"ITVR: Chapter 84"
Dares.

By Jadedoll, Penumbren, & Raising Kane

Cursing his phrasing as soon as the words had left his mouth, Mark was completely unsurprised by Glen's immediate response. "You need some time off, man, or glasses. Last time I checked I look nothing at all like Daddy Paul, brother. Don't make me bury you alive again to remind you of who I am." Definitely not. The buried alive matches were interesting, but he could definitely do without another go-round in a tiny space underneath a huge mound of dirt waiting for people to dig the side open again so that he could get out of his "grave" without really being buried alive. Only Vince's flair for the dramatic combined with his odd little religious twist at the time had convinced him to do the last one. That, and the promised three and a half months off to recover and rest. The time off had done wonders for him... too bad he couldn't talk Vince into another break like that. And... yep. There was the answer he'd been expecting. "I think you can spare a few minutes in between all that hot and sweaty work you'll be doing." Rolling his eyes again, Mark couldn't quite keep a hint of a smile off his face. They'd been friends for too long for him to get offended by something like that, and he'd had more than his share of jokes at the expense of Glen's sex life. It didn't help him keep his mind off of those "workouts" that he was finding himself looking forward to, though... and that thought found him looking back at Jeff. The wicked grin on his new lover's face combined with the expression on Sean's face was enough to make him wince. Apparently Glen had noticed the duo at the same time and had come to same conclusions as Mark had. "...that look... is enough to scare me. Think anyone would say anything if we tied them to their chairs for the rest of the meal?" Mark coughed to hide the sudden burst of laughter at the image presented. For some reason, he could just see the disgruntled expressions on the smaller men's faces if they did that. The spark of interest that shivered through him at the thought of tying Jeff to anything, let alone in public, he disregarded. Shawn had had some interesting kinks that had been fun to explore, and he'd played a bit with Adam, but those sorts of things weren't something he did every day... and certainly not less than twenty-four hours into a budding relationship. The fact that Jeff's expression changed in a heartbeat from wicked promise to wide-eyed innocence when he saw Mark's eyes on him didn't reassure him much about whatever it was that Sean and Jeff had been plotting. Whatever it was, he was far better off just not knowing. Experience had taught him that much: Don't ask, and you have nothing to hide later when irate demands for information come knocking on your door. "Wasn't sure if anything back there would kill you in three seconds so I just picked what I'd seen you eat before. Please change it if you like." Looking over the varied selection on the plate Jeff set in front of him, Mark couldn't keep his surprise from showing. Jeff had managed to pick out a number of his favourites, apparently just from watching what he'd eaten in the past... Just how often had Jeff been watching and Mark hadn't noticed? Hard on the heels of that thought was the question of what Jeff had watched him do. The memory of his stolen moments in the shower yesterday when he'd fantasized about the gorgeous young man currently sitting next to him surfaced, and he had to reassure himself that Jeff certainly hadn't seen that. Now�Mark almost wished he had. Shaking his head at his own meandering thoughts, Mark pushed away thoughts of what Jeff would look like, pleasuring himself in the shower, and forced himself to answer Jeff. "No allergies that I know of, so you're safe there. Thank you." A half-smile, and he started eating, only realizing with the first bite how ravenous he was. Caught up in watching the byplay between the others at the table, he didn't realise he'd finished the food that Jeff had piled on his plate until his fork skittered across empty plastic. A sudden motion near the head of the table caught his attention, and he snorted with laughter as Hall performed a beautiful imitation of Trips' old snob bow, apparently much to the amusement of Hunter's... partners... and the amused annoyance of the man himself. The trio didn't waste much time in leaving, although Mark couldn't blame them. While he'd probably give Shawn some grief over not saying good-bye to him Sunday when he saw him again, right now Shawn obviously had other things on his mind. And so did he. Of their own volition, his eyes moved back to rest on Jeff, unsurprised to see him look up only seconds later. "I have no idea when the next flight home is Mark." Things like the immediate realities of his current situation. Damn it. Now that their separation was becoming imminent, Mark found himself wishing that he'd agreed to go with Jeff, although he was sure that would've caused any number of awkward situations with Jeff's family. While he had no objection to getting to know the important people in his new lover's life, meeting them for the first time the day after the first night they'd spent together, especially one that had had such mixed emotions so quickly, would be far from comfortable for anyone involved. The soft touch on his arm surprised him, after Jeff's awkwardness earlier, but he certainly didn't mind it. Shifting, he pulled his arm back until their fingers were nearly intertwined on the table top; a subtle but unmistakable gesture as his expression softened slightly, although the sudden slight tension remained around the edges. "Stay with me at the airport till you have to go?" That question didn't even require thought. Nodding, he glanced around and saw that the gathering was breaking up. The trio's departure had apparently been a sort of unconscious symbol, as Kevin and Scott headed for the buffet and Benoit and Eddie were pushing their chairs back in preparation for leaving. Glancing at Glen, he nodded at his friend as he stood, pulling Jeff upward with him. "We both need to catch flights, so I suppose I'll be seeing you two Sunday." It wasn't a question, but his usual sort of farewell to Glen, and his friend nodded at him. He ignored the lingering smirk on Glen's face, and restrained himself to a nod himself at Sean, rather than risk the hyperactive man saying something else that might leave lingering images in his mind. A few steps away from the table, Mark paused and looked down at Jeff. "We need to go back up and get our bags. From there... straight to the airport?" **** Shawn didn't miss the direction of Hunter's gaze, and even though he knew his friend was looking for the tell-tale bulge of a cell phone in his pocket, he couldn't restrain himself from adding just a bit more sway to his step, smirking at the narrowed eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dave touch his own pocket and his smirk widened as Hunter turned away in exasperation. This could be a whole new game: Keep Hunt away from his cell phone. Whoever gets the longest time apart wins... surely he could think of something to forfeit. Aware of Dave's presence close beside him, Shawn wished for an instant that he could just wrap an arm around Dave's waist. The only thing stopping him was the knowledge of Vince's reaction... and the likelihood of photos. While he'd never been camera-shy by any stretch of the imagination, he had managed to mostly avoid being on the covers of tabloids, and he wanted to keep it that way. Unfortunately, that meant that he couldn't wrap himself around his lover... at least, not until they were safely in the limo. And there it was. He could feel tension gathering at the base of his spine just at the sight, and forced himself to take a deep breath. It was just a limo. Just a means of transportation, nothing more. Just because the last time he'd been in one had been much less than pleasant didn't mean that all rides in a limo would be like that. Still not really liking the idea, he found himself distracted almost immediately once he was in. How nice of Hunter to let him get in first, he thought somewhat sarcastically. Seating himself, he waited for the inevitable. No sooner had the door closed behind them than Hunter pounced. Expecting the move, Shawn wasn't expecting quite the sort of search that Hunter seemed to have in mind. He barely noticed when the limo started moving, too caught up in the laughter that the searching fingers were pulling out of him and the raspy moans that seemed to follow. Reaching up, he caught Hunter by the shoulder and pulled himself upward, pressing their bodies together�for an instant as he grinned up at his friend, the momentary touch giving away the other effects of Hunt's teasing. The man had to have figured out by now that his pockets were empty... although he certainly didn't mind the effort that his lover was putting into his search. The sudden burst of music that rang through the limo's atmosphere of stifled laughter and quiet growls startled both of them into immobility for an instant as their heads swung to look at Dave. The sunglasses he was wearing looked terribly familiar, but Shawn's attention was more taken by the smile on his face. He could get addicted to that smile. "I'm a popular guy, what can I say?" Seeing realisation dawn on the face above him as Dave reached into his pocket, Shawn threw an arm around Hunter's neck and forced his head back down, winking at him before pulling him into a kiss that he'd intended to be brief but immediately grew beyond that. His lips parting to allow Hunter's tongue inside, Shawn's fingers tightened on Hunt's shoulder as he moaned softly, surrendering to whatever Hunter wanted to do to him. **** Chris relaxed back into his seat, resting his head on the cushioned back rest that was trying its very best to be comfortable. Adam had dropped off to sleep almost immediately after closing his eyes, their interrupted night finally catching up with his green-eyed lover. Watching for long, leisurely minutes, Chris took in every detail of the gracefully slumped form, Adam's limbs loose and uncontained in his slumber. Yet... CJ's eyes narrowed in concern as he noticed Adam still held himself slightly upright, spine trying to curl into the corner of seat and wall, but being unable to do so. Each movement resulting in�small unconscious corrections as�niggles of pain must have bothered cracked ribs. Adam would only truly be comfortable if he could lie flat on his back, changes in his position kept to minimum... for a few days at least. Chris slowly catalogued the tiny details of his lover's body, from the wild golden hair still�hidden under the baseball�cap�to Adam's hand, fingers curled on his thigh, neat clean nails giving the occasional twitch as his lover dreamed. For a long while, Chris wallowed in the sight, indulged every one of his senses while he contemplated his boyfriend, his Adam. To say their encounter in the bathroom had left him feeling mushy-brained and romantic would be an understatement, but he was unobserved by anyone except an occasional 'Sparky' drive-by, so he really didn't care if he was sporting a self-satisfied, totally happy grin. Last night, he'd fallen in love. Or maybe he'd been in love for three years and hadn't noticed. Which said some rather unpleasant things about his self-analysis skills but was more than likely the case. In fact... more likely he'd given his heart to Adam sometime in between their first handshake and his soul-wrenching declaration hours ago. Maybe it was when Adam had bought him a drink at that millennium party, not four months after he'd arrived at the Fed. It was the first time he'd traded more than a dozen words with the suspiciously quiet man, even though he'd fast been adopted into the small Canadian crew by Jay and Andrew, and were some he hadn't been likely to forget. Just simple, polite conversation, 'where are you from?' and 'hey do you know?' kind of thing. But to CJ they'd been a victory of sorts, attention from the cool as silk Adam Copeland, a man that only Jason Reso really knew anything about. All anybody else had were just guesses. It could have been on that flight from Australia, hours and hours spent killing time by just talking about nothing. Chris had read an article about the tallest buildings in the world and how they seemed to get progressively uglier and uglier, while Adam gave him chapter and verse on his favorite movie, why the main character was hot and made a promise to lend CJ his DVD copy. Chris had over the course of another two hours, turned that into an invitation to go over to Adam's place and watch it. With a slow smile, Chris realized he'd never taken up that invitation. Given that they were going to be bed bound for the next few days, it would be the perfect opportunity to do so. The keep Adam horizontal, while they chilled out watching movies and playing strip poker. Of course he still had a day of being naked to pay as well and Chris had all sorts of plans for that one. Finally taking his eyes off the soft rise and fall of Adam's chest, looking delicious under the comfortable t-shirt, Chris found his headphones and plugged them in, scrolling through the channels till he found something that actually had a guitar. ---- "...we will be landing shortly. Please..." Chris had been staring at Adam again. His lover's lips were just slightly parted, tantalizingly pink and demanding Chris to slip his tongue into the hot wet cavern they protected. If he hadn't been in a descending aircraft and surrounded by people, then Chris would have obeyed his instincts and taken the invitation being offered by that sexy mouth. Instead he had to keep his public face on and wake Adam without any untoward physicality. Still, reaching over Chris ran his fingers across Adam's stubbly cheek, slowly increasing the pressure until his eyelids fluttered and sleepy green eyes were revealed. "Home sweet home, my Love. My place, then bed is your�final destination." Chris almost swallowed his tongue when he realized 'Sparky' was lingering over them, an amused sparkle in his eyes as he helpfully lifted Chris' tray table back into it's upright position. **** "From there... straight to the airport?" Jeff wanted to say no, wanted to tell Mark that he'd changed his mind, that he could stay till this evening or at least another few hours. He could absorb some more of Mark's presence, savour all the small things while they were actually on the same page. But what�Jeff wanted right now wasn't really an option. It was wise and sensible to go home and tell his family the news about his contract, explain to his brother that although Amy was acting weird he hadn't seen anyone else's tongue down her throat and�Jeff could stress himself into a hernia over Mark. Staying here, while his emotions were all over the place, while his behaviour was on the verge of manic, was the complete opposite of wise and in no way sensible. Nodding abstractly, Jeff followed Mark back into the elevator and towards his room, his instincts and brains wrestling over the best course of action. Jeff rested his shoulder�in the doorway�while Mark picked up their bags, eyes watching the beautiful move and sway of his lover's body. Except, really, he had to stop using that term mentally, because although they'd had sex... boy had they had sex... that was really the basis of their�'whatever' so far and Jeff was fairly sure you had to make love to a man more than once before you got to call him your lover. Jesus. If they lasted the week without both running for the ends of the earth, then Jeff would be proud to call it a relationship, let alone call them lovers. "Yeah... home. I didn't call last night and Grandee will start leaving really polite voice messages if I don't�tell them I'm alive�sometime today." Grinning fondly, he explained at the look on Mark's face.�"Mrs. Hardy is normally the sweetest�woman in my town, but you don't want her mad at you. If she starts being real polite, saying�lots of�'May�I ask Jeffery Nero, if you can spare me a moment, what has happened�to�that expensive phone of yours?' Then you know you're in for it."� Back in the elevator and Jeff started rising back and forth on his toes, body beginning to fill with its usual cascade of�energy. He really wanted to run somewhere, like up a set of bleachers or a building fire escape or something. Jeff'd been out of action too long, his�reactions were all over the place�and his reflexes were losing their normal�break-neck speed. When he got home, he was going to do laps around the lake until some of this mental and physical lethargy went away. Determined to look on the bright side of things, Jeff reasoned that absence makes the heart grow fonder and he suspected that with a few days to think about it his heart would become�way more than�fond. So fond in fact, that if he knew himself and his previous track record, he might just become a multicolored thorn in Mark's side if he didn't tone down his usual 'all over you' antics. There wasn't just the little things he wanted to learn, oh no, there was all the big stuff too and he had a feeling that Mark would be like a clam until Jeff used all his methods of persuasion to find those hidden details. Like... "So how long has Paul.E been bothering you anyway?" Blinking Jeff understood he'd said that out loud from the expression of surprise on Mark's normally stoic features. Okay, so it wasn't the most bland of idle chatter, but Jeff wasn't one to prattle about the inane when they could be discussing something relevant, like if Mark minded him running interference with the Toad. "Umm... that was a bit blunt wasn't it?" **** He was so busy plotting out plans for the pay per view that he barely said anything once they got back to the table. Vince was going to want to kill him again... unless he found someone else to blame the food fight on. Considering the events of the week, Sean decided that maybe he'd find a way to shift the blame to Johnny Nitro. He could most likely taunt old Johnny into tossing the first missile. After that he'd be home free and he and Jeff could pelt whomever they liked with whatever happened to be available. Of course it'd be even better if they could ditch Mark and Glen before they started said food war. Cause he doubted Mark would be happy with him if he led Jeff into mischief. And he really was going to try not to antagonize the man right off the bat if he could help it. Really. He noticed a few odd looks from Glen as he licked some chocolate icing off his fork, but refused to give into his lover's curiosity. The less Glen knew about the plan the better. He'd have to hook up with Jeff sometime early on Sunday though and fill him in on the plan. Oh! Even better idea... To heck with catering. Weren't they having a huge after-party right after the pay per view? Sean's eyes glowed with amusement when he considered the possibilities that would be laid out by the post-pay per view party catering crew. They were definitely in business. Out of the corner of his eye, Sean saw the happy trio standing up and heading over to Scott and Kevin. He couldn't blame the three for getting out of there as soon as possible. Brand new couple sex was some of the best ever... add a third person into that and Sean couldn't even imagine the fun the trio would have. Not that he wasn't happy with his sex life, because Glen was an amazing lover... and kept him completely satisfied. With the new dynamic in their own relationship he could only see that improving... it didn't hurt to think about the logistics of a hot threesome though. When Scott did a perfect imitation of Hunter Hearst Helmsley's old bow... he and Glen exchanged a look and started laughing. Scott was definitely getting back his sense of humor and god how Sean had missed it. He'd been terribly worried about Scott for so long, especially after the separation from Kev. He had worried about Kevin too after his reaction to Scott moving out, but he hadn't had to worry about finding Kev in the bottom of a bottle again. Now he could put his fears to rest... Kev and Scott were back together again and just looking at them he could tell that they were happier than ever. He jumped slightly at the ruffling of his hair by... Hunter. He growled playfully and then barked at his friend. Petting him like a dog... Sean smiled as soon as Hunter cleared the room. There was another one he wouldn't have to worry about so much anymore. He'd noticed his friend's withdrawal from the group, the way he'd been isolating himself, but the harder Sean had tried to draw him out or find out what was wrong the further Hunter had pushed him away. If he had known that throwing Shawn at him would have pulled him out of that behavior, he'd have done it months ago. He'd made the assumption though that the sexual tension between Shawn and Hunter was mostly one-sided, on Shawn's part because Hunt was well... married, but he'd also assumed that it was being ignored because they didn't want to risk their friendship. Just one instance where he should have said something and hadn't because Shawn would have probably killed him. Of course this way they had ended up with Dave as a third in their happy little relationship so maybe letting it go had been the right decision after all. Sean was happy with that train of thought. Although he was the Guru of love... Jeff had said so. And he was so not forgetting that. He almost made a comment to that effect as Mark and Jeff stood to leave, but bit his tongue at the last moment. He'd promised to try damn it... and he was trying. He could think of a dozen remarks that wanted to spring from his mouth, but didn't utter a one. Just because he didn't like to behave himself most of the time didn't mean that he couldn't... and he was going to prove it. Rather than risk opening his mouth at all, Sean just nodded a goodbye to both men. Glen would be proud of him. ---- He kept waiting for something outrageous to come out of Sean's mouth. All the while Sean was eating the chocolate cake, Glen was wondering what it would be this time. Most likely a comment on Mark and Jeff's new relationship and closeness since that seemed to have been his latest tag. Instead he waited in vain. Not once did Sean comment about Mark or Jeff or the two of them together. He wasn't sure whether to be proud or worried... There was a wicked glint in Sean's eyes as he scooped up another bite of cake. He was planning something. It was the 'what' that had Glen worried. When the cake was gone and Sean was licking the last of the frosting off the fork, he prepared himself for Sean's worst... which could be something really, really terrible. Still nothing. Deciding to take a look around before he drove himself nuts waiting for the revelation of what was behind that thoughtful look on his lover's face, Glen caught the sight of Scott bowing in front of Hunter. God that was ridiculous. Oh it was perfectly executed, Glen would give him that, but it would look ridiculous no matter who was the one doing it. Glen remembered cracking up watching Hunter practice that damn thing though he tried not to do it in front of the guy. After all, his character had hardly been anything to brag about at that time. Exchanging a look with Sean, they both burst into laughter. Glen could almost see relief in his lover's eyes and could guess at the cause for it. Scott being happy was a nice change from the tumultuous past few years. He was well aware of how worried Sean had been about his friend... Glen had shared that worry with him. Noticing Hunter walking up behind Sean a few minutes later, Glen kept his mouth shut. Another friend that they had both worried about for awhile now. It looked like Hunter was going to be spending more time with the rest of them for a change. He snickered quietly when Sean barked. Leave it up to Sean... And then there was the brand new relationship of Mark and Jeff. Glen couldn't help but grin when he noticed the small touches and exchanged looks. He'd been waiting for this... someone to pull Mark from the lonely existence he'd buried himself in lately. As far as Glen was aware, Mark hadn't been involved with anyone of note since Shannon. And that had been some time ago. It looked like Mark was well on his way to something good... as long as he didn't talk himself out of deserving it. That was another reason he was going to make sure he talked to the guy in the next couple of days. He was well aware of Mark's insecurities even if Mark refused to admit to them except under extreme pressure. Glen would just have to point out that his friend really didn't need to worry about the things he would be. Today had been a good day of revelations and Glen felt a welling sense of happiness. There was only one thing keeping him from being ecstatic... ... Sean's current behavior. "We both need to catch flights, so I suppose I'll be seeing you two Sunday." Glen nodded in acknowledgment, same as he always did when Mark proclaimed their next meeting. This time there was a subtle smirk that wasn't a normal part of their goodbye. Glen just couldn't help it. It was good to see the end result even if Sean's method hadn't been the easiest. And speaking of Sean... Glen frowned slightly as Mark and Jeff slipped from the table without so much as a whisper from his lover. Reaching over with one hand, he laid it against Sean's forehead. "Are you coming down with something?" **** "So... so far, so good. We told them about us and so far nobody's been injured, maimed, killed, or hauled off to jail. I'd say that makes this luncheon a success." Even as he laughed, Kevin had to wince a little. He could remember far too many gatherings, company or personal, that had ended in fistfights, name-calling, general brawls, or people getting hauled off to jail. He couldn't remember all of the causes, but a decade ago, they'd been far too common for all of them. Fortunately, those days were long behind them. Heaping food onto his plate, Kevin watched Scott, simply taking in the sight of his lover. The sweats he was wearing were probably a dead giveaway to anyone who knew them well enough, but only a few people did, and Shawn had obviously had other things on his mind that prevented any comments he might normally have made. But beyond the slight stiffness in Scott's movements, Kevin could see that his other half was practically glowing. Scott was happy. The little smile playing on his lips, the warmth in his eyes as he glanced over his shoulder at Kevin, the general air of relaxation... Kevin found himself smiling a little, probably looking like a complete idiot, as Scott's mood permeated him. The last few days had been pretty up and down, but this was wonderful. The only other recent time Kevin could remember both of them feeling this good was the morning after Scott had stayed the night for the first time. That morning had been almost unbelievable, as he woke up slowly from a dream about Scotty, his eyes damp from the remembered happy times and already missing them... only to realise that he wasn't alone. Scott had been watching him, awake for God only knew how long before he was, and had kissed the would-be tears away before they could fall. Following Scott back to their table, Kevin sank into his seat with a sigh and took a large bite of the grilled chicken on his plate with a low, contented sound. Before he could really dig in, though, he saw Eddie and Benoit stand up and looked up at them. Eddie grinned at him and clapped him on the shoulder. "Congratulations, ese. It's good to see you back together... gives the rest of us hope." The sincerity of the words took any possible sting out of them, and Kevin smiled. "Thanks, Eddie. Good to see you guys doing well, too." Eddie moved around the end of the table to drop a hand on Scott's shoulder as well, before giving him a half-hug. Quiet words from the man still standing to his side took Kevin by surprise. "Kevin..." Benoit looked a little awkward, but Kev could appreciate that. With Hart being one of his oldest friends, it had to be hard to be around them, especially now that they were back in the company. Benny would surely get over it, as they'd been at least good colleagues if not friends back in the WCW days, but hopefully the tentative friendship that seemed to be in the offing would actually work out this time. "I just wanted to say... I'm happy for you two. I know what it's like, and how hard things must have been, and... I'm glad you could make it work out again." Blinking, Kevin was momentarily speechless. If anyone could understand exactly what�they'd been through,�it would be these two. The absolute sincerity and quiet happiness in�the words were practically stunning,�coming from Benny,�but before he could answer, Chris had nodded at him and joined Eddie again at Scott's side. Eddie smiled at them again and waved, then dropped an arm around Benoit's shoulder as they headed for the door. Looking at Scott, Kevin raised his eyebrows for a minute. "Did you hear what Benny said? That was... unexpected." **** Hunter went for the front pockets first, although he was fairly sure from his visual inspection that his cellular wasn't contained in those two tight envelopes of fabric. The twisting, giggling body contained within writhing cotton was, in fact,�a hell of a lot more interesting than his phone, but Hunter wasn't going to be distracted from his mission. Much. he knew without a shadow of a doubt that Shawn was indulging him, his smaller lover being quite capable of getting Hunt's larger frame off him if he chose to. That he wasn't really fighting back, wasn't trying to keep his groin and hips away from Hunt's searching fingers gave Hunter the first clue that he was on a fruitless search. Still, determination was a word commonly associated with the man known as Triple H and he wasn't going to cease his mission until he was absolutely sure the beautiful, writhing blond beneath him was no longer in possession of stolen goods. Checking back pockets by lifting Shawn's ass bodily from the seat and thoroughly groping the area, Hunter decided that he might not find his phone, but he was certainly getting his hands on some other goods that were worth the effort. When Shawn's body arched under his, pressing their groins together in even more intimate contact than the search allowed, Hunter couldn't help his bodies instinctive reaction, his own hips grinding back down into their mate's wool and cotton creating delicious friction. Knowing his beloved's actions were as much a distraction technique as they were true desire, Hunter manfully tried to continue his task, his own motives fueled by enjoyment of the situation as he'd worked out at least two red lights ago that Shawn's pockets had only contained the keys currently clinking on the floor and the wallet half-wedged into the crease of the seat. ... blurzzz, blurzzz, bleezzt, bleezzt, blurrzzz, blurrzzz.... It was a new phone or�PDA�thing whatever.�He'd only had it a week and hadn't had the chance to change the ring tone or personalize any of the settings. So the ring tone was the basic one that came with the brand of�phone and Hunter was getting used to recognizing it. That the particular chorus of electronic sounds was now issuing from the other seat in the limousine really didn't come as much of a surprise. With Shawn being no longer in possession of the stolen item, there really weren't many options as to where the phone would have gone. Hunter wasn't remotely stupid. He was, however, incredibly amused that Dave had been dobbed in by a generic series of notes issuing from the region of his groin. Turning to their dark-haired lover, Hunter's eyes narrowed in speculation as he saw Dave wrestle the phone out of his pocket, the blue and silver piece of equipment looking totally innocent in those large, bronzed hands. "I'm a popular guy, what can I say?" "How about, please Hunter, my darling magnificent lover,�would you like your phone back?" The words were swallowed before they left Hunter's lips, taken in by Shawn's sweet mouth plastered so intently to his. The restraining arm across his neck and the naughty wink he'd caught before his mouth had been taken, assured Hunt that this was much a delaying tactic as the initial lack of resistance had been. Sliding his hands from Shawn's pockets, Hunter rested them at the base of his lover's spine and lowered his weight onto the man beneath him. Relaxing into the kiss, he became aware of the small moans of passion issuing from Shawn, mingling with his own groans of pleasure at the contact of their bodies from chest to knee. Settling down into the sweet apex of Shawn's parted thighs, Hunter was totally distracted from his reclamation mission by the gorgeous creature in his arms and the hot burn of Dave's eyes on them from not three feet away. But it was the feel of Shawn's cotton clad groin pressing up insistently into his that actually brought Hunter out of his sex induced fog. The pockets around those sexy-boy hips were empty because his friend had given Dave Hunt's phone, had palmed it off sometime over lunch behind his�back. Determination returning, Hunter dragged his mouth from Shawn's hotter than hell lips and sat back, his palm flat on Shawn's chest to keep the smaller man on the seat and out of the way of temptation. Tossing the hair from his eyes, Hunter put on his best alpha dog, 'people move out of my way' expression and looked at the other guilty party in the car. Untangling himself from Shawn, Hunter rolled his shoulder as if preparing for battle and moved over to the other side of the limousine, taking over the free space beside Dave and staring at him with concentrated intensity. His lover had the phone gripped lightly in his fingers, the ringing had stopped and now his caller was undoubtedly leaving a message. Hunter would like to check that message. Hunter would like his phone back. Keeping his eyes on Dave's shaded eyes... Hunter's own sunglasses the blond noted... he ran his hand down Dave's arm from the shoulder, until his fingers rested lightly over the ones around the small device. "We can do this the easy way or fun way my Love, your choice." Hunter moved one fingertip back and forth with minute strokes. Knowing which answer he was likely to get, Hunter prepared himself for another pounce. He wondered if Dave would squirm as much as Shawn did. "David." **** Very much aware of Jeff watching him�from the doorway, Mark easily lifted both of their bags, since neither of them had brought more than an overnight bag up with them. Standing, his eyes fell on the bed, still unmade and rumpled, and his mind flashed back to the night before. Just the memory of kissing the man standing behind him was enough to make his eyes close for a moment as he wished that they had more time. Jeff's voice almost took him by surprise, after the long, mostly comfortable silence they'd shared on the way up to the room. "I didn't call last night and Grandee will start leaving really polite voice messages..." Raising an eyebrow a little as he turned to face Jeff, Mark wondered why polite messages would be a bad thing. It was reassuring to know that Jeff's family was that protective of him, considering the little flashes of injury that he'd caught from the man over the last day, but he couldn't help but wonder just what they would think of him. Undoubtedly they knew better than to assume that wrestlers' personas were reality, but between his unearthly ring presence and his age, surely they wouldn't exactly be thrilled to find out that their youngest boy had taken up with him. "...but you don't want her mad at you. If she starts being real polite... Then you know you're in for it." Smiling a little, Mark remembered a few conversations with his own mother that had started out similarly. The trouble he and his brothers had gotten into may actually put some of the Hardys' stories to shame, but most of them weren't stories he'd trot out willingly... and definitely not around his parents. The few moments in the elevator were quiet, although Mark could see Jeff's normal energy returning as the young man started bouncing beside him, probably completely unaware of doing so. He could feel some nervous energy of his own welling up, and tried to suppress it as best he could. The upcoming separation from the man beside him was not going to be easy, and that thought scared the hell out of him. The incredible attachment he already felt for Jeff was unexpected, even with the long-time fascination he'd had for him, and he was afraid to look at the possible reasons for it. Last time he'd been this attached, after all, it had been to Shawn... and look how that had ended. Years of being alone, with exceptions during the times he'd been with Adam and Shannon, had taught him how to survive without needing anyone else... he'd thought. "So how long has Paul.E been bothering you anyway?" One eyebrow shot up in surprise as Jeff broke the silence with the surprisingly blunt question. Apparently Jeff had surprised himself by asking, by his next comment. "Umm... that was a bit blunt wasn't it?" Allowing himself a slight smile at the somewhat abashed expression on the fine features, Mark shrugged, remaining silent as the elevator stopped and the doors slid open. It might have been blunt, but it wasn't really surprising that Jeff had asked. The timing was interesting, but Mark knew that Jeff never had been one for beating around the bush. Checking out was quick, and then they were off to his rental. Closing the trunk after he'd dropped their bags in it, Mark unlocked the doors and got in, thinking about how best to answer the question. A few moments after they'd gotten on the road, he broke the silence, a touch of exasperation in his voice. "To answer your question... Heyman's been "bothering me" as long as I've known him." Catching the quick glance from Jeff, he shrugged a little, forcing himself to keep his eyes on the road and not on the captivating man sitting beside him. "He's a slimeball and a small-minded creep, and he's never accepted the fact that I don't play his games. He probably hits on me about once every week or so, and I ignore him... been like that for years, now." A pause and a look at Jeff as his expression grew more serious. "But he will not be "bothering" you. At all. I don't care what you say to him or how you deal with him, but I want you to tell me if he tries anything. Not just because of you, because I know you can take care of yourself, but because I think he's been pulling shit with the other young guys, and I want to know so that I can do something about it." **** The pain pills were starting to wear off. That was more than evident given the little twinges from his ribs whenever he shifted positions. Airline seats weren't really made for what you'd call restful sleep, so he was shifting with regularity. That just caused him to have to shift again because of the ache caused from moving in the first place. He'd find a happy medium so that he could fall back into an uneasy sleep until he moved the next time. Their little workout in the bathroom probably hadn't really helped his condition at all, if he were honest, but he wouldn't have given it up for the world, pain or not. Pain was something he was used to. Pain was something he could live with. Chris was the best reason in the world to bear the pain and he was coming to admit, someone that he really didn't want to live without. A gentle stroke of fingers over his cheek pulled him from his far from restful slumber, the sounds of muted voices and a screaming child filtered from the front half of the plane... and he was still so damned tired. He opened bleary eyes enough to look into sparkling blue ones for just a moment. "Home sweet home, my Love. My place, then bed is your final destination." His eyes were slipping shut again by the time Chris got to 'my place'. Man... he was so tired, but he figured Chris would at the least require a reply to prove that he was amongst the conscious of the world. A quiet hum of sleepiness slipped out before he could stop it. "As long as you promise me lots and lots of ice when we get home. I didn't think it would hurt this much," he mumbled sleepily. That he admitted it was a sure sign that he was really hurting. A snort of muffled laughter had his eyes snapping open. That was not Chris' laugh. That was for damn sure. And how right he was. Focusing on the man snapping Chris' tray table into place, Adam rolled his eyes. Great. Sparky... just what he needed. "My fractured ribs," he clarified for the red-head's benefit. "Very painful, dude. And you have a dirty mind." The wicked grin on his face left an opening for the man to draw his own conclusions. Adam was tickled by the thought that most likely both he and Chris would be walking a bit gingerly as they left the plane. Let Sparky think whatever it amused him to think. As the man walked away, Adam stuck his tongue out at Sparky's retreating back. ---- As soon as they climbed out of their seats, he dug into his carryon bag and pulled out his pair of sunglasses. He was seriously hoping that between the shades and the bill of his baseball cap pulled down low to help hide his identity that he'd be able to avoid any fan interactions in the airport. Normally he wouldn't mind the rounds of idle chatting, nosy questions, or signing autographs but he was well aware that his patience would be at a minimum for that sort of thing today. His ribs were really starting to ache, his back was tender in spots and he could only imagine the lovely shades of color to be found there, that wasn't even mentioning how much his fucking head itched. It didn't help his attitude at all when Sparky made a point of singling out Chris for the 'we hope you enjoyed your flight' speech as they were exiting the plane. He may have actually snarled at the guy on his way past, but if Chris questioned it, he'd be blaming it on a flare-up of his injuries. Honestly, he couldn't really figure out why he was being overcome by caveman mentality when it came to the friendly redhead. He hadn't acted that way over Shelton's gawking and that was much more obvious not to mention that Shelton had actually ended up with a free-show of Chris' most delectable parts and he had simply laughed it off. Now he was in pain, mad at himself for acting like a jealous asshole, and they still had to wait for their luggage at the baggage claim. Watching the bags circle around on the conveyor were bound to make his slight headache even worse... if Jay didn't take care of that problem for him first. Jay's chorus of "Are you sure you're okay? You're looking a little pale.", "Do you want me to carry your bags out to the car for you?", and "Did you call your mom yet?" rang in his ears until he was ready to strangle his longtime friend. Shit... he hadn't called his mom. After the reaction she'd had to his phone call when he found out he needed surgery on his neck, he dreaded having to tell her he was injured in any way. During his comeback he had had to call her twice when he'd injured his foot and then his hand in quick succession. Each phone call had resulted in an hour long hysterical rant by his mother on how he should really find another line of work before her 'poor baby' ended up stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of his life with only her to care for him. That thought had nearly convinced him to consider working backstage, the business was in his blood and he couldn't give it up entirely, but thoughts of his mother hovering over him saying 'my poor, poor baby' repeatedly would be enough to scare anyone. He'd finally convinced her that he was staying with the company and that he would be extra cautious. Now thanks to that bitch Terry, he was going to have to call her and tell her about yet another injury. And he couldn't even give a good reason for this one to have happened. He had to call her before the ppv on Sunday because she would know something was wrong just by looking at him, but he was going to put it off until Saturday night unless Jay beat him to the punch. Finally spotting his bag, on the conveyor, he reached down and picked it up, groaning from both the twitch in his ribs and the thought of dealing with his mom. Jay immediately tried to commandeer his bag until Adam snarled at him. He immediately apologized but still felt like an ass for snapping like that. All he wanted was to be home... in his bed... with bags of ice... and his cuddly new lover. Thankfully it looked like Chris felt the same way. Finding a slight smile as his lover ushered them into the Flamingo parking garage and sent Bunnykins and Jay off to find the car, Adam brushed a few fingers lightly through Chris' hair. Spotting the slightly concerned look on CJ's face, he brushed it off with a half-sincere "I'm fine." Chris didn't look like he believed it for a moment but he didn't argue. Which turned out to be a good thing after listening to the muttering by Jay on the drive to Chris' house. Adam didn't catch it all, but he did hear snippets like "Can't drive my own car to my own house..." and "...tired of always getting grouched at." That made him feel even worse. So when they pulled up in front of Chris' two-story sandstone complete with potted plants, he ruffled Jay's hair as they climbed out of the car. "Sorry for being such a prick, Jay Jay. I'll call ya later," he said through the window as Chris collected their bags from the trunk. ---- He'd managed to wrestle his bags from Chris with an 'I can do it myself' glare, though he wasn't sure it would work on his stubborn lover and now found himself ensconced in the kitchen while Chris went upstairs to pack a bag or two. Next time they stopped here, when he was feeling more the thing, he'd do a little poking around through Chris' things, but for now he was content to sit at the table and sip on a can of Coke. He was slouching in a chair, studying the fake plant being used as a centerpiece when something jumped up on the table and made a beeline right for him. Adam stiffened immediately upon recognizing Chris' pet, a big black fluffy ball of fur just full of testosterone. He hissed quietly at the pull in his ribs and wasn't surprised when Valentino... what the heck kind of name was that for a cat anyway?... hissed back, his spine arching, and his fur standing on end. Great... now he was going to be able to add cut to ribbons along with his list of injuries. He didn't mind at all if Chris wanted to dig furrows in his back in the middle of some of their adventures, but he'd be damned if he showed up marked by the bundle of demon spawn sitting in the middle of the table glaring at him. Why did Chris have to have a damned cat of all the animals he could possibly have owned? He loved dogs, though he didn't own one currently not feeling it fair to the animal when he was going to be gone all the time, he could deal with hamsters, rats, gerbils, birds, and iguanas... hell, he could have dealt with a twenty foot long python with no problems. But no... Chris owned a cat. He was not a cat person in any way, shape, or form. He commenced a stare-down with the yellow eyes now contemplating him curiously from across the table. Maybe he was insane... he was glaring at a cat. A cat that if he remembered correctly was also nicknamed Satan. It seemed terribly apropos for this creature. Catching a bit of humor in the situation, he finally smiled at the animal. "If you so much as think of using those claws on me, I'm going to float you on a raft in my swimming pool, you little spawn of the devil. Just see if I don't." The creature blinked at him, unconcerned, and then stood and walked a few steps closer before sitting and licking one large black paw. Adam slowly pulled his hands back off the table, abandoning his soda can with a scowl. "Beast," he grumbled lightly, the stare-down recommencing while he sat waiting at the table for his lover, guarded by the devil's familiar. He wondered if that made Chris a witch or whatever. His lover did seem to have a certain magic about him that lured others to his presence. That could be kind of cool... as long as he didn't end up turning Adam into a toad if they had a fight. The cat suddenly stood and took another two steps in his direction, beady yellow eyes focused on his baseball cap. He refused to move because he was being stalked by a damned cat. He growled at the creature, then tried a quiet "Shoo!" Neither worked. He was seriously considering getting up and heading to the bathroom when the stupid thing lunged at him, batting the bill of his cap with it's paw. He jerked back, snatching the red cap off his head while looking at the grinning bundle of fur. Yes, it was grinning. "Fine!" he said with a shake of his head. "You want the damn thing, you can have it." He tossed it gently, he didn't want Chris to kill him, and the cap landed squarely on top of the animal's head just as Chris walked through the doorway. Adam shrugged at his lover and scratched his head lightly. Damn, did his head itch. **** Jeff curled up in the passenger seat next to Mark and watched the other man�s hands as they smoothly guided the rental car out of the parking bay. Mark had kept silent since Jeff had blurted out his strange question and was either contemplating his answer or working out the best way to say �none of your business.� He doubted it would be the latter response; Mark hardly seemed the type to consider the behaviour of the General Manager something personal, a matter that only need be kept to himself. In fact, Jeff suspected, it was exasperation at Paul. E�s antics that fueled Mark�s opinion of the subject rather than any need for privacy. Very little went on backstage that wasn�t soon the business of every man and his dog, so the sexual hounding of Mark by Heyman would be a story well-known at any Smackdown taping. Why Mark put up with it was another question and would he let Jeff help stop it, was another. "Heyman's been "bothering me" as long as I've known him." Jeff was torn between shock that it had gone for so long and twisted admiration at Paul. E�s tenacity. The man was a sleaze with little personal charisma, despite his on-screen antics, and an unpleasant predatory aura. He was also idiotic enough to try and persuade the Undertaker into a relationship against his will. Like that would ever happen. Paul�s only saving grace, as far as Jeff was concerned, was his good taste in choosing Mark as the target of his affections. Or maybe not. Jeff doubted very much that the Toad wanted Mark for the same reasons he did�fascination, genuine liking and admiration. Paul. E probably just saw the powerful creature wrapped in a tasty package and turned into a greedy little boy wanting what was denied him, becoming more determined as he was repeatedly rebuffed. Pathetic. �But he will not be "bothering" you..� Jeff could practically see the emphasis in Mark�s words, could certainly hear the resolute conviction behind them. The thing was, Jeff agreed�Paul. E would be staying as far from Jeff as he could manage after the young man�s �psycho turn� last night. In fact, Jeff was really hoping to catch sight of Smackdown�s GM as often as possible, just so he could do his best to make the man�s skin crawl. because I think he's been pulling shit with the other young guys, The concern and anger in Mark�s voice was evident, a curl of aggression that would be frightening had it been directed at Jeff. Fortunately it wasn�t. Unfortunately for Paul.E, Jeff agreed with his lover�s guesses as to where the Toad�s interest lay and wouldn�t be at all surprised to learn that the man was attempting to set up his own �casting couch�. It was revolting and so out of date as to be just plain sad. Jeff was suddenly bought home to the reality of what he�d done last night in Mark�s locker room. The man had been trying to stamp out the abhorrent behaviour for years, personally as well as professional offended by the practice, and then Jeff had basically gone and accused him of those same actions he was trying so hard to stop. It was a wonder Jeff had left with the skin on his ass intact given what he implied. Jeff hadn�t missed the small compliment in Mark�s words, his I know you can take care of yourself, was like a warm buzz in his stomach that had nothing to do with hunger and more to do with desire. He�d managed to quell his rising libido by thinking about the Toad, a sure fire way to desperately not think about sex, but the protective growl in Mark�s deep voice and the trust in his words were enough to reawaken that sizzle. Toad. Toad. Toad. �I doubt he�ll try anything with me,� Jeff reassured his partner as they turned onto the airport highway. �I think I freaked him out enough last night with all the shit I was saying, that he�ll turn and run when I so much as look at him.� Well, Paul might not run, but at least he wouldn�t be thinking about sex when he saw Jeff Hardy backstage. �But if I hear that anyone�s being pressured I�ll tell you.� He paused to consider whether he was being completely truthful. �Although that might be after I express my opinion on the subject by kicking him in the balls.� Letting his head tilt back onto the head-rest, Jeff watched the handsome man beside him as Mark found the signs for the rental company that owned their car. He wanted to apologize again for last night and this morning, but he wasn�t sure if it would be too much. They�d found a precious balance over lunch, a more relaxed air that seemed less charged with all Jeff�s anger from last night and the terrible hurt that had occurred in the hotel room. Saying another �sorry� might tip that balance and Jeff knew he was walking on enough of a tight rope as it was without dragging Mark into another cuttingly painful conversation. �I know this horse has been kicked, flogged, stabbed and stoned so beyond death it isn�t funny but�� Jeff began as Mark put the car into park, ��it�s obvious to me you hate Paul.E and his kind trying it on the young guys like that. Painfully obvious. Last night�I just�I didn�t get the kind of insult I was throwing at you when I thought you�d arranged for the same thing. I didn�t get that I probably couldn�t have picked a worse accusation to make, even if I�d given it a week of thought.� Jeff drew in a deep breath in the silence of the car, broken only by the soft-hum of the air-conditioning. �I�m really, really sorry I thought you�d buy sex with a contract. It isn�t you Mark, it was never you. In fact�� Jeff turned to look out the front window as he felt a flush of colour hit his cheekbones, "...more realistic to think I should be trying to use the contract to get you into bed with me." It sounded like a joke but it really wasn�t. For all the speculation there would be backstage as to Mark getting Jeff as some sort of contract perk, there would be even more as to what hold Jeff had over Mark. The Undertaker didn�t involve himself in other wrestler�s contracts for no reason and Jeff knew more suspicion would fall on his motives than on Mark�s in the end. �But I�m not and neither are you and for the last time�I�m sorry." **** to be continued...

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