn't know Sean very well, he did know Glen, and the effect that Sean had had on his best friend was almost astonishing sometimes.� Slightly�disgusted with himself, Mark realised that a lot of his reaction to Sean was based purely on habit. When they'd first met, years back, Sean had put on his normal bouncy airhead act and had promptly driven Mark up the nearest wall with his nosy questions. Since then, they'd developed almost a pattern to their game... but was it anything more than that? "Do you really want to put up with me sticking my nose even further into your business than I already have?" Smiling at that, Mark leaned back and shook his head. "Hell no, I don't... but then, I've never wanted the�Heartbreaker to, either, and it's never stopped him." A look down the table, and he was relieved to see Shawn and his new lovers seated together, although things still looked a little tense. Well, they had lots of things to work out just to make that kind of relationship work, and the first few months would probably be all kinds of interesting give and take. It'd been intriguing, if tantalizing at the time, to watch Shawn with Kevin and Scott going through the same sort of thing. Turning his attention back to Sean and the disbelieving expression on his face, Mark shrugged a little. "Look, Sean... you'll always be able to push my buttons and I'll always end up growling at you. If we can both work with that, I don't see why it should stop us from at least getting to know each other better, if not being best of friends. Allow me some room for my reactions, and I'll allow you room for that button-pushing... and give both of us time to get to the point where it really is a reaction instead of just a bad habit." A pause, long enough this time to see the smile on Jeff's face and the amazement on Glen's, and he leaned forward again, careful not to dislodge Jeff's caressing fingers. "I know�neither of us is big on patience, but... I think it's worth a shot. Do you?" **** Hunter wasn't ignorant of the emotions whipping back and forth between his two lovers. Shawn would feel guilty and unhappy about reading Dave the riot act for the rest of the week if they didn't resolve it almost straight away. Dave's words as he'd returned to them after making up with Austin, his "That stuff'll kill ya," was�barely even critical when compared to his other vented opinions on Hunter's caffeine intake. Even though it seemed he and the Texan had parted without further animosity, his dark lover's shoulders were slightly hunched and the whole not meeting Shawn's eye thing was a dead giveaway as to the state of Dave's feelings. Well, at least Hunter knew he wasn't the only one with emotional baggage in this relationship. Wondering if he should shake them both roughly by the shoulders and�yell 'Get Over IT', Hunt shelved that option when he realized the pure hypocrisy he'd be spouting. that his lovers. Instead, he calmly followed Shawn as they returned to the Clique's table and smiled brightly at Kevin's inquiring look. "Nothing serious," he told the table in his not-worried-in-the-slightest voice. "Steve and Dave had a difference of opinion and now it's settled." Even as the words left his mouth Hunter knew they wouldn't be good enough. Everyone in the room had seen the almost fight that had broken out and human curiosity would rear its head here like it did everywhere else. Two days ago it was Scotty vs Nitro, yesterday Terry vs Adam and Chris, today's topic of gossip would be�Batista and Austin going toe to toe in the restaurant of the hotel. If things rang true to form, in twenty-four hours another hiccup would have occurred to take the attention away from Dave and if it didn't, well, everyone would be home by then and have better things to do. Looking at Shawn running his hand across the back of Dave's neck, Hunter knew he certainly had much nicer things to distract him on the weekend. Relaxing the residue of tension in his shoulders from the aborted conflict, Hunter took the opportunity to look around the table at his long time friends. Scott and Kevin, being way more than friendly as usual and certainly not giving a damn. They were so together than Hunter was surprised they hadn't said anything to he or Shawn yet. Of course, on the plane yesterday there had been a lot more issues running circles in Hunt's head than his friends' relationship, but he'd have to be blind not to see the long-time lovers were once again in their 'happy place'. To wit... in love with each other. For Hunter, Scotty and Kev as a couple was a reassuring constant, a security of affection�for such a great chunk of his life, that when it seemed they were at an end, was akin to the divorce of one's parents. Chuckling faintly, Hunter wondered who would do the killing if he ever expressed that thought to them. Glancing over to see if Sean had come out of his funk or if something was seriously wrong with his friend, Hunter's jaw fell open with shock at the little tete a trio going on down the end of the table. Glen was looking on with an amused expression as Sean talked earnestly with Mark Calloway and... and Jeff Hardy? Jeff 'talented but unfocused' Hardy was leaning into the dark man with body language that just screamed�'Yep, we had sex and it was fantastic!'. Wow. In a million years Hunter would never have picked those two for a couple. But the more he thought about it, the more he could see that yeah, it could actually happen. The two had simply thrummed with something when they'd done that storyline a while back and really, when you put your mind to it... they were almost made for each other. As long as Jeff didn't flip out and Mark had the patience of a saint... they'd be fine. Finishing his food, Hunter sipped the last dregs of his coffee and looked back at his beautiful lovers. Now there was some 'people'�worth watching. The set of Dave's shoulders had eased somewhat with Shawn's words and touch, his hang-dog expression had�lifted when he must have realized that he wasn't going to have shreds torn off him by the two of them. Still, Hunter wanted the big man to know that as far as he was concerned, the confrontation was ancient history. "David?" Catching the chocolate eyes when they finally met his, Hunter said gently. "It's really not a problem Love. If you'd been right, then I would have�raced you to�kick his ass�so... stop beating yourself up over it. That's our job now remember?" **** Sean watched as the conflicting emotions flickered in Mark's eyes even though the man didn't give away his thoughts by so much as a twitch. He really was expecting Mark to take back his offer after his revelation of what it was like being his friend. If it ended that way, then he'd be disappointed but not truly surprised. "Hell no, I don't... " Exactly what he'd thought. Oh well. He'd tried, right? He'd just stay out of Mark's way for awhile and everything would be fine. Oh. Avoiding Jeff for awhile would probably be a good thing as well, because asking his questions of Jeff would more than likely provoke the same growly reactions from Mark as asking the man.... "...but then, I've never wanted the Heartbreaker to, either, and it's never stopped him." Huh? Had Mark just compared him to Shawn? Sean wasn't sure whether he should be amused or insulted. Shawn tended to show a relentless side of his personality when it came to probing his friends' psyches, whereas Sean knew when to back off... he just didn't always follow what his head was telling him. Still, he knew if he and Shawn were to ask the same question and got a growling response from the Deadman... Shawn would pursue it despite the growl and he would flit off somewhere to regroup. But if he were absolutely honest, being compared to Shawn was a compliment in any case. Didn't mean he wasn't going to whine about it though, it was in his nature. And if he interpreted that statement the way he thought that he should that meant that Mark was actually going to accept his offer. Who woulda thought it? "...you'll always be able to push my buttons and I'll always end up growling at you... I don't see why it should stop us from at least getting to know each other better, if not being best of friends..." Sean just stared. He was accepting the offer. Wow... just... wow. And Sean didn't mind the growling all the time. There were times that he knew he deserved it after all. He wondered if he'd still get growled at for playing with the big man's hair as he had tried to do from time to time. Maybe not if he tried to braid it, but his fingers had always itched to put it in pigtails... "Allow me some room for my reactions, and I'll allow you room for that button-pushing..." And the pigtails would garner him an honest growl rather than being just a reaction. Sean smiled as he imagined the strength and volume of the reaction that he'd get for that. He supposed that if he really tried, he could talk his fingers into the braid instead... but how would Mark react to it? And Mark was really going to give this a shot. How... odd. "I know neither of us is big on patience, but... I think it's worth a shot. Do you?" Hey now! He had a lot of patience. After all, he'd never actually called Mark a crusty old curmudgeon... he'd always patiently waited until he was down the hall so no one would hear his muttering. So... did he think it was worth a shot? Slanting a quick look at Glen, he knew that there wasn't really a choice. His lover would greatly appreciate it if they weren't constantly picking at each other. He would probably be stunned speechless if they actually managed to get along, but Sean wasn't going to hold his breath for that. Still... if they could be in the room for five minutes without one of them wanting to run out the door... it would certainly make it easier to be around the two of them. Glen would be happier. No choice really because that was definitely a mission in his life... Glen's happiness. "Okay. I'm willing to try it... as long as you don't go comparing me to Shawn again, 'cause that was just wrong, man," he said rolling his eyes and sticking his tongue out at the man waiting for his answer. "I'll try not to take it personally when you growl as long as you don't include the 'Deadman glare of doom'. And I'll try to keep the button pushing for things that are really important," he added with a grin. "Now that you aren't going to kill me, I'm dying for a piece of that chocolate cake. You want some since I'm going that way?" He saw the surprise on Mark's face that he'd made the offer and he almost convinced himself not to do what he was about to do... but being Sean, he just couldn't help it. "I'll get Jeff some too, because if he doesn't stop petting you, Vince is going to have a canary when you end up tossing him on the salad bar." Grinning over his pun, he stood and prepared to run. ---- Glen wasn't sure that the two men were actually capable of not irritating each other, but it looked as if they were going to give it a shot. Amazing. It would be very nice if they could stand to be in the same room for more than five minutes at a time. Maybe they'd even make it to the point where they could all spend long weekends in the same place... one of the things that he'd missed. Before Sean had become a permanent part of his life, he and Mark had often spent their off time at each other's homes... tinkering on Mark's bikes or taking long rides. The only time he and Mark really spent quality time together now was when Sean took off to play with the Clique boys and that hadn't happened as much lately with all the various things that had been taking place in that quarter. Sean hadn't wanted to intrude on Kevin and Scotty since they had admitted to talking to each other again because he'd been hoping they would finally figure out they were meant for each other. Hunter always seemed to be caught up in the business or going to Stephanie's various functions... husband things. And Shawn... he wasn't sure what had happened there, but that hadn't been as frequent either. Of course he wouldn't take this proposed friendship as a fait accompli until they made it a week without acting like they were plotting to murder each other. "Now that you aren't going to kill me, I'm dying for a piece of that chocolate cake. You want some since I'm going that way?" Thank god. That definitely eased some of his worries over Sean's moping earlier. He'd honestly been worried at the lack of sugar content in Sean's meal. It just wasn't Sean if he didn't have something sweet and loaded with calories. Offering to get Mark some was a nice gesture as well, though he wasn't at all sure that Mark would take Sean up on it. "I'll get Jeff some too, because if he doesn't stop petting you, Vince is going to have a canary when you end up tossing him on the salad bar." He should have known better... really he should have. Glen smothered a laugh with his hand. Sean was most definitely back to normal. Then he wanted to groan when he realized that his lover had just tagged Mark and Jeff's relationship as 'something important'. That meant Sean would comment on it as often as he possibly could. Glen waited patiently for Mark's reaction. This should be... interesting. **** As they approached the table, Dave tried his best to ignore the curious looks from the others seated there. He hadn't given a second thought until then about what he was going to say if someone asked what had set off the altercation between he and Steve. Thankfully, Hunter took care of it for him. "Steve and Dave had a difference of opinion and now it's settled." Dave smirked slightly at the way Hunter was handling it as he took a seat beside Shawn. Hunt's summary was the truth, but very succinct, and not nearly enough to clear the questions that any of them might have, but it would do for now. Not many would dare to push for more details at that point, though Dave wouldn't guarantee it amongst this bunch. The slight unease he felt under the curious looks was pushed aside, at least temporarily, as a hand landed on his shoulder. He knew he wouldn't be able to avoid it forever and Dave braced himself for a reprimand about starting fights in a public place. He lifted his eyes to look into Shawn's, hoping that Shawn could read in his how sorry he was for losing control like that. It wasn't like him to do that and it still stung a bit that he'd been so out of control over something that had ended up being a false assumption. "I'm sorry, Dave... I didn't mean to make you feel worse. Whatever happened, I know you felt you were in the right." And why was Shawn apologizing to him yet again? Obviously he hadn't convinced Shawn that what he'd said earlier was deserved. Shawn's hand slipping along the back of his neck sent a tingle down his spine and Dave wanted nothing more than to lean in and kiss away that lingering guilt in his lover's eyes, but... he'd already made a public spectacle of himself once today. Twice would be pushing it. Instead, he slid his hand in a gentle stroke down the length of Shawn's thigh, his eyes caressing the blond's lips as he wasn't allowed to do with his mouth. "Shawn, please stop apologizing. Even if I would have been right, which I wasn't, I deserved worse for trying to prolong the ordeal because of a provoking comment about... us," he whispered back quietly, hoping that he wasn't providing fodder for the group. "I knew better than to take the bait, but with everything that's happened in the last two days... I've been a little out of sorts." His mouth tilted in a half-grin as he admitted to himself how much of an understatement that was. "You'd better eat that cake before all of your ice cream melts." Dave smiled as Shawn started eating again. At least Shawn hadn't lost his appetite over the whole thing, Dave thought as he looked at his lover's plate. Dave poked at the food on his plate, still not terribly hungry. After all, even if Shawn was over the whole fiasco, that still left Hunter. And he was well aware of Hunter's views on fighting among the talent. Besides, he was too busy trying to figure out what the deal was with Mark Calaway and Jeff Hardy. Apparently the three of them weren't the only ones announcing a new relationship with their body language. Odd couple really, but then again, many could say that about their little trio. They hadn't actually come right out and told anyone that they were together, but Dave knew it would be obvious to anyone who wasn't blind. "David?" Dave turned to look at Hunter, though he wasn't really sure he wanted to. Now? He'd kind of expected Hunter to hold the lecture until they were alone, but if he wanted to do it now... then Dave would just have to suck it up and... "It's really not a problem, Love..." He was caught between shock and amusement. Shock that Hunter said it wasn't a problem. Amusement over Hunter's inadvertent announcement of the obvious. If anyone at the table hadn't figured it out by now, the interaction between him and Shawn earlier and the endearment from Hunter would be akin to flashing neon signs. "If you'd been right, then I would have raced you to kick his ass so... stop beating yourself up over it. That's our job now remember?" Dave raised a single brow at his lover. It was their job now? But neither of them were doing that particular job, they were both letting him off the hook. Dave shook his head slightly, surprised that he'd been so off about their reactions. Still... just to make sure... "So... does that mean that I'm not grounded? I still get dessert?" he asked, reaching with his spoon to swipe a bite of Shawn's ice cream. He considered other options as he licked the sweet cream off the spoon. "Unless you're just waiting until we get back to your place to sp..." He bit his tongue before he managed to finish that sentence. It didn't stop the blush creeping up his face though when he realized that at least one person, other than Shawn and Hunter, had heard what he was saying and most likely managed to finish his sentence just fine. It deepened to bright pink when he noticed Scott cover his mouth, cough, and then smile widely. The very moment he found himself alone he was going to order that gag... And have it shipped overnight. **** "You know I won't until it's all over, Kev." Smiling fondly at the man in his arms, Kevin did know better. He might've ended up with the "Big Daddy" nickname, but Scott was worse than he was when it came to their little family. Watching the three men in the middle of the room only made his smile wider. Scotty was probably just seeing Shawn being upset with Dave over the scene they'd just witnessed, but Kevin could see the worry underlying Shawn's gestures... and the immediate guilt as he apparently said too much. Hunter's immediate reaction after Dave left to talk to Austin kept Kevin where he was, rather than going to offer the comfort that Heartbreaker obviously needed. Hopefully those two would be able to break Shawn of that habit; the speaking without thinking, you could get used to, but the overreactions when he felt like he'd said something wrong were something else altogether. Vince would be having a fit, seeing the body language running rampant in the room. CJ was hovering over Adam and looked like he was getting ready to haul the injured blond away, hopefully to take him and put him to bed for a while. Benny was just sitting down next to Eddie again, and whatever was causing the odd little tension there seemed to disappear as Eddie leaned over and spoke quietly into Chris's ear for a minute. The wide-eyed look on Benoit's face made Kevin wonder what exactly Latino Heat had just said, but he decided that he was probably better off not knowing, as the somewhat strained expression Benny had been wearing melted into a damned near heart-warming one, complete with half-embarrassed crooked smile. Benoit was terribly cute when he relaxed; he'd have to try to remember to share that thought with Scotty. Later. When his lover didn't look impatient and exasperated, as he dropped himself into a chair and stared around at everyone. Wondering what exactly had brought the surprised smile to Scott's face, Kevin turned slightly to follow Scott's gaze... and found himself grinning as well, as Jeff gave Mark a thorough look-over, apparently for Scott's benefit, as Jeff stuck his tongue out at Scott afterward. Maybe Mark had finally confronted whatever it was that he obviously felt for the kid... or maybe Jeff had just surprised him by forcing the issue. Either way, those two would be worth watching in the future, too. "Today is just full of surprises, Kev. Do you think we'll ever be able to sit down and have a nice calm lunch with this crew?" Sitting next to Scotty, Kevin shook his head as he draped an arm around Scott's shoulders. "No. When have we ever been able to do anything quietly and calmly?" Letting the rest of their family mill around and finally start to settle, Kevin�realised that it�wasn't so little anymore, really. It was more than just the five of them, these days. With lovers and friends, they'd grown quite a bit over the years... and seeing the evidence of that brought out something inside Kevin, something warm and comfortable and happy. There had been times that he'd thought they'd end up killing each other if not themselves, so seeing the place they'd reached now, albeit recently for some of them, where no one was alone or lonely and everyone was happy had Kevin nodding in contentment. Leaning in slightly, Kev whispered into Scott's ear, "I think it's about time for our announcement, babe. What do you say?" **** "Very soon Babe. I'll make sure our car's ready and sort out Tyson, but you have to promise to eat something more than chocolate cake for lunch." While CJ pulled him from his seat and led him across the room, Adam mumbled something under his breath about bossy blond nursemaids. Not that Chris seemed to notice. He was too busy plotting and arranging for their imminent departure and handing Adam a plate of food that he couldn't possibly have eaten half of. As he picked around another piece of purple cabbage, he determined that he and Chris were definitely going to be having a talk about the evils of alfalfa sprouts as a salad topping. The pasta salad wasn't bad, but why did it seem like they put green peppers in everything? Wrinkling his nose as he shoved a chunk of the vegetable out of the way to stab a piece of rotini, he thought once again about how nice it would be to settle in at his house with Chris. He was proud of the way that the place had turned out since he'd finally taken the time to put furniture in the house. While he was on the road, he hadn't bothered with more than the basics, because he was never home to enjoy them. He'd saved up enough money to redo the place, but hadn't gotten around to it before his surgery. He had been thankful for that fact later. Sitting around doing nothing had driven him nuts so he'd decided to go ahead with the refurbishment while he was off. He hadn't been able to do any of the actual work, had had to hire out for people to arrange the stuff and lay the carpets for him, but he'd picked out every single piece. By the time it was finished, he'd been due back to work and hadn't really had a chance to show it all off. Jay was probably the only one that had seen the entire setup due to the fact that he'd pulled his seclusion stunt after things had gone sour with Terry. His friend had assured him that the place was now truly a comfortable home, but he wouldn't feel that way until he had someone special to share it with him. It was just furniture after all... still he really hoped that Chris would like what he'd done with the place... especially the kitchen. He'd had plenty of time to watch all the cooking shows on television while he was sitting there unable to move and to his surprise he'd actually turned out to be pretty good at cooking. Though he had to admit that it had sucked to be cooking for only one person all of the time. Damn. He wasn't sure there was actually anything edible in the house since he hadn't expected to spend much time there before the pay per view. He'd have to let Frannie know that he was going to be home for the rest of the week. She came twice a week to clean the place, he really didn't need her there more often than that, though she'd been a godsend during his recuperation. She'd made it a habit to come on Thursdays so that they could shoot the breeze and so he could give her any special instructions for that week and she stopped by on Mondays while he was gone. She'd caught him mooning over a picture of Chris one day while he was sitting at home after his surgery, so she knew all about Chris, but walking in to find them going at it on the sofa might just be a bit much for the woman. He'd call on the way home to give her the day off. As far as groceries, he'd call his neighbor's daughter Jessica and see if she minded running to the store for him. She and her parents kept an eye on the place for him while he was away. Sweet sixteen and smart as a whip, she'd told him one day that he was pretty smart for a muscle-bound jock. No worries there about a school-girl crush, since Jessie was going to marry a heart surgeon or a rocket scientist. He knew because she'd told him so. She wasn't about to settle for anyone who wasn't as smart as she was... although, she did admit to having a slight crush on Chris after having seen him visit the day that Adam had overdone his workout. Adam would love to see her face when she realized who he was bringing home with him. He'd just have to find his cell phone on the way to the airport, if he hadn't lost the damn thing again. He was scowling at another errant piece of cabbage when Chris came back to the table, his mind half on the movie that Jay, Trish, and Molly were discussing. Maybe he could talk Chris into going to see it while they were home. Probably not. Chris would probably order him to bed as soon as they got home and try to keep him there by any means, fair or foul. He was taking a shower tonight though, with or without permission, cause damn did his head itch. "Shall we? I'd like to get the Wounded One into a bed in the next few hours..." He snickered quietly at the reactions of Jay and Trish before stuffing one last piece of pasta into his mouth. Then he squinched up his nose... green pepper and way too much vinegar. Ew. "...yeah, and I might even let him get some sleep too." Adam pushed himself from his chair, more eager to get to the part of that statement that didn't involve sleep. He wondered if Chris would still be interested in a mid-air rendezvous. He could always hope so. As they made their way across the restaurant, he turned to his lover. "Have you seen my phone by any chance? I need to call Frannie and tell her not to come over tomorrow and I need to see if Jessie can run an errand for me before we get home." **** "Steve and Dave had a difference of opinion and now it's settled." That was it? That was all Hunter was going to say about the incident? Scott was so going to pry the details from Shawn... maybe on Sunday. Scott knew more than anyone that an incident you thought was settled could come back to bite you in the ass later. He didn't want Dave ending up getting hurt because he'd dropped his guard where Austin was concerned. Austin was dangerous when he was pissed off. Until he was sure it was nothing to worry about, he'd keep a wary eye on things. "...Vince is going to have a canary when you end up tossing him on the salad bar." Good lord. Scott was eminently glad that they'd chosen tables set away from anyone else in the restaurant, because if anyone heard the conversations going on at this table, then Vince would blow a gasket. None of them were being particularly discreet and with the announcement that he was going to make, he was sure there would be a few more comments to add to the one that Sean had just made. Sean seemed to be a little perkier now and that was a good thing, but saying something like that... Scott shook his head at his friend's daring. Mark was going to end up pushing the guy out of a plane one of these days. "I think it's about time for our announcement, babe. What do you say?" Scott shivered slightly as Kevin's breath caressed his ear. He leaned into his lover for a moment before turning to smile at him. "Yeah, I think now would be great." He pushed himself slowly to his feet, grabbing Kevin's hand in his own as he did so. He was about to try to get the attention of the others at the table when he overheard a bit of Hunter and Dave's conversation. "So... does that mean that I'm not grounded? I still get dessert?" Scott watched as Dave licked his spoon clean, then shook his head. While Kevin would more than likely appreciate the thought that had just flitted through his head, Hunter and Shawn probably wouldn't. And then Dave did him in with the killing blow. "Unless you're just waiting until we get back to your place to sp..." Good lord above. He fought it, honest he did. He covered his mouth and coughed, trying to hold back the laughter that wanted to burst free. Dave was going to fit in with their group just fine. The only reason he didn't burst out laughing was because he could see that Dave was a bit... okay, a lot... embarrassed that Scott had heard what he'd said. He wasn't sure if anyone else at the table had heard what the man said aside from Shawn and Hunter, but he decided to cut the poor guy a break. "Hey yo!" Having gained everyone's attention, damn it still worked, Scott smiled at the assorted faces that turned to look at him. "Since you are all here now," he said, rubbing his thumb over the back of Kevin's hand. "When we invited you guys down here, there were actually several reasons for it. The first was because we haven't gotten together like this in quite awhile and I've really missed all the chaos that you guys provide." Scott grinned even wider at the assorted groans and snorts that accompanied that statement. "The second reason was because we didn't want to go four days without seeing the ugly mugs of all our friends... which brings me to the third reason.... " He turned for a moment to look at Kevin, sure that everything he felt for the man was discernible in that single look before turning back to the group. "You guys are the people we're the closest to. Some of you have been with Kev and I through all the ups and downs throughout the years so we wanted you all to be the first ones to know. After the last big down, I never thought I'd be able to say this, but Kev and I have decided to give us another chance. I'm going to move most of my things back to our house during our off time. This time around, I know we're going to get it right." With one last squeeze to Kevin's hand, Scott sat down and waited for their friends' reactions. He was also waiting for it to actually settle in. They really were back together now. It wasn't just an unattainable dream of his anymore. **** "Chris? Do you find it just as hard to keep your Latin Lover in one place when he's hurt?" Taken by surprise at the question, Chris just blinked at CJ, not quite sure what to say. And after his doubts just moments earlier about his own actions in their relationship, he wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to be discussing his and Eddie's relationship in public anyway, even if Jericho was an old friend and only half-serious. He just... wasn't comfortable with the setting. Or the topic. Fortunately, Adam saved him from having to reply. "Not likely. He just glares him into submission. Gives him that Rabid Wolverine look. Kind of like the one on his face right now. And if that didn't work, he'd just sit on him." Or maybe not so fortunately. Narrowing his eyes for real at the tall blond, Chris pushed aside any thoughts of sitting on Eddie from last night and forced himself not to look embarrassed. One of the things he had to work on was his damned blushing. At his age, he shouldn't embarrass so easily, and around the company he kept, he really couldn't afford to. Maybe after that, he could work on actually being able to return the teasing... there had been a point in time where he'd been halfway decent at that, anyway. Bret had had a hand in stopping that, by benefit of the Look that he could level at anyone and the lecture that tended to accompany it, but Bret wasn't around anymore, and even though he was still a friend, Chris knew he needed to get past the block that the brunet had helped create. Damn. Still speechless as CJ maneuvered Copeland up and away, Chris was lost in thought for a long moment as he considered what he'd so unexpectedly thought of. Bret... and his renowned humourlessness backstage. Was his own reticence a combination of his natural reserve and... habit from being embarrassed by Bret too many times? Mouth twisting, Chris turned and walked slowly back to the table, taking a seat by Eddie. That was definitely something to think about, because if that's where this tension in the back of his mind had originated, he was going to hunt Bret down and smack the hell out of him for it. While he'd always been reserved, he'd never been this bad in his earlier years... Lost in thought, Chris jumped a little as an arm settled around his shoulders, smiling sheepishly at his lover as Eddie looked a question at him. "Sorry. Just... thinking." ---- Something was definitely up with his lover, Eddie thought as he watched Benny surreptitiously kick a chair underneath Copeland before the blond fell over. While he couldn't hear what they were saying, he could imagine it as he saw the familiar concerned-but-hiding-it-under-aggravation expression that he recognised from long personal experience with it. His own lips twitched a little as he watched the scene, but his smile disappeared when he saw the expression on Chris's face at whatever Jericho had said to him. That did it. Whatever was bothering Chris, they were going to have it out tonight, because it was getting worse. The faraway eyes in that face as Benoit sat down next to him again made him wonder if Chris wasn't thinking on that selfsame subject, but the faint air of insecurity hanging over him had Eddie moving before he even thought about it. No one else would have noticed, but he'd been too close to Chris for too long not to see it, and with his heightened sensitivity to his lover's emotions right now, there was no way it was passing unnoticed. Or unacted on. Draping his arm around Chris's shoulders in a publicly friendly way, Eddie pulled his lover up close to his side and leaned in. Wide eyes met his own, and he smiled a little. He'd always counted himself as one of the luckiest men in the world to have Benoit as his best friend, but... "Y'know, the best day of my life was when you first told me that you loved me," he said softly. The faint flush that came over Chris's face was appealing, but even better was the smile. That was one of Eddie's favourite smiles, but he rarely saw it these days: The shy, happy smile that reflected a little bit of embarrassment, a little bit of disbelief, and all of the love in Chris's heart. That told Eddie that he'd been right---his lover needed some reassurance right now, even if he was too proud to ever admit it, let alone ask for any. Good thing for him that Eddie could read him better than he could himself, and was more than willing to tell the man in front of him exactly how much he meant to him. Reaching up with his other hand, he took Benny's hand in his own, interlacing their fingers, and placed it over his own heart. "You've had my heart for as long I can remember, mi corazon. And I can't think of any place I'd rather it be." Any chance Chris might have had to respond vanished as Scott stood up and got their attention, their heads both snapping around almost instinctively at the "Hey yo!" Eddie chuckled. Some things would never change... and the couple standing in front of them was one of those things. "You guys are the people we're the closest to.... so we wanted you all to be the first ones to know.... This time around, I know we're going to get it right." His smile widening, Eddie tightened his grip on Chris just a little as he turned to meet his lover's gaze. Chris was smiling a little too, and Eddie knew suddenly that this time around, they would all be friends, not just acquaintances. And, he thought confidently, he and Chris would work out whatever was troubling him and move on. Eddie had made enough mistakes of his own to understand completely the smile on Scott's face and the reassuring hug that Kevin gave the big man. Chris had forgiven his, and their relationship had only gotten stronger, deeper. Some things had changed... and only for the better. **** The warmth in the dark eyes finally meeting his warmed Shawn's heart, although the fingers sliding gently down his thigh made him tingle for reasons that had nothing to do with the relief he felt as the last of his guilt fled. Dave was a huge tease, whether this particular tease was purposeful or not. Not that Shawn was going to complain about having his lover touch him; far from it. If he'd had his way, and judging from the look in those eyes Dave felt the same, Dave would've been kissing the breath out of him rather than quietly absolving him of blame. "...please stop apologizing.... I deserved worse for trying to prolong the ordeal because of a provoking comment about... us." Well... probably true, but Shawn rather thought that they'd all better get used to "provoking comments" about their new relationship, because there were sure to some thrown around with regularity for a while. After the shiny newness of the arrangement wore off, and after something arose to take the place of their top spot in the personal gossip, they'd die down, but until then... Catching sight of Jericho and Copeland leaving, it occurred to Shawn that the top gossip spot might already have been taken by others. Although the little showdown between Dave and Steve might just have bumped the mess with Terry the day before already. "I've been a little out of sorts.... You'd better eat that cake before all of your ice cream melts." Resisting the temptation to poke his tongue out at Dave, Shawn started eating again. The chicken and salad disappeared quickly, and a quick glance at his dessert showed that his ice cream was indeed starting to melt. That gave him the right to eat it before the rest of the food... right? Glancing around the table as he started in on the chocolate cake, his eyebrows shot up when he spotted Mark... and Jeff. Together. In fact... was that Mark's arm around Hardy's waist? And Jeff's fingers in Mark's hair? Well, now. Apparently he'd been dead on yesterday... and Mark was so going to hear about it, too. He knew there was no way that he'd offend Jeff by teasing them, and he already knew that he could run faster than the Dead Man. Suddenly, the prospect of working with those two over the next few months looked far more entertaining than it had earlier. And the fact that one of his closest friends actually looked happy for the first time in years didn't hurt, either. Realising as he swallowed a bite of cake that said closest friend was actually sitting and talking to Sean, of all people made his eyebrows raise again. That was... odd, to say the least. Those two had never been good for anything but driving each other insane. Maybe they were going to try to work things out. Glen would undoubtedly appreciate that, since Shawn remembered how much time Glen and Mark had spent together when he and Mark were still together. Making a mental note to catch up with Sean sometime soon, since they'd managed to drift apart lately for some reason, he was just reaching for more ice cream when Hunter spoke up. "It's really not a problem, Love..." Who wouldn't smile at that? Not only was big bad Triple H, the Cerebral Assassin, a cuddler... but he liked public displays of affection. And not just with Shawn. That was to be expected, with the way they'd always treated each other. The endearment to Dave, however, was not expected, and obviously Hunt hadn't thought twice before saying it, let alone after. The look on Dave's face was priceless, and Shawn smiled as the ice cream finally made it into his mouth. "That's our job now remember?" It was? Flashing an inquiring look at Hunter and wondering just how exactly he'd meant that, he laughed quietly at Dave's response. Until Dave stole some of his ice cream. Glaring in jealous possessiveness, Shawn's indignant complaint was replaced by a quiet sigh as that agile tongue flicked out and licked the spoon clean. That brought back memories of the day before... "Unless you're just waiting until we get back to your place to sp..." Shawn almost choked. The deepening blush on Dave's face told him that the comment hadn't been intentional, although the images it brought to mind were sweet, to say the least. He didn't quite dare look at Hunter, but his thoughts were racing. Apparently there was more to their Animal than he'd suspected... and he was damned well going to find out about it at the first opportunity. "Hey yo!" Turning to look at Scott before he'd even realised what he was doing, Shawn smiled. Some things just never changed. And some, he was happy to see from the body language in front of them, only changed for the better. He'd suspected two nights ago that his two friends were together again, and the way they'd been acting this morning only proved him right. Good. He'd never known anyone more suited for each other than those two, and every time he remembered the time he'd spent with them, he felt a little brush of pleasure and slight awe that they'd allowed him to partake in the deep, abiding love that they shared. Looked like�they'd finally realised what they shared was too important to lose. "I've really missed all the chaos that you guys provide." Snorting, Shawn shook his head at the look that Kevin shot at him. The chaos they provided? How about the chaos that the Outsiders were perfectly capable of causing on their own, thank you? Typical. So typical, to blame everyone else for something that they inspired... Shawn's lips curled upward at the edges in response to Scotty's acknowledging grin. And that look that the Bad Guy flashed to Kevin... If it wouldn't have been so damned girly, Shawn's eyes would've teared up at that look. It held everything that he'd ever wished for, ever wanted to have for himself. Letting his spoon hit the plate, Shawn quietly slid one hand onto Hunt's knee, squeezing slightly, as his other hand found its way up around Dave's waist. "Kev and I have decided to give us another chance.... This time around, I know we're going to get it right." Grinning broadly, Shawn met�Scott's and Kevin's eyes in turn, letting them know�silently how very happy he�was for them. Besides, anything he might've tried to say would've been drowned out by�Kid down at the�end of the table, who was acting like he'd gone insane. Turning his head to meet�each of his lovers' eyes in�their own turn, Shawn's smile softened as he took in the two men who had given him everything he'd ever wanted. No matter how much work it took or how hard it was, he knew that they'd get it right, too. **** Jeff looked away from Sean�s too expressive face as the dark-haired man mulled over Mark�s offer of a peace treaty. He didn�t want his own stare boring into Waltman to have any negative affects on the outcome of the negotiations. Keeping his body firmly resting against his lover�s, and yes he was going to think lover even if it was only true in a technicality, Jeff tried to lend a little stability if Sean laughed in Mark�s face. Not that he seriously thought The Kid would, if they were as alike as Jeff suspected then any overture of friendship would be met with joyful and bouncing acceptance rather than disinterest. Sean Waltman needed people like others needed air, life was just no fun if there weren�t personalities around to poke at. But it was Mark�s eloquent and honest proposal that had Jeff looking away and blinking quickly at the sting in his eyes. Damn, damn, damn. Why had he so misjudged the man currently stroking warm currents of pleasure across his back? Mark was demonstrating once again why he was such a hell of catch, offering a beautiful olive branch to someone he wasn�t sure he could get on with just because he might have fallen into a rut in his behaviour. His new lover obviously had a capacity for self-analysis that was going to leave Jeff in the dust if he didn�t get his shit together and catch up. Glancing around the room, Jeff wondered if there were some bridges he should look to mending in the future, his last term with the WWE had ended on a sour note with quite a few people he�d once considered friends and following Mark�s example mightn�t be a bad idea. Smiling wryly to himself, Jeff wondered what had happened last night that his outlook on life had changed so very quickly from �fuck you all, I don�t need you� to �about that time I was an asshole�well sorry�. Looking back towards the dark head so close to his heart, Jeff stopped wondering. He�d stumbled into the best thing that might ever happen to him. Jeff could almost feel his �best thing�s� breath being released in a quite sigh of relief as Sean finally broke from his amazement and answered Mark�s question. �Okay. I'm willing to try it... as long as you don't include the 'Deadman glare of doom'�I�ll try to keep the button pushing for things that are really important," Jeff laughed out loud as Sean had the gall to stick his tongue out at Mark over the Shawn comparison. He wondered what the dark haired nutcase would do if Jeff shared his own little identity insight with the other man. He�d bet he�d get a lot more than a tongue. Urgh. Not what he�d meant to think at all. Sean might be cute and attractive in his own impish way, but Jeff doubted they�d survive the experience of their two personalities in one relationship. Besides, Glen would probably beat him to death with his own arm for trying. �I'll get Jeff some too�you end up tossing him on the salad bar." Jeff was glad he hadn�t been drinking anything at that moment because he was sure he would have spat it out his nose. Without much thought he pulled his fingers away from the reaper tattoo that they�d been tracing on the back of Mark�s neck and straightened his stance to give their proximity a bit more decorum. He knew Sean was kidding, but if Jeff was being too touchy-feely then it might get back to Vince and the man wouldn�t be happy. Blood draining from his cheeks, Jeff sat down hard in Sean�s vacated seat as a new aspect of the reality of the situation came crashing down on his head. What would Vince think when he found out, and there was no doubt the main man would find out, that �too many chances Hardy� was climbing into bed with the Undertaker? Jeff had no illusions that Vince would indeed have a canary at the idea, particularly when it had been Mark to convince the WWE CEO to take him back in the first place. While he�d been ready to kick heads and talk shit with Paul. E�s filthy mind, that had been because it wasn�t true. Now that they were together, or at the very least giving it a shot, would Vince rescind his favour to Mark? Would he read Jeff the riot act, again, about keeping his private life separate from the business? Anyone looking around the restaurant at the moment would see the futility of that policy but Jeff didn�t have the luxury to tell Vince where to go jump. If he wanted to stay in the WWE, if he wanted to stay anywhere near Mark Calaway, then he had to know what he was allowed to do in public and what had to be kept private. �S-Sean has a point in all that chatter Mark,� Jeff finally dragged his gaze back to the deep, concerned jade of his lover�s. �What is Vince going to think?� **** to be continued...

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | ITVR Main Page | Home