"ITVR: Chapter 88"
Compliments.

By Jadedoll, Penumbren, & Raising Kane

Shawn's fingers danced a warm pattern across Hunter's neck and collarbone, the light touch turning firm with the press of his lover's lips. Gliding his own mouth across the sweet flesh offered him, Hunter felt the affection and love Shawn was showing him, not with words, but with his touch. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Shawn would have liked to take all his pains away, to destroy them and fill Hunter with all the merriment and caring at his disposal. But Hunt also knew that he couldn't be fixed, by Shawn, by Dave or by anyone else, he was the product of his life and if he became something other than himself, he wouldn't be Hunter. When his best friend broke the kiss, Hunt relaxed again onto the firm mattress of Dave's chest, his eyes searching for dusky blue. For long, quiet seconds their gazes blended, enjoying a conversation without words, one of equal compassion, understanding and sorrow. Shawn had to know that Hunter loved him without reservation, the new accord that had been hammered out moments ago simply another reason to be smitten with the blond bombshell. "Hey sweetheart." Hunt felt the vibration of the words before his ears even registered them. Sitting up, he kept his hip aligned with Dave's as his dark lover drew Shawn into a succulent kiss that Hunter felt privileged to witness. He'd marveled many times how good they looked together, the contrasts in their skin and hair just adding to the sight of strong passion displayed before his appreciative eye. The powerful undercurrents in that kiss weren't lost on Hunter. Messages were being given with more than eyes this afternoon and even reeling from his own emotional upheaval, Hunt could see a different kind of tension rising between his lovers. Some small childish part of him rejoiced that he wasn't the only one putting bumps in their tri-laned road. "What exactly have you been holding back on me, Dave?" 'Good question,' Hunter thought, his eyebrow rising to mimic the inquisitive look on Shawn's face. The need Dave had conveyed in his possession of Shawn's mouth seemed more in tune with what he knew of his dark lover and belied the almost hesitant behaviour he'd displayed so far. Eyes narrowing in thought, Hunter focused his mind away from his own flaws and started to analyze what indeed his beautiful David was trying to suppress. Was he wondering about Shawn's inclinations as much as he was Hunter's? Unlikely, the other blond obviously gave off all the right signals, whereas Hunter didn't even know which�ones to look for, so it had to be something else. But why would Dave be uncertain of Shawn... ? Oh yeah. Really, really bad idea to label you 'Cerebral'... genius. "The Animal? I... uh... didn't want to scare you off the very first night." "Yeah right." Hunter muttered sarcastically under his breath. Shawn Michaels was afraid of no man or women ever born, let alone a lover with a wicked side. But Dave had covered himself quite nicely with that excuse if the�thoughtful look on Shawn's face was anything to go by. Of course his lover could be thinking that Dave's reply was a load of crap too,�not much got by HBK when his eyes were open. Shawn's pants were ringing. It took Hunter a fraction of a second to get his brain to connect regarding the meaning of that event. A fraction too slow as Dave's big fingers retrieved the device without a flutter of an eyelid from its current keeping. Hunter's hands itched to take his phone back and answer the incoming call, submission issue or not, it was his dammit. "You've reached Dave via Hunter's phone found in Shawn's pants, may I help you?" If it was that Hollywood producer Hunt had been negotiating with for weeks, then he'd happily demonstrate his inability to take it lying down. With a half-brick. "...if it isn't the bounciest Diva in the WWE. Hello, Miss Stephanie." Thank god. The girl would find it hilariously funny that Hunt was currently cellular-less and probably encourage such a state in the future. On that thought, Hunter casually fingered the middle button on Dave's slightly creased shirt and wondered if he'd be quick enough with his hands when it came down to it. "...there is no nakedness involved at the moment, much to my disappointment. Are you on a plane?" Hunter could practically hear the vivid interest colouring his wife's voice as she speculated on the whereabouts of Shawn's pants when the call came in. One day, he swore to himself, one day he was going to give the girl some intimate details just to watch that rosy blush climb up her genetically perfect cheekbones. Reviewing Steph's schedule in his head, Hunt calculated that his wife would probably arrive at their home before he did... their home. Crap. There was supposed to be a family dinner tonight with his wife debuting one of her new creations, but putting Hunter anywhere near his father-in-law right now would be a conflagration waiting for a match. "...Hunt's dragging Shawn and I, kicking and screaming the whole way... what exactly did you do to that horse?" Unable to control the burst of laughter that escaped him at Dave's brilliantly worded question, Hunter finally exerted his rights as purchaser of said phone and stole it back. It was insufferably rude to literally snatch the thing from Dave's fingers, but Hunter was well on his way to not really giving a damn as he blew a smug kiss at his lovers' long-suffering faces. Scooting backwards on his butt to the other end of the seat, Hunter held up one pleading hand in apology while he listened to the peal of laughter that brayed into his ear. Dave had won Steph's heart three months ago when he'd backed up her husband during a dispute with 'creative'. Eventually the dark man would clue in that he could do no wrong where Hunter's wife was concerned and he wanted to keep that moment as far in the future as possible. Versus all three of them... he had no chance. "Hey Girl... no you can't have Dave back... well, if you like him better than me I'm sure we can come to an arrangement. Fine... just don't tell your mother you want to cheat on me with my boyfriend, she'll smile in that weird way that makes me fidget." A pause as the McMahon heiress got her breathing under control and Hunter kept an eagle eye on his two delinquent lovers. "You can tell him about the horse tonight. Are you still cooking? Fine. Is Vince going to be there?" A sigh of relief as Steph related the sudden business meetings that had come up. "We'll be there in less than an hour... okay... fine, here he is..." Rolling his eyes Hunter offered the phone back to Dave, "She likes you better." **** Gosh darn it all... the guy just kept doing things that pulled him deeper into the little ocean of love that he was floundering in. Instead of yelling at him like he'd expected, Chris was giving him the best washing and scalp massage he'd ever been on the receiving end of. Not that that was a bad thing, it was a great thing. But he'd always promised himself that he'd never be the sappy type and yet at the moment he found himself wanting to heap on the sentimental mush which would probably make them both incredibly ill. "After she gave me chapter and verse on you and your deplorable taste in men..." Thank you Jess. Adam winced as he wondered exactly what his young friend had had to say on that particular subject. She'd never truly liked Terry... something about him having beady little eyes... and she hadn't hesitated to let Adam know it either. He hadn't been prepared to explain to her that they were seeing each other because they were both horny bastards and the relationship was more for convenience than anything else. She'd been right about Terry though... damn had she been right. That did not mean he had deplorable taste in men in every case. Mark had been a very good choice from the viewpoint that he hadn't been looking for commitment. The big man had still been romantic and caring... and he was still a good friend. Chris was definitely not deplorable either. He'd have to ask Jess for her opinion on Chris... then again, maybe not. She'd probably tell Chris that he'd asked. "Oh and something about... Dad hearing from Russ at Blue's about the paint job? 'Dad' will be doing it because Adam is going to be resting like a log isn't he?" Since Chris couldn't see his face, Adam felt safe grinning. Finally... the last step in his restoration project. It seemed like he'd been waiting forever to finish it. He had wanted to do the entire thing himself, but had had to face the fact that he just didn't have the setup or the knowledge to turn out a prime paint job. Russ lived two blocks away and had his own paint and detail shop. He'd checked out some of the guy's previous work and had been truly impressed. He rolled his eyes a bit at Chris' dictate, but decided he'd comply with it. It didn't take a genius or a whole lot of energy to back a car out of a garage, but if Chris wanted him resting like a log, he would. He'd leave the keys for Dad, also known as Tom, so he could pull the car out on Monday morning. Deciding that it wasn't necessary to explain to Chris that they wouldn't be there so he couldn't do it himself in any case... they would be somewhere between Columbus and Dayton on Monday... he would simply hand the keys over to Chris to deliver next door. Chris started rubbing his neck and shoulders right about then and Adam was sucked right back into that sappy, gushy frame of mind. Luckily for him, the combined warmth of the bathwater and Chris' chest against his back was helping lull him into a totally relaxed vegetative state of mind. He knew if they stayed in the tub much longer, he'd end up falling asleep. Slowly craning his neck at a sharp angle, he brushed his lips against Chris' before leaning back against his chest and commenting in a sleepy voice. "Barring one glaringly obvious error in judgment, I happen to think I have exceptional taste in guys. I'm here with you, after all. I'll dig the keys out tomorrow and if you don't mind then you can run them next door and give them to Tom for me. If we stay in here any longer, not only will we both be prunes, but you'll end up having to drag me across the carpet to get me into the bed and while some people might like that kind of thing... I don't really want to add carpet burn to the things I'll end up complaining about this week." Bracing his hands on the side of the tub, he pushed himself to his feet with a groan followed by a big yawn. "Sorry 'bout that." Grabbing two towels off the bar by the tub, he wrapped one around his waist and handed the other to Chris as he climbed out of the tub. Grabbing another towel from the linen closet, he started drying his hair as best he could. "Bed, ice, and you... and I'll be in heaven. The ice is optional," he added with a naughty grin. Even if he couldn't really follow through on that promise right now, he'd give it his best damn shot... unless they both fell asleep first. **** "You have enough time for one more trip through the buffet if that's what you're wondering." Warned in advance by the slow smirk that crossed his lover's face, Kevin sighed theatrically, putting on his best "see what I have to live with" expression. Judging by the not-so-quiet laughter from Sean and Glen, his act wasn't terribly successful, but he could live with that. After the little announcement that Scott had made earlier, no one was going to believe that he was anything but overjoyed at having Scotty back in his life, and he wouldn't want it any other way. "Speaking of flights, we're going to have to get moving if we're going to make ours, Sean." Good thing he hadn't picked his plate up yet. The impact from Sean's body barreling into his as thin arms wrapped around his waist�sent him backward half a step, but he grinned as he returned the hug, ruffling Sean's hair. "You know I love you, Sean," he said, knowing that Sean would want a little reassurance after the admission he'd just made. Kev wasn't mad at him... he was actually kind of relieved that Mark had been pushed into�doing something about his feelings. The fact that�he hadn't taken Sean's head off for that push was a definite bonus.�One last squeeze, and then it was Glen's turn, and watching Scott practically beam as the two hugged him made the chaos that was their Kid worthwhile. Taking his plate in hand, Kevin took a step toward the buffet, but stopped at Scott's words. "...maybe in a few weeks we'll have to set up a barbecue or something. Kev can man the grill as long as we can keep him from taste testing everything before it makes it to our plates." "Hey, now... if I'm the cook, I have a right to make sure that everything I make is perfect!" He managed to keep a fairly straight face, but knew that it was a lost cause from the start. Scott's headshake and the snickers from Glen and Sean as they left only confirmed that. Letting his lips curve as he gave his lover a fond look, he headed for the buffet, only picking up a few of the better dishes this time around. After resuming his seat and enjoying the second helpings, especially of that grilled chicken, he set his fork down with a contented sigh. He'd have to see if Scott wanted to go out tonight... that little restaurant that they'd always been so fond of before sounded wonderful, and it would be nice to celebrate a little. "Ready to go, Bad Guy?"�A look at Scotty, and he was standing up, his foot tapping as he waited. "We do have a plane to catch..." And for the first time in two years, he was looking forward to heading home from the road. This time, it would really be home. **** Watching his dark lover closely, Shawn could see a flash of panic in the chocolate eyes at his words. It was probably unfair of him to call Dave on this, whatever it was, but given the possible reasons he could think of as to why Dave would hold back on him, he suspected that it was something they needed to deal with sooner rather than later. If it were something as predictable as Dave's not being used to having a lover so much smaller than him, that could be remedied fairly easily, although it would take some time. If it were more serious, especially if it had to do with the fact that Shawn hadn't returned Dave's emotions yet, than it would be more challenging. For now, though, he was just�going to see what Dave said, and try not to worry about it. "The Animal? I... uh... didn't want to scare you off the very first night." Although that was probably the lamest excuse that Dave could have come up with. The big man might not lose his temper very often, but Shawn had witnessed a few scenes backstage that would have done a lot more toward scaring him off if he were inclined to be than anything Dave might do in bed would. From the corner of his eye, he could see Hunter eyeing Dave speculatively. If Hunt was skeptical of the weak excuse, even as distracted as he had to be at the moment, then Shawn felt secure in dismissing it altogether. Whatever it was, he'd get it out of Dave eventually. The sound of not-so-quiet ringing took a minute to filter through his mind, and he found himself looking narrowly at Dave as their lover reached surprisingly quickly for the phone that he'd forgotten was�back in his own pocket, flipping it open without even glancing at it. That was it. They were definitely having a discussion about the correct times and places for cell phone usage... and this wasn't one of them. "You've reached Dave via Hunter's phone found in Shawn's pants, may I help you?" Staring in pure disbelief, Shawn could only hope to God that it wasn't Vince calling his son-in-law... however unlikely that would be at this point in time. For all the hesitation that they'd all gone through, hearing that particular sentence fall so casually out of Dave's mouth was incredibly unexpected. Hunter's expression was similar, although more annoyed... of course, he could have been expecting a call from one of those Hollywood people he'd been talking to. That thought actually brought a smile to Shawn's lips. As much as Hunt would hate it if it were one of those people, they'd undoubtedly heard more shocking things than that. "Hello, Miss Stephanie." Well, if anyone would appreciate the unique greeting, it would be Steph. Watching with interest as Dave's cheeks flamed, Shawn tried and failed to make out what Stephanie was actually saying to him, although he did catch sight of Hunter's creeping hand and gave him a narrow-eyed stare. "No, there is no nakedness involved at the moment, much to my disappointment." Shawn sympathized with that particular feeling. While he probably wasn't up to taking much of an active role, he was still hoping to watch his lovers together... This morning and last night had been wonderful, but he was dying to see them actually joined. The thought of watching them making love was an indescribably arousing one, but to be honest, Shawn wanted to see it because he knew that it would be one of the most beautiful things he'd ever see. "Hunt's dragging Shawn and I, kicking and screaming the whole way." Rolling his eyes as Hunter snatched the phone away from Dave, Shawn raised his eyebrows at their Animal. "Screaming? Not yet... but�if you're interested in it,�I'm sure we can figure something out." Catching Hunter's air kiss as he sat up, he slid off Dave's lap to sit beside him with one hand wrapped loosely around his neck, his fingers idly moving against the soft skin there. "Fine.... just don't tell your mother you want to cheat on me with my boyfriend," Dear god. Linda. He'd forgotten about her until now. Always a quiet woman, but one whom Shawn had incredible respect and affection for... and one who never hesitated in making her opinions known. While she'd always tolerated his antics with usually nothing more than a raised eyebrow, what would she make of this? Obviously she knew the truth about Hunt and Steph's marriage, but how would she react to her son-in-law taking two lovers? Taking a breath as he tried to relax, tense over the thought as he hadn't been over the thought of Vince's reaction, he wasn't unaware of Hunter's eyes on them. "Are you still cooking? Fine. Is Vince going to be there?" What? Sitting bolt upright, Shawn looked at Hunter. If Steph was cooking, that meant a dinner, which was fine. He hadn't seen her nearly often enough lately... but Vince...? The quiet sigh from his friend relieved him of that particular worry, and he relaxed again. He'd never be scared of Vince, but the last thing he wanted to deal with tonight was the man's attitude. Part of it might be protective, but most of it was sheer asshole, as far as he could see, and he didn't want it to ruin the few days they had together before Bad Blood. Bad Blood. Hell in a Cell. Only half-listening as Hunter handed the phone back to Dave, Shawn's mind focused on that thought as he'd tried so hard not to do yesterday. Moving away from Dave with an absent pat to the shoulder, Shawn looked at Hunter and shifted to sit next to him, his expression more serious than it had been all morning. "Hunt..." Stopping before he really began, Shawn forced himself to take another breath. He'd been through this before, and Hunt had been through it more times than he cared to think about. Surely they could do this, could make it work... could find the heart and the stomach to beat each other bloody and senseless. Mouth twisting, he reflected that only in their line of work would he have to literally beat his lover black and blue to show how much he cared, because if they really cared for each other, they wouldn't let it interfere with their work, would instead use the emotion to kick their performances up to a higher level. At least they only had the Cell match and then his dramatic exit the next day to worry about. That was more than enough. He could see worry clouding Hunter's eyes at his silence, and he sighed, answering in a low tone. "I just... I... Sunday." Casting a glance at Dave, still blushing as he chatted with Steph, answering God only knew what sorts of questions, he smiled weakly before looking back at Hunt.�Knowing that�they would all have to face the topic at some point, he still didn't want to worry Dave over it now, and continued in the same low voice,�"I know we'll be able to do the Cell match, Hunter... but what about Dave? It killed me to watch you and Kevin." Thank God they didn't have that much longer before they reached the house. Shawn was really starting to hate limos. **** Hearing Hunter laugh after his question lightened his heart just a bit. If Hunt could still laugh, then things really couldn't be all that bad... right? Besides, he was really getting tired of all the drama that they ended up facing whenever they rode in one of these limos. Maybe the third time would be a charm... Dave almost cringed at the idea of trying this a third time, but that was when Hunter reached up and swiped his phone right out of Dave's hand. He narrowed his eyes, but only for a second as Shawn introduced one of his favorite subjects... kind of. "Screaming? Not yet... but if you're interested in it, I'm sure we can figure something out." A shiver slid down his spine at the implications and Dave was hoping that Shawn meant that literally. He wasn't going to worry anymore about being fixated on sex, because honestly... with the company he was in, who could blame him? He was still a little worked up over the heated kiss he'd just shared with Shawn in any case. He thought Shawn sliding off his lap might help dull the pangs he was feeling, but the warm fingers stroking the back of his neck kept the fire going. "...Well, if you like him better than me I'm sure we can come to an arrangement. Fine... just don't tell your mother you want to cheat on me with my boyfriend..." Dave's mouth literally dropped open as he looked at Hunter. He wasn't sure if it was from amused shock that Hunt was apparently considering pimping him out or from horror at the thought of Steph telling Linda any such thing. In either case, it chased thoughts of sex out of his head for the moment. As much as he liked Steph and wanted to get to know her, he was not going to get to know her that well. And Linda... he hadn't really given a thought to the woman's reaction. Dave truly respected Linda and though he valued her opinion it wasn't going to change his mind about this relationship anymore than Vince's had. He just hoped the other two felt the same way. "...Are you still cooking? Fine. Is Vince going to be there?" Dave instinctively flinched even as he noticed Shawn's reaction to the question. Oh good lord. Their luck couldn't be that bad, could it? In this case, apparently not. Hunter's relieved sigh took away the sense of impending doom that had flared for just a moment. No Vince... good. Though he was going to have to talk to the man eventually and find out what the hell his real problem was. Maybe he'd get a chance to talk to him on Sunday. Shawn and Hunter would be very busy preparing for their match... another small flinch that he immediately pushed away... but after his match for Heat, he was pretty much going to be left to his own devices for the rest of the night. He could slip away and track down Vince, get the real truth from the man. Decision made, Dave felt a bit better about the situation. "She likes you better." Faced with a handful of cell phone, Dave took the device with a mocking grin. "Of course, I'm the charming one." Ignoring Hunt's reaction, he prepared himself to talk to the boisterous young lady again. "Hey Steph. So about the horse... you got video, right?" Warming up to the giggle on the other end of the line, Dave smiled. It slipped for a moment as he felt the pat on his back and noticed the odd expression on Shawn's face as he slipped across the seat to sit next to Hunter, but he was immediately distracted by another question from Stephanie. "No, no video of the horse. Question is, do you have video from last night? We could watch it after dinner." Yeah... like that was ever going to happen. Thankfully it was a non-issue since there was no video. That didn't stop him from blushing horribly though. "I bet Linda would just love that. Luckily for us, there is no video... at least not that I'm aware of. Sorry to disappoint you... pervert." The last was said teasingly and Steph didn't take offense. In fact she agreed that she was. Dave laughed, but it wound down as he noticed the serious expressions on his lovers' faces. Now what? He didn't get a chance to linger on that thought as Steph bombarded him with more questions. He couldn't help but laugh at her questions, though he skirted them with vague answers. After another minute or two, he said goodbye, still blushing as he did so. With a sigh, he turned off the device and contemplated the two men sitting with him. They were still looking serious and it was a look that Dave was truly tired of for the moment. Couldn't anything be easy? Slipping closer to Shawn, Dave slipped the phone back in his pocket, sticking his tongue out at Hunter. Then he swiveled on the seat and carefully laid his head and shoulders in Shawn's lap covering the pocket that contained Hunter's phone. Folding his hands behind his head, he closed his eyes. "From now on, whenever we get in one of these things, I'm going to take a nap. It'll save me a huge psychiatric bill from trying to explain a sudden fear of limos," he said with a smirk. Too bad he was only half joking. **** "Hey, now... if I'm the cook, I have a right to make sure that everything I make is perfect!" Scott shook his head slightly at the lame excuse. Even if he wasn't cooking, Kev would end up tasting everything. He grinned over the accompanying laughs from Glen and Sean as they turned to go. Watching as Kevin made his way back to the buffet, Scott slipped back into his seat. He picked at what was left on his plate since he was pretty full already. He smiled fondly when Kevin settled back in his seat with his second plate. His lover really must have worked up an appetite from the amount he was eating, but Scott was glad to see Kevin hungry for more than one reason. The happier Kevin was... the more he seemed to eat. Scott almost laughed as he thought of the extra time Kevin would end up having to spend in the gym if he got his way, because he planned on making sure that Kevin stayed as happy as possible. Though tons of sex would certainly help burn off some of those calories, Kevin would have to work out a bit more often. Kevin was in great shape right now, at least in Scott's opinion, and he was sure Kev would want to keep it that way. Big Sexy with love handles was a big no-no in the big man's opinion. Scott actually wouldn't mind if it happened though... they'd match his own. And he so needed some gym time himself. Not that that would be happening today... or likely tomorrow. He would be sore and they had moving to do. "Ready to go, Bad Guy? We do have a plane to catch..." Snorting at Kevin's impatient gesture, Scott rose to his feet and waited for Kevin to round the table. "I'm always ready, Kev. You should know that." He added a wink to his grin and they headed out of the restaurant. ---- He let Kevin drive them to the airport so he could make plans for that night, though he didn't tell Kevin that. After opening the trunk so they could load their things, he simply handed Kevin the keys. Scott was really excited, though he was trying hard not to show just how much. Even if they weren't moving his things until tomorrow, he could finally say he was going home and actually feel like that's what he was really doing. Debating the merits of eating in the dining room or the bedroom, Scott decided on the dining room. He planned on ordering a variety of things from Estela's for their meal and it would be easier to spread it on the table than worry about the possibility of knocking something off the bed. That was also a better bet if he factored in the candles and soft music. The music wouldn't be a problem, but he really didn't want to burn the house down by knocking over a candle on his first night back home. It was their favorite restaurant. They'd spent so many hours there over the years, at the same table in the corner. He couldn't remember ever having a bad meal there and there were no bad memories attached to the place, which was a huge plus in Scott's book. If he weren't so intent on keeping Kev to himself tonight they would be able to catch up with the owner who knew them both by name. She was a buxom woman that obviously enjoyed everything in her kitchen, but she was the sweetest woman that Scott had ever met. He'd stopped in a few times after he and Kevin had split up and Estela had been genuinely sad to hear of their breakup. She'd sat with Scott a couple of times and consoled him, serving up huge quantities of food from the kitchen to try to cheer him up. It hadn't worked well, obviously, but he had gained several pounds in the process. It was on one such trip to see her that he had walked in to find Kevin sitting at 'their' table. He'd hidden in the alcove, stealing peeks at his lost love until he'd been caught out by Estela. The sad, sympathetic look on her face had almost killed him and he'd snuck out before Kevin had finished his entr�e. Thankfully those days were gone and he could deliver the good news to their friend himself when he called to place the order tonight. He would order all of their favorites and whatever they didn't finish they could stick in the refrigerator for the inevitable midnight snack that Kevin would go hunting for. Chips with Salsa and cheese; fresh shrimp ceviche; the quesadillas with spinach, tomato, and cheese; Mexican salad; burritos and enchiladas with beans and rice; fajitas - both chicken and beef; two fabulous desserts; and fresh squeezed juice would round out the list. Plenty of leftovers for Kevin's midnight raid. Scott's mouth was watering already and he'd just eaten. He'd probably eat more than his fair share tonight too. By the time he'd finished planning out the menu, with background music from the radio, they'd reached the airport. He smiled at Kevin as they climbed out of the car to retrieve their bags. "I was thinking maybe we should order in from Estela's tonight... you up for it? I thought about eating there, but I think I'd rather keep you all to myself tonight." **** Every touch of Jeff's lips and tongue against his aching length, the fingers working their way between his thighs, were burnt into Mark's memory. Watching the slim form in front of him through narrowed eyes as he fought to keep quiet, Mark could only wonder in the back of his mind at the chain of events that had led him here, to this point... and then that too-clever tongue did something, and teeth grazed against him, and his thoughts were gone, scattered like leaves in the wind as he groaned deep in his throat. Soft kisses mouthed against his swollen head caused gentle shivers that became deep shudders as Jeff's lips parted to allow him entry into the hot, wet mouth, the motion almost agonizingly slow. It was like watching an artist at play. The intense focus on Jeff's face, the look of concentrated ecstasy at his own efforts, underwritten with a clear line of his own desire... Mark could smell that desire, could smell the distinctive scent of sex wafting up between them, his own attention narrowed to the sight of his cock sliding past Jeff's swollen lips, the feeling of Jeff's tongue wrapping around his sensitive flesh. He knew he was making noise, soft groans and half-intelligible words falling from his mouth in between harsh panting breaths as Jeff's fingers never ceased moving in counterpoint to the rise and fall of his mouth. The sudden movement of those hands to his hips in a sharp, almost desperate motion forced him to open eyes that he couldn't remember closing. New tension was written across Jeff's face, the thin body rocking in response to more than just what he was doing to Mark. Just the sight, the knowledge of how turned on his lover was by this, was enough to send the lust filling him to a high point. A sudden scrape of teeth against him only added to that feeling and he let out a nearly moaning growl as his fingers twisted in Jeff's hair, the rainbow locks tangling between his fingers. "Mark... please Honey.... " Oh God. The whispered words were almost torture, the hot breath against him adding to the fire, and his hands moved again, tightening their grasp as he tried not to force his way back into that heat. Hearing his name in that tone of voice... The effects were only heightened as Jeff growled while he took Mark's shaft back into his throat, swallowing fiercely against the throbbing flesh. Mark's eyes squeezed shut as he felt the burning inside him fill him, his nerves sparking into flaming life as he lost himself to the overwhelming sensations, only half-aware of the shudders wracking his body or of Jeff swallowing his seed. Somehow, he would reflect later, he managed to keep quiet, an amazing thing if you thought about it. Between the circumstances and the person going down on him and the incredibly convoluted feelings that he had toward Jeff, the sheer fact that he'd managed to remain mostly quiet was probably deserving of some sort of award. Blinking as he returned to the moment, Mark's eyes slowly focused on the man kneeling in front of him. His lover. Jeff. Who was reaching almost desperately for his own zipper. Eyes narrowing again, Mark decided that he'd just found the reward he wanted. Leaning forward, he wrapped his hands around Jeff's waist,�pulling the other man back up to his feet. Unfastening the zipper and button with one hand, he pushed the constricting cloth downward before lifting Jeff and turning, replacing him on the boxes he'd leant on only moments earlier. That put him at nearly the perfect height for Mark to sink to his own knees, ignoring the complaint from the joints at the motion, and do... this. Something he'd been wanting to do for years, now. Reaching up, he left one hand against Jeff's hip for balance, the sharp curve of bone fitting�almost perfectly into his palm,�while his other hand traveled lower. Letting his fingers caress the hard flesh briefly, the harsh keening noise that Jeff muffled almost instantly with one hand told him that moving slowly wouldn't be necessary---or appreciated. Sliding his tongue across the soft swollen head, Mark tasted Jeff's essence for the first time, knowing that the flavour would be forever associated in his mind with the thought of the man. Learning the shape and contours of Jeff's shaft with his tongue, the soft noises and curses from his lover spurred him to move more quickly. A breath, and Mark's lips parted, welcoming Jeff's length into his throat, his hand slipping lower to cup and caress the soft sacs twisting urgently in a physical reflection of the need so close to overwhelming his younger lover. Knowing that this wouldn't take much, Mark hollowed his cheeks as he sucked, his tongue sliding across the sensitive shaft in his mouth as he moved. Setting a fast pace, he promised himself a slow, leisurely exploration of the man in front of him when they had more time. For now... squeezing the soft flesh gently, he pulled back, letting the hard flesh slide partly out of his mouth, as he flicked his tongue just so before lowering his head again. Jeff's reaction to his efforts was intensely gratifying, even if it did make Mark wish�that they were already together at his home, with the time and privacy to truly enjoy the moment. **** "I happen to think I have exceptional taste in guys." Chris' lips twitched at the compliment, but he didn't comment, his attention completely directed at the small bundle of tension located just under his lover's right shoulder blade. Such a lovely back, all smooth planes and strong bands of muscle. He'd had the pleasure of becoming very intimate with Adam's spine last night and now pressing his thumbs along the channel to either side of the row of bumps, Chris felt a warm rush of pleasure at the memory. Adam was just... stroke-able. Like Valentino, although neither male would be flattered by the comparison, CJ's fingers just itched to caress and touch the lovely form on display. Luckily enough for him,�they both enjoyed Chris' fondling as much as he enjoyed�giving it. Another thing they had in common. 'My two demanding felines,' Chris thought as he�dropped a small kiss to the back of Adam's neck.�'Looks like�I have great taste in men too.' "...you'll end up having to drag me across the carpet to get me into the bed..." While Chris' inner caveman thought it might like to try that idea sometime, their relative sizes and Adam's condition put paid to that little flare of kink. Watching Adam rise out of the tub, bubbles still clinging lovingly to long legs, Chris gave his lover a sharp once-over, taking in the yawn, bruises and overall sleepy demeanor.�It was a damn shame that their first�day together in Adam's house as a 'couple'�would involve little more than sleep, but Adam's body just screamed it's need for rest and there were plenty more days for them to�do their coupling.� "Bed, ice, and you... and I'll be in heaven. The ice is optional," "Heaven it is�Babe, but no, the ice isn't optional." Chris smirked at the totally fake pout that�curved his lover's sexy lips. "Don't do sexy things with your mouth, you horrible tease. I'd prefer it if my partners don't pass out halfway through.... " CJ stopped and considered how he'd end that sentence, "...well, unless it's from sheer awe and amazement of course." Adam's�emerald eyes took on that smoky charged look that spelled DANGER to any of Chris' resolutions about bed-rest and sipping orange juice through a straw. "Go lie down, I'll find you after I take a look in the fridge." Quickly rinsing his own skin then toweling off, he followed Adam�out of the bathroom, but then deviated in the hallway and headed back downstairs to the�kitchen. Every�sportsman, wrestlers more so than most, knew the value of keeping the right kind of equipment in their freezers and�his lover was no exception. Chris loaded his arms up with regular ice cubes, frozen compresses and those�funky new cold wrap bandages that the�E.M.T's at work were all in love with. It was getting a little out of hand really. When Ty had accidentally planted Chris into the monitors on the announce table�last week, he'd been swarmed by techs backstage and forcibly wrapped in the cold-retaining gel straps for over an hour. Looking down at his side, only sporting yellowish-tinged bruises compared to Adam's riot of colour, Chris had to concede that maybe the new toys had�been the best option at the time. Although his ribs hadn't taken quite the hit that Adam's had and weren't complicated by fractures, but then he'd been prepared for�the sudden drop and subsequent collision after all. Taking the stairs two at a time, as much from risk of being spotted half-naked by Jessica as a desire to get back to Adam quickly, Chris dropped his stash carefully onto a beautiful chest of drawers by the door and crossed to Adam's side. The combination of hot bath and smooth clean body were taking their toll on his lover's ability to keep his eyes open. It could just hit you like that, after holding onto reality and blocking discomfort, to be finally able to relax could seem like pure bliss. Like climbing into your own clean, warm sheets after a week on the road. Adam was slowly succumbing to the siren's call of his bed and Chris planned on taking advantage of that fact. "Babe? If I ask you to take off that towel and lie naked on your bed for me, will you get the wrong idea?" Rubbing a gentle thumb over Adam's nova tattoo, Chris tried to nudge the larger man into lying down. **** "I'm always ready, Kev. You should know that." Catching Scott's wink as his lover turned around and started for the exit, Kevin allowed himself to grin for just a minute at that statement. It might have taken them years to progress past the "just acquaintances" stage, let alone to anything more, but once they had, Scotty had seemed to take an inordinate amount of delight in being "ready" for him in any number of unlikely places and times. Memories of standing behind the curtains next to the gorilla spot bare minutes before their spot, his fingers tangled in dark curls as he tried to suppress moans while Scott was swallowing him whole were among the tamer ones that came to mind, although even they certainly helped raise�his temperature a few degrees. Shawn was the real exhibitionist of the group, but Kev had learned early on with Scott that he didn't mind the thrill of possible discovery every so often, either. Absorbed in pleasant memories, he took the car keys from Scott without a second thought, knowing from experience how painful it could be to drive a car for any length of time the morning after one of their sessions. The drive to the airport was blessedly brief considering the area they were in, and only when he was pulling into the parking lot did Kevin realise that Scott had been abnormally silent during the trip, the radio for once filling the comfortable silence between them without any help. Casting a sidelong look at his lover as they got out of the car, he was relieved at the smile he received and returned it instinctively. "I was thinking maybe we should order in from Estela's tonight... you up for it? I thought about eating there, but I think I'd rather keep you all to myself tonight." Yet another reason why he loved this man. No one else had ever seemed to be on exactly the same wavelength, but Scott was, every time. He'd just been thinking about that particular topic... They had so many memories together at Estela's... and he had too many memories there by himself. Estela's sadly understanding face came to mind in an expression he'd seen far too often for the last few years. She had to be one of the outright nicest people Kevin had ever met, and she'd adopted the two of them as favourites the first time she'd met them. The news of their break up hadn't surprised her, but it had saddened her, and she'd taken to plying him with extra treats every time he went there by himself to try to get a smile out of him. Sometimes it had worked, sometimes it hadn't, but he'd been sure to let her know how very much he appreciated her efforts. Tonight, though, staying in sounded like a far better idea for several reasons, not least of which was Scott himself. No matter how indestructible the man tried to act, Kevin knew that he wouldn't be up to sitting in a restaurant for over an hour by this evening. And... "Keeping you to myself sounds like a wonderful plan, Scott," he answered, his smile widening just a touch. Regardless of what they did tonight, the experience of having Scott in the house, being able to eat dinner and watch movies and simply bask in his presence was still incredibly new all over again. Being able to go to sleep in Scott's arms and wake up the same way was one of the newly-rediscovered joys in Kevin's life, and one that he knew he would never tire of. Keeping in mind where they were, he restrained himself from demonstrating his current feelings, but allowed his eyes to communicate them in full to Scott. Moving quickly through the initial check-in, Kevin waited impatiently through the security line, detouring briefly from the route to their gate to pick up some cashews, a long time favourite for an in-flight snack before taking his place next to Scott in the always uncomfortable molded plastic seats while they waited to board. The same silence that had filled the space between them in the car did so here as well, but he wasn't worried; it wasn't the angry, uncomfortable silence that they'd had far too much experience with in the months leading up to that awful night, but a comfortable one with the sharp edges rubbed smooth by years of knowing and loving each other. It was almost a new feeling, and yet another experience that Kev found himself enjoying. Once they were finally aboard and seated, Kevin waited until the all-clear was given and pulled out his iPod with a quick look at Scott. Seeing nothing but an understanding smile and the same sort of thoughtfulness that seemed to be filling him this afternoon, he put the earbuds in, turned it on, and leaned his seat back before closing his eyes. If he fell asleep, the flight would be over that much quicker, and if not, he had all sorts of things to think over to keep him occupied. Thoughts of the trio and their interactions leapt to mind, as did the mysterious black eyes that Dave had been sporting; at least today they were well on their way to fading, but he never had gotten that story out of them. Or the explanation of what exactly had happened Tuesday morning. What Scott had said to Dave had to have played a part in pushing Shawn and Hunter past their years of denial, but that didn't explain the decision to make it a trio rather than a couple. God, that brought some gorgeous images to mind, too... Too bad he suspected that they'd never see them in real life. Shawn might enjoy being the center of attention, but Kevin rather thought that Hunter, and Dave especially, didn't share that fascination. Although, given the interesting flight yesterday, you never knew... And on that note, what the hell was up with Mark and Jeff Hardy? He hadn't even gotten to talk to Mark this morning, with all the distractions, and even knowing Sean's side of the story, it didn't explain the unusual behavior Mark had been demonstrating with the younger man. Kevin knew Mark too well to think that Jeff was simply a substitute for Shawn---that idea would probably horrify the man. But whatever Jeff was, it was more than a passing fancy. Hopefully Hardy would figure that out quickly if he hadn't already. Remembering the bemused expression on Benoit's face as he and Eddie had left the restaurant, Kevin suspected that there was more going on with Eddie and Chris, too... but those two were absolutely solid, regardless of any issues Benny might have with their little clique. And not even Scotty knew Eddie well enough to randomly pry into that relationship. That was something they'd have to be content to sit back and watch. Allowing himself to be pulled into the music playing softly in his ears as his thoughts finally slowed, Kevin shifted slightly in his seat so that he could lean against Scott without being too blatant, and drifted off to sleep. **** "Heaven it is Babe, but no, the ice isn't optional." Well, damn. He'd much rather have Chris wrapped around him than a bunch of ice packs. Dealing with the cold packs meant he'd have to stay awake at least another fifteen minutes and with the amount of area they'd be covering, he'd be shivering his ass off for all of them. Maybe if he pouted nicely Chris would let him out of the proposed torture... Nope. So much for that idea. It was nice to know though that Chris considered his pouting sexy... just for future reference. "...well, unless it's from sheer awe and amazement of course." He couldn't help but wonder exactly what Chris might do to him in the middle of sex that would cause him to pass out from awe, but he wasn't at all averse to finding out, injuries or not. He didn't say a word, just let his eyes speak of his interest in the subject at hand. Unfortunately his body wasn't showing much similar interest at the moment. Adam was bone-tired and his ribs were aching something fierce. Since he refused to take any more of the pills that he'd been prescribed, he knew his next best option was sleep... and soon. He didn't argue at all with Chris sending him off to bed, but once he reached the bedroom he didn't head directly to the comfort of warm cotton sheets. Detouring past the small entertainment center that housed his television and assorted items, he looked at the framed pictures littering the top of the black lacquered wood. A picture of him with his mom just after he'd won his first tag team championship with Jay, a picture of him with Jay that same night, a picture of his mom wearing the Intercontinental Title after his first win at a house show, and pictures with him and his other various tag team partners were among those there. There was also a gold-framed picture of Chris just after he'd won the Undisputed Championship. Adam had taken the picture himself as soon as Chris had stepped through the curtains backstage. Chris was clearly tired and disheveled in the picture but he'd managed to catch the glow and excitement in Chris' eyes and it had always been his favorite picture of the man. It was the same picture that Jess had caught him looking at and she'd been able to see his feelings for Chris almost instantly. With a gentle finger he traced the tired smile on the picture and then moved away quickly when he heard Chris' footsteps on the stairs. He had the real thing to 'moon over' now, as Jess had put it, but he still treasured that picture. Chris did not need to catch him staring at it however. He made it over to the bed as Chris walked through the door and watched him unload his burden on the dresser as he traced a finger over the soft cotton sheets. His eyes felt terribly heavy, but he grabbed the remote to turn on the television at a low volume for background noise. The room was comfortably cool with the central air on but he was still reluctant to climb into the bed knowing that he was going to be surrounded by cold ice packs in the next few moments. "Babe? If I ask you to take off that towel and lie naked on your bed for me, will you get the wrong idea?" He smiled slowly and lifted his eyes to Chris' for a moment before tugging the end of the towel loose at his waist. A slight shiver rolled through him at the gentle finger brushing his arm. Succumbing to Chris' prodding, he dropped the towel and pulled the sheets back from the pillows. He slowly sat down and rearranged the two pillows on his side of the bed so he was half sitting up, a position he was terribly familiar with from his last recovery, before reaching out a hand and tugging at Chris' towel as well. "Probably," he said with a sleepy grin. "If I get the wrong idea are you going to let me linger happily with my misconception or are you going to insist on burying me in a frigid blanket?" Letting one finger trail over a smooth golden hip, he pouted again. "You'd make a much better blanket than the ice packs." to be continued...

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