"ITVR: Chapter 89"
Fears.

By Jadedoll, Penumbren, & Raising Kane

Hunter caught the last of the conversation between his wife and�Dave,�but the words didn't register. The suddenly serious look on Shawn's face stole his attention more firmly than the playful banter beside him could counter. His beloved friend was as famous for his hilarious antics and backstage gregariousness as for his reputation in the ring, but Shawn Michaels could become achingly�somber in a way that could blindside Hunter when he'd least expect it. Like now. Shawn had been the one to break the tension his conversation with Dave had caused, his sweet smile and sexy-hot kiss with Dave changing the tone of their emotions completely from agony to passionate. Like last night, when Hunter's guilt had threatened to overwhelm him, his lover had eased that emotion with his affectionate touch and gentle smile. "Hunt..." Now it seemed that Shawn was the one needing touch,�the tiny frown on that smooth brow a signal of whatever had stolen the smile from his eyes. All thoughts of his phone forgotten, Hunter reached out and�picked up Shawn's hand, pulling it into his lap so that he could stroke and play with the long, agile fingers. He loved every inch of Shawn with all his heart, but he was particularly fond of his friend's hands and took every opportunity to bestow his appreciation on the fine appendages in question. He'd once thought of bustling Shawn off to a palm-reader, just so he could know what was contained in the soft skin that could bring Hunt to absolute bliss... or condemn him to weeks of pain. "I just... I... Sunday." Sunday. It had been in Hunter's mind almost constantly since Vince had explained the 'blood feud' concept several months ago. He'd agreed that paying up the final Triple H vs. HBK confrontation would be a brilliant way to see off Shawn for his sabbatical. But at the time, he'd been nursing his own pain and resignation over his unrequited love for the other man and he'd been hoping to channel that pain into the match at Bad Blood. Not to hurt Shawn of course, but to take it out on himself. Shawn would only go so hard as Hunter let him and if that meant walking into a chair over and over, then Hunt would have demanded his best friend do it. Just as the other blond would have done the same, communicating without words the levels to which they were prepared to take their skills. But now, everything was different. Everything had changed the moment Dave Batista decided to play cupid and get their collective heads out of their asses in the back of a limousine. Now he and Shawn would have to set aside the new love they'd found, put those warm and cuddling feelings firmly into a safe place while they tried to beat the holy shit out of each other. Because no matter what anyone said about the reality of what they did, when they fell, when they collided, when they bled... it hurt. Hunt and Shawn were masters at making the damage look way worse than it was, but even they couldn't fake the injuries and all-out exhaustion that�consumed them in battles like the one planned for Sunday. "I know we'll be able to do the Cell match, Hunter... but what about Dave? It killed me to watch you and Kevin." Hunter hadn't known that. Proof of Shawn's acting ability for one or maybe just Hunt's willing blindness to accept the depth of his lover's feelings for him. Of course they'd all been concerned, wrestlers are a�close bunch no matter what the press said and even professional detachment doesn't hold back the worry at seeing a bleeding and bloodied�companion. But Shawn's worry had never penetrated Hunt's cloud of denial beyond more than that of a friend. Putting himself into Shawn's shoes, Hunt could certainly imagine the pain his lover had been going through watching what he and Kevin had been doing to each other. Hunt had the not-so-enviable position of being a participant�in most of the�hellish match types Shawn was referring too, not including Mark's work of course, but that hadn't stopped his own heart beating rapidly when he watched a car wreck of a�encounter take place. Particularly when it involved someone he�cared about, let alone people he�loved even half as much as he did Dave and Shawn. His own frown rising to match Shawn's, Hunt thoughtfully stroked the inside of his�Beloved's wrist with the pad of his thumb. "I'm not sure Darling." Neither of them could be there, offering comfort to the dark man while the final battle took place. "Maybe Kev and Scotty could stay back? If I earmark a room for the 'Outsiders' and set up 'Evolution' right next door, we could ask them, Glen and Sean as well,�to wait for us there.�Ric'll be around, but he just doesn't get it. He's never watched his wife get�beaten up while he'd supposed to sip�water and eat peanuts." Belatedly noticing he'd just likened their relationship to that of a�married couple, Hunter looked away from the sudden light in Shawn's brilliant blue eyes and watched Dave end the call to Stephanie.�He'd have to find out what the hell Meg had been talking about�with the horse comments,�but that would have to wait till dinner when he could embarrass the girl as much as possible. "...whenever we get in one of these things, I'm going to take a nap." Hunt violently agreed�with Dave's idea as he had little or no desire to keep having these tense, pain-filled conversations in moving vehicles.�Glancing out the window, he realised they were less than�ten minutes from home and�Dave's new location on Shawn's lap had Hunt's brain leap into a wonderful mental place of wicked fantasies. Accepting that he had more than his fair share of the blame for their limousine-related issues, Hunter hoped that his way of ending their trip on a better note would be warmly appreciated. "I declare no more 'Deep and Meaningful' conversations till Sunday." As the words left his mouth he leaned close and took Shawn's lips in a deep, drugging kiss. Sweet-tinged addiction it was, like the aged port�Linda would insist they drink after dinner. Moving to nibble along his lover's jaw and nuzzle that sweet patch of skin behind Shawn's ear, Hunter had one hand hold him steady on the back of the seat, then�used the other to gently rub through Dave's short, silky hair and trace along the dark man's fine cut cheekbones. He wasn't trying to start anything too serious, just a nice bout of necking before they had to face the real world again. **** Head tipped back, Jeff blinked away a strand of pink hair that had caught in his eyelashes and tried not to buck off the crate. The first touch of Mark's fingers on his aching sex�had produced a noise that Jeff hadn't known he was capable of making. He'd managed to muffle the broken, desperate sound against the flesh at the base of his thumb, but unless he planned on gnawing his own hand off, then Jeff'd have to work on controlling�the need to yell his pleasure to all and sundry. Freeing his hand and dragging his tongue across suddenly parched lips, Jeff felt the burst of taste from Mark's essence blister his tongue, pulling another ragged moan that seemed incredibly loud in the small closet. Fortunately for them both, Mark was becoming fluent in Jeff-speak and determined that the stifled moan followed by a long growl meant, "God, yes... yes... hurry up... please," and proceeded to blow the back of the younger man's head off. He hadn't expected this when he'd pulled his lover away from the eyes of the world and hidden them in this darkened place. Bringing himself to completion while kneeling at Mark's feet was a massive turn-on by itself, being deep throated by the man was something out of a sweat-soaked dream.�Smooth, wet and oh so hot, the loving swipes of Mark's tongue causing sharp,�tiny bolts of electricity to reverberate through Jeff's body, leaving him writhing in wanton abandon on�his impromptu seat. Fingers gripping hard at the edges of the wooden crate, Jeff felt his nails dig out little splinters of wood as tense shudders began in his arms and shoulders. Part of him wanted to ask Mark to slow down, to prolong the bliss that was coursing through him, starting at his�reddened cock and blitzing every nerve-ending as it roared through his body. But the larger�section of Jeff's body�knew that slowing down now wouldn't make a blind bit of difference, he'd been moments from coming when Mark had first touched him. Closer than a whisker to�climax�just from the taste of Mark in his mouth alone, the sudden plunge into oral heaven was like a bonfire to his swollen length. "...Mark... god... so close Honey... please, please..." He was begging again. Tearing his eyes from the pin-holed plaster ceiling, Jeff looked down seeing Mark's lips pull off his cock and the wicked pink tongue dart out to swipe along the head. The visual stimulation was matched by the incredible pulse of physical sensation, each touch a mirrored frisson of bliss. Then Mark took him down once again and Jeff couldn't hold back a frenzied shout as he came hard, losing himself in the rush of hormones that took him by the scruff of the neck and pulled him into ecstasy. "...oh fuck yes..." With a magnificent sigh, Jeff's arms finally gave up their purchase on the crate and he flopped onto his back, boneless from blissful orgasm. The ceiling was still as mundane as before, but floating the pink fluffy clouds of afterglow, Jeff smiled up happily at it nonetheless. Mark's warm nearness a delicious comfort to his now-satisfied body, Jeff reached up with lazy arms and pulled his lover down into a slow, happy kiss. **** "...are you going to let me linger happily with my misconception....?" Chris had to admit he was tempted and not by the sweet bow his lover's lips had just curled into. Adam looked so very tired that Chris would have been�happy to just roll his lover under the cool, clean sheets and put him to sleep with a neck rub. Even though he wasn't as exhausted as his boyfriend was, the idea of lazing away the afternoon in bed held an alluring appeal. But CJ was the responsible one here, scary as that thought might be, and he had simply to cast his mind back to Adam, unable to even doze from the agony of his over-taxed neck, to harden his feeble heart. If he didn't use the ice on his lover, then in about ten hours the man wouldn't even be able to get out of bed, let alone walk around or fulfill some of the sexual threats he'd been aiming Chris' way. Tilting his head to one side, CJ gave Adam an impersonal once over and tried to decide if he could come to a compromise. The cold-wrap bandages weren't quite as sudden a blast of frosty goodness as the straight ice-blocks and would probably be enough to lessen the stiffness in the morning. Adam's ribs would still hurt like a mother-fucker but if his lover was going to be stubborn, Chris would take what he could get. Keeping that clever, manic mind off the discomfort would be the�difficult part. "You'd make a much better blanket than the ice packs." Uncaring of his towel's descent to the floor, Chris reached for the longest cold-wrap and put on his most 'Napoleonic' of�expressions. Seeing the hopeful light in the lovely green iris' turn into a mutinous expression, CJ spoke before Adam could open his mouth... or pout even more. "Glad to know I can get you warm all over Babe. But...." he held a figure up as Adam sought to distract him. "...I'm offering a compromise. Cold-wrapped ribs for ten minutes and then you can sleep all you want. I'll stay right here in this room the whole time and do my best to take your mind of this chilly treatment. Deal?" With a roll of said lovely eyes that CJ could only describe as peeved,�Adam gave in gracefully and shifted when ordered so that�his bruised skin and cracked ribs were soon hovering at what had once been termed 'arctic' temperatures. A glance at the bed-side clock and Chris synchronized his�mind to their time window. "Ten minutes and counting." Climbing back onto the bed, Chris straddled Adam's thighs with careful grace and lifted his lover's right hand in both of his. He hadn't replaced the soft cast on�his own fingers after their bath, but they weren't causing Chris any trouble so he ignored them. The plain stark white bandages looked odd in comparison to his and Adam's tanned skin, but looks weren't what CJ was concerned with at the moment. He was going to take a leaf out of his lover's book and refocus that irritated sulky face somewhere other than on the unpleasant cold. Chris peppered each of Adam's fingers with tiny kisses and drew his tongue along the life-line on his lover's palm. Each nail got a small peck then the massage came into play, relaxing muscles and gently stretching joints. "Eight minutes," he breathed into Adam's other palm, glancing up to see the peeved green had lost its own�frustrated colour and was once more dipping into glazed sleepy emerald. Whether the change was from Chris' ministrations or the fact that he was horizontal for more than five minutes was subject to conjecture. "Six minutes." Scooting backwards, Chris went for Adam's feet, trailing his fingertip's up one arched sole, eliciting a squirm that indicated CJ wasn't the only one with ticklish spots. But having Adam gyrating with mirth wasn't on the schedule... today anyway, so Chris just stroked the long toes and pressed his thumb firmly into the heel to get Adam to relax instead. It seemed to be working, this low-level rubbing and stroking. Half actual massage and half loving caress, Adam's body was slowly turning into a�drowsy heap of skin and flesh. The cold being... if not forgotten... at least manfully ignored in favour of the more pleasant sensations being inflicting on his hands and feet. "Two minutes. Nearly there Love." This time, Chris didn't even bother with the massage, just dropped low, open-mouthed kisses up Adam's thighs heading north. A deviation to gently nuzzle the softened length between Adam's hips, then back to the kissing, via a cute indented navel. Hurdling the cold-wrap with his chin, Chris couldn't bless his boyfriend's nipples with kisses, excited as they probably were by the chill, so he settled for gracing the collarbone and throat of his lover instead. "Done, just sit forward and I'll get that..." Chris wasn't a hundred percent sure that Adam wasn't already asleep, but even on autopilot, he got the bandage off and limbs arranged without any further argument. A soft press of lips to non-pouting lips and finally Adam could be left in peace to sleep off the damage. "Good night my Love." Stroking the clean, damp hair back from Adam's neck, Chris looked over the television, saw an angry looking woman yelling through a microphone at three men on a stage and wondered hopefully if he and Adam had the same taste in books. **** "Keeping you to myself sounds like a wonderful plan, Scott." He wasn't sure which he appreciated more... the fact that Kevin agreed with him about spending the night alone together or the slow, easy smile that graced his lover's face. Truthfully, it was probably the smile. When combined with the emotion sparkling in those emerald green eyes, he could almost feel Kevin's love wrapping around him like a cloak of security. If they weren't in such a public place, Scott would have grabbed his lover right then and there to express his return of those feelings in a physical manner... but he wasn't totally devoid of common sense. Throwing Kev against the car to kiss him breathless would most definitely be noticed by someone. With his luck... someone with a camera handy. So he squelched his urges and made a mental note to do that at first opportunity once they reached their home. Not necessarily up against the car. The front door, an inside wall, or the sofa would work just as well. Check in was mercifully brief and the security check went smoothly, though he certainly picked up on Kevin's impatience. Scott wondered for a moment if they'd pull him off to the side with the amount of fidgeting the big man was doing, but luckily that didn't turn out to be an issue. When Kevin made a detour to pick up a package of cashews Scott smiled, but didn't comment on the typical mid-flight snack. He couldn't quite believe that Kevin was actually hungry enough to eat the things after the lunch he'd consumed, but that didn't really matter. Kevin almost always had something along just in case. He could be as bad as Kid, Scott thought, his smile widening just a bit. That thought would definitely be shared at some later point... though probably not with Kevin. Probably not with Sean either... or he'd get ratted out about the occasional Twinkie that he'd snatched right out of Sean's hands. Shawn would appreciate the comparison though. The wait to board seemed eternal, but was actually short by airline standards. They weren't set upon by fans, luckily, so Scott spent the time people watching. He was fascinated for a short while by a little old lady with bright blue hair... she kind of reminded him of Sean's story about Flair after the most recent food-fight incident. Of course Flair had wasted no time at all in getting rid of the blue, thank god, while this lady seemed to consider it a fashion statement. The color of her dress almost exactly matched the color of her hair... and shoes. Thankfully for everyone in the nearby vicinity, Kevin failed to notice the big bald biker in their section that kept giving him the eye. Scott was really, really hoping the guy was not seated anywhere near them during the flight. Not because he was scared of the guy or anything like that, but he was fairly sure that Kevin throwing the guy off the plane in mid-flight would constitute at least two or three felonies. Once they were finally settled in their seats, Scott happily noted that the leather-garbed man was seated to the front of the plane. During take-off his thoughts wandered to the various interactions they'd seen at the restaurant from all of their friends. His first thoughts were of Sean and Glen and the results of their little "talk". Sean had seemed more restrained today than usual, at least for the most part, and in Scott's opinion that might not be such a bad thing. Maybe Kid would finally realize he didn't need to put on an act with everyone all the time. He'd been a godsend for Scott during his recovery and if Sean could just let people see his serious side once in awhile, it would most likely help sway people's opinions of the hyperactive little bunny. Scott wasn't at all sure that Mark and Sean would end up as friends in the true meaning of the word but if Mark could learn to tolerate his bouncy side, it would surely make Glen's life a lot easier. Once the seatbelt sign was turned off, Scott glanced over at Kevin and smiled at the sight of his lover pulling out his iPod. Knowing that Kevin would end up falling asleep before too much longer, Scott grabbed an issue of 'Car and Driver' from his carry-on and settled back in his seat. He flipped through a few pages wondering if he should start looking for the toy he'd promised himself once he was again gainfully employed. Maybe not... they had just started back after all and even though he had invested a good chunk of money, he preferred to pocket just a bit more before making the kind of expenditure that he was considering. Dang it all... he really was acting more responsibly. That thought brought a wry smile to his face as he let his mind wander once again to their friends. Sean acted impulsively all the time, which seemed to have benefited Mark and Jeff. Mark must have appreciated it... this time at least... since he'd thanked Sean for interfering. Scott wasn't at all sure that that was all there was to the story, but he wasn't going to ask Mark for details. The Deadman liked to keep his private life private, for the most part, although his body language had been shouting loud enough for a deaf man to hear today. It was apparent that Mark had serious feelings for the kid, and Scott thought it was about damn time that Mark had found someone special to make a space in his heart for. It had been a long time since Mark and Shawn had split up and he had felt bad for their friend being alone, in heart if not in physical companionship, for so long. It was especially good that it came now when Shawn had also found someone, or in this case two someones, to fill the void that had been there for so long. Oh Shawn had loved Hunter for years, which had likely led up to his split with Mark although Shawn had never come out and said so, but without the acknowledgment of it he'd been plainly miserable. Unrequited love was never a nice thing. Even though Scott had been well aware that that love was in fact returned, he hadn't felt right in pointing it out. Hunter, for whatever reasons, hadn't felt comfortable in changing his relationship with Shawn and Scott had had to respect that... at least until Dave had figured out part of the truth. He would have to call Shawn at some point and see how things were going. Scott suspected that as far as Dave was concerned, Shawn was going to play his feelings close to his vest for awhile. That could backfire on their Heartbreaker and Scott really didn't want to see that happen. Shawn had denied his feelings for Hunter for a long time or at least he had to himself even if it had been obvious to others. He couldn�t really blame Shawn. Admitting that you loved someone was scary when you weren't sure they would return your feelings, Scott thought as he turned to look at his lover with a smile. But sometimes it was worth risking. Kevin had shifted and was now leaning against him... subtly. The contact brought a warm smile to his face as he soaked up the slight heat of Kevin's shoulder against his own. Within a few short minutes, Kevin had fallen asleep, his head tilting until it leaned against the top of Scott's shoulder. Scouting the area quickly to make sure that they weren't being observed too closely, Scott lifted his hand and lightly fingered the golden strands spilling over the top of his shirt. He'd seriously over-reacted earlier at the suggestion of the hair versus hair match. No doubt about it. But the first time Kevin had cut it, Scott had been devastated despite the fact that they weren't together at the time. It had been like a public proclamation that Scott was gone from Kevin's life, just like his golden locks were gone from his person. Maybe it was silly, but Scott was pretty darn sure that if they had been together, Kevin would have refused to cut his hair... movie or no movie role. He had logged literally hours playing with the silky strands when they were together. One of his favorite things had always been brushing it out for Kevin after a shower and he'd always managed to tangle his fingers in it while they were falling asleep. He loved the little reactions he could pull from Kevin just by running his fingers through it. So for someone else to get that same reaction... yeah, he'd been jealous. Not that he'd ever admit that, he thought with a grin, but he had a feeling that Kevin knew it anyway. He'd have to instigate their little after shower ritual again now that they seemed to be on solid footing again... he had really missed it. Scott startled slightly as he looked up and noticed the biker walking past their seats, Scott assumed on his way to the restroom in the back. He scowled when the guy winked at him. Then the man noticed the location of Scott's fingers still tangled in Kevin's hair and shrugged, a grin sliding onto his face as if in apology. Scott muffled a laugh behind his free hand as the guy continued down the aisle. He was so not going to tell Kevin about this... at least until they made it home and the biker was safe from Big Sexy's temper. Giving one last gentle stroke to Kevin's hair, Scott lowered his hand before someone else walked by. He didn't want to give Vince a stroke during their first week back and he'd already pushed his luck with his actions in the last couple of days... next week would be soon enough. ---- With the announcement that they were about to land, Scott reached over and gently stroked his fingers over Kevin's cheek. "Hey, Sexy, it's time to rise and shine, big man." Kevin sat up just as the flight attendant walked past their seats. Scott was all smiles as he tucked away his magazine and then divested Kev of his iPod to tuck away in his bag while his lover went through the task of waking fully. They were on the ground shortly and Scott once again handed the keys over to Kevin to drive home... home. Damn that sounded good, though that thought was battling for dominance with the ache that was now noticeable in his posterior. It wasn't bad enough to have him walking like an old man... yet, but it certainly slowed his gait a notch as they walked through the airport. Luckily, they didn't have to wait long for their bags and it didn't take long for them to reach the parking garage. As they settled into the car, Scott winced slightly. This was going to be a fun ride home, though he had no regrets at all. What was a little discomfort when compared to the realizations they'd both come to last night? Nothing... nothing at all. He'd bear it gladly for the trip home... although the second thing he was going to do after jumping on Kev and kissing him senseless was to put some more of that cream on his ass... or rather have Kevin do it. Then he'd make the call to order their supper. Scott smiled despite his discomfort as Kevin pulled onto the interstate. Life was good... very, very good. **** Relaxing a little as Hunter's fingers gently stroked his palm, Shawn tried to release the sudden tension filling him. Sunday wasn't going to be easy for any of them, but he knew that even with the changes in their relationship over the last few days, actually going into the Cell would be the easy part. Turning on HBK had become almost instinctive over the course of his career; by the time he hit the top of the ramp, he was completely focused on his work, whether it was a match or a speech, and he stayed that way until he was done. The Cell would be even more focused, more intense than normal, and he'd have to start psyching himself up for it before his entrance... which meant that he'd have to step away from his lovers, both physically and mentally. From years of watching Hunter, Shawn was sure that Hunt would be fine; the man never took the Cell matches lightly, but having made them one of his specialties, it was probably going to be easier for him to step into that focus, into The Game, for their match than it was going to be for Shawn. All of which, however, meant leaving Dave on his own. That was... unacceptable. Listening as Hunter suggested people to stay with Dave,�he nodded, relaxing further. That was a start at least, although he rather suspected that Dave would have ideas of his own as to how to deal with the situation. He wouldn't be their stubborn Animal if he didn't, after all. The soft touch of Hunter's thumb across the sensitive skin of his wrist made him shiver, and he accepted his body's distraction gratefully, casting a look across to Dave, watching his expression as he tried to dodge what were undoubtedly pointed questions from Steph. Even the slight flush across the dusky cheeks only added to his attractiveness... and in the limo, the yellowing around his eyes wasn't noticeable. They surely still hurt, though. Pushing that away, Shawn's mind led him almost inevitably to the teasing they'd exchanged with each other earlier, from Dave's half-spoken question at lunch to his own promise to make it happen somehow. Judging from the conversation earlier, Hunter wouldn't be doing it, even though he'd given off unmistakably interested signs that morning. Not that he could blame his best friend for being confused; this situation was undoubtedly wholly new to Hunt, regardless of his own experience with a similar one, and Dave definitely had experience that Shawn planned to delve into at some point. Soon. For now, though, he'd enjoy his little fantasies of making Dave scream... and making Hunter watch. Hunt might not be willing to participate, but Shawn was willing to be that he'd be a more than willing observer. And if Dave was worried in any way about hurting him... indulging in that particular new fantasy might just solve that problem. "He's never watched his wife get�beaten up while he'd supposed to sip�water and eat peanuts." Those words pulled his attention firmly back to the moment, and he looked up at Hunter with wide eyes, wondering if Hunt realised what exactly he'd just said. Setting aside the part of him that wanted to ask just who in this relationship was supposed to be the wife, he instead took to heart the new knowledge that Hunter considered him and Dave to be that important. It wasn't necessarily such a big step for the two of them---the biggest step was actually admitting their feelings for each other. But the timing... and the knowledge that Dave was paired right up with him in his best friend's heart... that brought a light to Shawn's eyes that he couldn't hide. The answering spark in his own heart was an unnecessary confirmation, but one that was swept aside at Dave's movement. Shawn had been so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't heard Dave end the phone call... or noticed him moving, although he was aware that the cell phone was once again in his pocket. The awareness of Dave laying in his lap took precedence over that piece of background knowledge, however, and he found his free hand moving to rest on Dave's chest before he realised it, his fingers softly caressing the man through the cotton covering him. "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." That sounded like an excellent idea; two conversations over two trips had given them a one hundred percent average of bad, even if this trip had, overall, gone much better than the one Monday night. At least this time there were no tears, no tense silences, no wounding words... this time they'd at least managed to work out a few things. Two steps forward, one step back, and all that. "I declare no more 'Deep and Meaningful' conversations till Sunday." Raising an eyebrow, Shawn's smart response was swallowed by Hunter's lips closing over his, the heat from the contact sweeping through him like a drug, making him melt against Hunter's frame even as his hand stopped moving, splayed out over Dave's heart. Tilting his head at the exquisite sensation, his eyes closed as Hunter's attention moved along the line of his jaw before focusing again on the sensitive skin behind his ear, sending shivers through him as he exhaled in a soft moan. If this was Hunt's way of changing the mood between them, it was wildly successful. Realising belatedly that his other�hand was free, he pressed it down into the flesh it was resting on, squeezing Hunter's thigh in response to the things those clever lips were doing to him. When Hunter pulled away, it took�him a long moment to realise it, finally opening his eyes again to see a smug expression on the beloved face. Knowing that he was pouting slightly, Shawn shook his head and smiled at his best friend before looking down to their lover. Feeling the car come to a stop, he knew that they were at the gates to Hunter's home... but that still left him a minute or two. Leaving Dave's lips for Hunter to attend to if he so chose, Shawn instead sent his fingers across Dave's chest in soft, sweeping caresses, tracing the contours of muscles beneath the shirt. When his fingertips grazed against a nipple, he was gratified to find it already firm, Dave's sudden inhalation not escaping him. That gave him an idea, and he cast a conspiratorial look at Hunter, not entirely sure that Hunt would understand what he was doing, but sure that he wouldn't mind, since he'd started this anyway. Sending his exploring fingers south, he ran them down to the barrier of the leather belt around Dave's waist, pausing there long enough to tease the tattooed navel. In his mind, he could see the colourful rays surrounding the dip of flesh and knew that he wanted to trace them with his tongue at the next chance he got. The thought sent a warm throb through his body, one that Dave probably couldn't miss, situated as he was. As the car started forward again, moving at a noticeably slow pace, his hand slipped across the belt to trail around the curve of a hip before tracing the strong thigh muscle partway down. Only when he�couldn't reach further did he bring his hand back up, this time along the inside of Dave's thigh, cupping the tender flesh at the apex of those thighs and squeezing slightly. His half-smile turned a little wicked as he felt Dave's response... and let go. "Looks like we're here," he said with a smirk, the huskiness of his voice not doing a thing to disguise his own state. Maybe that had been terrible of him... but if he teased Dave enough, pushed enough of his buttons... and enjoyed himself while he puzzled out more of them... Then maybe, just maybe, his dark lover would push himself past whatever barrier he was still holding between them. Refusing to speculate on what exactly Dave might do if he was successful with his sneaky little plan, Shawn knew that whatever it might be, he would enjoy it. Mourning the loss of Dave's weight against him as the big man sat up, looking rather darkly at him, Shawn moved to the door as the driver opened it and stepped out with a nod at the man. The trip might have been less than comfortable emotionally, but the ride had been good. Since it was Hunter's driver, however, he felt justified in turning almost immediately toward the stairs leading up to the entrance and leaving Hunt to handle things. Just as he reached the door, it was thrown open with a cry of, "You're finally here!" Out of instinct more than anything else, Shawn threw up his arms, staggering backward slightly at the impact as he caught Stephanie for the second time in less than twenty-four hours. That thought made him smile, and he looked at the woman he was holding fondly, aware of his lovers approaching them, as he said with a perfectly straight face, "Well... we came as fast as we could." **** He really needed to snap out of this. Benoit had been aware of Eddie watching him for the last few hours, but the most he'd been able to muster was a weak smile when Eddie dropped a hand on his knee halfway through their flight back to Atlanta. The fact that Eddie's hand had stayed there for over an hour made him feel better, even though he knew that his lover was growing increasingly concerned over the odd funk he'd slipped into. The only reason that Eddie hadn't grilled him yet in that affectionate but determined way that he was so good at was because Chris had handed him the keys to their car in the airport parking lot, knowing that his attention span wasn't good enough right now to get them home safely. As much as he'd like to be able to say that he wasn't even sure why he was feeling this way, he did know. He was disgusted with himself. For his entire life, he'd been reticent in public, especially when it came to showing affection. But it wasn't until the last couple of years in WCW that he'd been this bad... bad enough that he flinched away now when his lover put an arm around his shoulders in a restaurant in a move that people saw everyday on the street, he thought sourly. At least he'd figured out part of the reason for it, although he wasn't entirely sure that was a good thing, either. Bret. His thoughts turning to the past, Benoit could only thank God they'd never had more than a passing affair during his youth, when he was already overawed by the Hart family and still young enough to look up to Bret as one of his heroes. That probably should have been his first tip-off, that Bret was willing to take advantage of his inexperience for his own benefit, but at the time, he'd only seen the caring side that Bret showed him... which was all Bret had wanted him to see. Looking back years later, he'd been able to see the way that Bret disregarded his opinions, downplayed his suggestions, and side-stepped any questions of the seriousness of their relationship. He'd been hurt when it ended, but had valued the friendship they'd maintained over the brief fling, and had moved past that particular issue with time. Apparently Bret hadn't, though. At least... not fully. Chris wasn't about to delude himself into thinking that Bret harboured some secret longing for him that explained his actions once he and Eddie had become an item. Bret had never taken him seriously enough for that---not outside the ring, anyway. Jealousy, however, was another thing, and with all the thinking he'd been doing today, Chris was positive that was the source of the problem. Benoit had spent years being a hanger-on to the Hart family, and in a way, Bret had grown fond of him; they'd developed a real friendship---but Bret's own history of failed relationships had made him a bitter, sarcastic man who loved nothing more than tearing apart people simply because they were happy. Benoit had befriended Eddie the first time he'd met him, even before he knew about Eddie's problems. That friendship had rapidly deepened into something more for him---who couldn't love Eddie, once they knew him?�Chris had done his damnedest to hide it, since between Eddie's issues and his insecurities and the women they were with at the time, there was nothing to do about it. Somehow, though, Bret had noticed... and the comments had begun. Occasional, sarcastic, teasing comments... at first they'd slid by without notice, as Chris had become caught up in the disintegration of his relationship, Eddie's drug problems and the break-up of his relationship because of them. But as the problems deepened and his concern showed more and more, he'd finally realised that Bret had become more and more nasty. In response, hurt and defensive by the painful actions of one of his best friends, Chris had withdrawn even more, losing even the occasional backstage humour that he'd displayed until then. And once he and Eddie had taken that step that they'd both danced around for so long and become lovers, Bret's attitude had only gotten worse, to the point where Chris had avoided him for quite a while. Remembering that life-changing moment, his mouth quirked at the memory. The first night had been awkward and hesitant, not out of inexperience for either of them, but out of the emotions they were both struggling with. Chris had known for years that he loved the man, but had never had a sign that Eddie felt the same way. Only after he'd found the courage to say the words, on a lazy afternoon spent together at Eddie's ranch house in El Paso, had Eddie stared at him until he started to worry... until that smile appeared, and Chris had known even before Eddie opened his mouth what he was going to say. "What're you thinking about, Chris?" The quiet worry underlying the casual question brought Benoit back to the present, and he blinked as he realised that Eddie was turning into the driveway. Turning his head, he met concerned brown eyes as Eddie shut the car off and looked at him. Smiling for what felt like the first time in days, he said softly, "The day you told me you loved me." Leaning over the gear shift, he pressed a brief kiss to Eddie's lips before unfastening his seat belt and getting out of the car. The surprised but pleased expression on his lover's face drove away most of the lingering malaise he was feeling, and as he carried his bag up to the front door, he resolved to sit down with Eddie this afternoon and talk to him. His lover especially deserved to know what had been troubling him, and Chris suspected that Eddie would be more than willing to help him get over it. Still smiling as he opened the door, Chris ushered Eddie in past him before shutting it firmly behind them. Dinner would be ordered in tonight and any entertainment they shared would be behind this door, because damned if Chris was going to let Eddie out of his arms for any longer than absolutely necessary. **** He wasn't really intending to fall asleep, but left his eyes closed as he lay with his head in Shawn's lap so he could gather his thoughts for a few minutes. The gentle stroking of Shawn's hand over his chest was comforting, as was the moratorium on 'deep and meaningful conversations' by Hunt. Dave had no desire whatsoever to visit another serious topic until at least Saturday night when he would start worrying about the match scheduled for Sunday evening. Not his own match, god no, that would be a walk in the park. It would take neither large amounts of planning nor energy for a squash match against Maven. It was the 'Hell in a Cell' that would have him tied in knots... Dave ruthlessly cut off those thoughts as he simultaneously noted two things... Hunter's hand running through his hair and the distinct sound of two people devouring each other. Since he was obviously not involved in the making of that noise, that left only two options... Shawn and Hunter. Not wanting to miss that particular sight, Dave slitted his eyes open and focused on the pair above him. He was immediately entranced as he watched the mutual meeting of lips and tongues in a mating dance. Mumbling under his breath about sleeping being impossible with the noise factor, Dave was pretty sure neither man heard him. A warm glow suffused his body spreading from the point where Shawn's hand lay over his heart as he watched Hunter pull away and nibble on the golden arch of Shawn's neck. A rumble vibrated his chest as he almost silently growled in appreciation of the picture above him. Turning his head, he lightly nipped the tips of Hunter's fingers, which had wandered down over his smooth cheek. Other than that he was content for the moment to watch the two pressed up against each other as they made better memories to hold than the heavy discussion that had taken place earlier. Shawn had other ideas however... His lips twitched into a smile as he took in the pout gracing Shawn's mouth when Hunter pulled away from their kiss. He was well aware, from prior experience that he would do whatever the blond wanted when he sported that precious little pout... and that had been before they were involved in a relationship. Dave almost dreaded the day that Shawn figured out that particular fact. Whipped wouldn't even begin to describe him if his lover used that look with any kind of regularity, though Dave figured that Shawn would come up with equally effective ways of swaying him to whatever his heart desired. The smirk that was trying to form on his lips at that thought was arrested as Shawn looked down at him. Falling into the sparkling blue pools above, he held his smile for a moment as Shawn's hand swept over his chest. His eyes slipped closed again as talented fingers brushed ever so slightly against one of his nipples. He inhaled sharply, turning to find Hunter's fingers and pull one of them between his lips as Shawn's hand searched further down his chest. Laving the digit with his tongue, he gently bit down on the pad of Hunt's finger as Shawn's fingertips reached his belt. The muscles in his abdomen clenched and rippled as Shawn traced the hidden ink that stained his skin. He growled quietly as Hunter pulled his finger free and ran the strong hand along his throat leaving a damp trail along his skin. As he tilted his head to the side to give Hunter's fingers more access to the sensitive skin, his cheek brushed against the evidence of Shawn's interest in the proceedings. Biting his lip to stifle a groan, Dave rested his head right there as Shawn's hand wandered down the outside of his thigh and Hunter's reached the base of his throat. They were trying to kill him... it was quite obvious, at least in his own mind. His body trembled slightly as Shawn's hand made a return trip up the inside of his thigh and Hunter moved his just a bit lower. Simultaneous touches to a pert nipple and the swollen flesh at his groin had him arching into his lovers' hands with a gasp. A lick of fire sped through his body and he was on the verge of begging for more when the delicious heat producing hands left him. "Looks like we're here." Here? Where? Oh... right. Dave blinked rapidly and then closed his eyes for a moment as he fought down the urge to pull Shawn into another torrid kiss like they'd shared earlier. The slamming of a car door broke through his needy thoughts and pulled him back to reality. In just a moment the driver would be opening the door for them and though Dave was tempted to disregard that, he knew that he shouldn't. Pushing himself up from the warm cushion of Shawn's lap, he looked at his lovers, allowing every bit of what he was feeling to show in his eyes. He may have to wait for Hunt to make the first move between them... but Shawn was so going to get it later for this particular little tease. Even if Dave had to drag him into a linen closet for a few moments of privacy... As he watched Shawn's butt sashay out the now open door, Dave took a deep steadying breath and smiled at Hunter before following Shawn out the door. With a quiet thank you for the driver, he hung back with Hunter as Stephanie burst through the door and into Shawn's arms. Once Hunt had exited the car and arranged to have their bags brought in, he and Hunt headed towards the steps. "Well... we came as fast as we could." The innuendo in Shawn's voice was obvious and Dave could feel his cheeks heating before the sentence was completed. Stephanie laughed as she looked at him and Dave's face bloomed into a deeper shade of pink. Casting a startled look at Hunter as Steph latched onto his arm and said something about a tour of the house, Dave caught the wicked sparkle still lingering in Shawn's eyes. As they passed the blond on the way to the door, Dave reached out with his free hand and gave him a gentle swat on the behind along with a pointed look. Stephanie either didn't notice or chose not to comment at that particular moment and as they walked into the house, Dave stopped and took his first look at Hunter's home. His first thought was 'wow', quickly followed by a quiet reprimand in his mother's voice to not touch any of the pretties. His lips curved up in a smile as he considered some of the things visible from the foyer. He was so not touching anything. As they passed a few rather fragile looking things, Dave felt akin to a bull let loose in a china shop. His lover's wife... and how weird was it thinking that particular thought... quickly put him at ease with her sparkling commentary on the things displayed in their home. As he took in the frilly cushions on the almost fragile looking divan set against one wall in the living room, Dave wondered if the thing would collapse if more than one of them sat on it at a time. "Don't say it's too girly. Hunter wouldn't come shopping so I got to make the decisions." Dave bit his tongue on the words about to leave his mouth and instead smiled sweetly at the young woman beside him. "Not at all. I... think it's perfect." He speculated on whether or not Hunter regretted the decision not to go shopping with his wife as she smiled up at him wickedly. She didn't come right out and call him on it, but it was obvious she knew he was trying to please her with his reply. From the living room they wandered through the dining room, kitchen, and downstairs bathroom before making it to Hunt's 'Game room'. Dave snickered silently over the name as Steph pointed out a bunch of gadgets and games and some things that Dave couldn't even put names to. "I don't think he knows how half of them work, but the guy at 'Wiz' saw Hunt's wallet coming a mile away." Dave laughed at this assessment of his lover's spending habits. He had no doubt at all that Hunter probably couldn't identify half the things in the room, let alone explain how they worked. Hunter had the money to indulge himself, so Dave didn't really have any issues with it... though he would certainly draw the line at Hunter spending money on him in the same fashion. He didn't need material things to make him feel appreciated... hell, he'd be happy if they could sort through their issues and end up on the same page when it came to touching. Pushing those thoughts away as Steph led him through the library, explaining which books belonged to her and which were Hunt's. There was a rather eclectic selection, though Dave hoped he wouldn't be spending too much time in need of a book... at least during this visit. He was starting to feel a bit dazed by the time they reached the wing designated as Hunter's. Luckily the trip down Steph's wing had been brief so as not to disturb Meg, who was apparently indulging in a bath according to Steph. Dave thanked his lucky stars that Steph had given him that information before trying to open the door to her bedroom to show it off. With a quick nod and another blush, Dave had suggested they wait for that part of the tour until later. With a grin, Steph had steered him towards Hunter's room as she informed him that she had baby pictures of Hunter hidden in her room to show him later. Dave shared a conspiratorial grin with her as Steph pushed open the door to yet another room. "...and this is Hunt's BED! Would you like me to order a bigger one? I don't know if you'll all fit, want to try it out?" Dave looked at the object in question for a brief moment before he felt the color flooding his face. His mouth opened and closed several times as he avoided looking at her before he finally forced words past the knot in his throat. "I think... it'll be just fine, Steph. It's not any smaller than the one in the hotel last night and it looks... sturdier..." His mouth snapped firmly shut as he realized what he'd just said and whom he had said it to. He turned to find Hunter and Shawn standing in the doorway with varying looks of amusement on their faces. With pleading eyes, he silently begged one of them to dig him out of the hole he'd just buried himself in. **** "Hey, Sexy, it's time to rise and shine, big man." The soft touch on his cheek as much as the quiet drawl pulled him out of his dreams, the fuzzy images fading away almost instantly as he blinked at Scott, wondering just when his head had ended up firmly on Scott's shoulder. Shrugging mentally, he couldn't say that he was surprised it had. He'd always seemed to be touching Scott somehow, no matter where they were, and since their recent reunion, that instinct had only grown stronger. There were still moments that he felt like he was dreaming, simply from the fact that he could touch his lover again. Reading the amusement at his slow reaction time in Scott's eyes, Kevin sat up reluctantly, stretching as much as he could in the limited space. He was aware of Scott's fingers removing his iPod and forced himself to ignore the touch as much as he could, especially since the stewardess' glance was more knowing than he'd like it to be. Had Scotty been up to something while he was asleep? ...Nah. Scott knew better than to draw unwanted attention, especially somewhere like an airplane, where too many people were prone to be watching. Following his lover out of the plane and into the airport, he noticed Scott's stiff gait almost immediately, but bit his tongue. The cream was obviously wearing off, and just as obviously, Scotty was not going to say a word about it. Kevin didn't entirely blame him, since he wasn't too excited about the thought of applying more cream in a public restroom, but at the same time, it was another sign of what Scott called independence and Kevin called damned stubbornness. Hopefully Scott would realise sooner rather than later than Kevin wanted to protect him, and not out of worry that Scott couldn't take care of himself... and that allowing him to do so wasn't a sign of weakness. Sighing a little as they collected their luggage and made their way out to the car,�Kevin told himself firmly that it was nothing to worry about right now. Right now, they just had to get home and spend wonderfully rare time alone together... together. What a lovely word. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his lover shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he merged onto the interstate, and bit his tongue. If he wasn't going to offer to do it in a public bathroom, he sure as hell wasn't going to offer to pull over to the side of the road and do it, either. The trip home shouldn't be too long today anyway, since they'd managed to avoid rush hour. Watching Scott's pained movements increase as he drove, he swallowed back the too-pointed words that wanted to escape. Snapping at his lover wouldn't fix things, and would only destroy some of the precious progress they'd made over the last several days. Besides... he could already hear Scott's response if he called Scotty stubborn. Smiling a little at the thought---and the memory of the last time he had heard it---Kevin turned off at the appropriate exit, threading his way through the traffic to get home as soon as possible. They'd only been gone a few days, but he found himself looking forward to returning there more than he had in years, now... with Scotty at his side. The last few miles seemed to fly by, although Scott probably felt every bump along the way. Mouth twisting slightly, Kev resolved to fix that particular problem as soon as the door was shut behind them, no matter what his lover said. Even if he had to hold him down to do it. If Scott let him, anyway. Hiding a laugh, Kevin turned the car off in the driveway and was out and grabbing bags from the trunk before Scott made it out of his seat. Ignoring the semi-annoyed look he received for carrying both sets of bags, Kevin set them down beside the door to unlock it, pushing it open as he picked them back up. Dropping them inside the door, he turned back around as he asked, "Scott, do you want me to get the cream ou..." The question was interrupted by the impact of Scott's body into his, throwing him off balance. Feeling himself start to fall, he wrapped his arms around his lover in order to protect him from the landing... hopefully they were closer to the couch than he thought. **** Even though he knew it was a good idea to bury himself in ice, he still rolled his eyes at Chris' insistence that he do so. It was just frustrating. Their first time together here at the house since declaring their mutual feelings should have been all romance and seriously riotous sex. Instead, he was going to end up sleeping and suffering for a good part of it, while Chris was going to end up taking care of him. So not what he'd had planned at all. He shifted upon command so that Chris could swath him in the chilly wraps, trying to make this task easier on his lover. More than anyone, Adam was aware of how grouchy he was going to be for the next few days, not only because of the forced inactivity but also the fact that Chris would have to take care of him. Nice way to start off a relationship... he wouldn't blame his new lover at all if he fled the house and changed his mind about the change in status from friends to lovers. If he were honest, that was probably what worried him the most... that Chris might just decide he wasn't worth the bother. He knew that Chris was nothing like Terry, that was more than obvious, but the fact that he'd been abandoned by someone during a much more serious injury still lingered in the back of his mind. But here was Chris, doing his best to distract him from the chill and the aches. He was right here and the attention that he was doling out said he wasn't going anywhere. At any other time, the gentle touching and the caressing of Chris' lips would have had his body leaping to take notice, but with the sheer exhaustion and achy pangs in his ribs, his body firmly nixed any ideas of arousal. His ribs were already numb by the time Chris started rubbing his feet and the cold permeating his lower chest and abdomen was causing an occasional shiver. Sleepiness started taking over so much so that a nuzzle against his groin, though acknowledged by his tired brain, was completely ignored by his body. Resolving to correct that injustice as soon as he caught up on a bit of rest, he moved just enough for Chris to pull the cold wraps off before slipping into the arms of sleep, the soft words Chris had whispered lingering in his head. ---- They were backstage with about an hour before the broadcast of Bad Blood. He had pressed Ty about the idea to shave his head as soon as they hit the arena. Ty had agreed much to Jay's amusement, though Jay had opted not to stay and watch the proceedings. Chris, on the other hand, was videotaping the entire procedure with a running commentary. Adam had just finished scraping around the last curve of a beautiful letter 'B' and was getting ready to unveil his masterpiece to his subject when the door to the locker room swung open with a bang. Chris set the video camera on the bench and took a step towards the door before Adam had turned around. The next thing he knew, there was a loud crash as Chris' body was propelled backward with awesome force into the metal lockers. Adam spun around just in time to see the look of pure agony on Chris' face as Terry's shoulder slammed into his lover's sternum. He was moving across the room before Chris dropped to the floor, but everything seemed to be in slow motion. His mind was screaming with questions... how had Terry gotten backstage, why had he targeted Chris? He reached the pair just as Terry reached for a handful of Chris' hair, executing a spear of his own to pull the large bull of a man away from his lover. His first thought was to get back to Chris, but Terry was having none of that. Adam's spear, while executed perfectly, hadn't caused near the damage that Terry's gore had, since Terry hadn't hit the wall, but collapsed to the floor behind him instead. He immediately tried to climb off of the bastard and go to Chris' aid, but the manbeast had a firm hold on the hem of his shirt and wasn't about to let go. He launched his fist towards Terry's face, trying to get the man to break his grasp, but caught a retaliatory club in the ribs with the hammer Terry liked to call his fist. Despite the pain now radiating through his own chest, he reached for Terry's hair, using it to beat the man's head against the floor with subconscious glee until Terry was too dazed to stop him from going to Chris... Only to turn and find that someone else had beaten him to it. The Animal was holding the listless form of Chris in his arms, one large hand gently brushing the pale gold of Chris' hair away from his face. Adam called Chris' name, but Chris didn't respond at all. As he crossed the few feet that separated him from his downed lover, Chris opened bleary eyes and looked up into the face of Dave Batista. "Good night my Love." With that, Chris slipped into unconsciousness, going limp in Dave's arms. Even though the words were odd given the situation, the fact that Chris had been looking into Dave's eyes when he said them hit Adam like a blow to the chest. With an anguished whimper that resembled Chris' name, Adam sank to his knees on the floor of the locker room. **** Appearances to the contrary, Scott was not oblivious to the occasional glare being sent in his direction by his companion. His subtle shifting in the seat to take the pressure from the sorer spots on his behind were apparently not subtle enough to fool his lover. Scott turned towards the window, unable to stifle a grin over Kevin actually remaining silent on the subject. He thought he might have scared the kid in the car next to them though as they hit a bump in the road and his smirk melted into a grimace of mass proportions. The last few miles were tantamount to torture. Each bump, and there seemed to be loads of them, sent a wicked ache through his ass. Lodging a complaint with the street department would undoubtedly do little good, but Scott was seriously considering doing it anyway. Once they'd pulled into the driveway, Scott waited until Kevin exited the vehicle and then let out a low groan as he pulled himself out of the car using the doorframe. His new purchase was definitely going to be equipped with heavily padded car seat covers and great shocks. Noticing that Kevin had commandeered all of the bags from the trunk, Scott sent him a vaguely irritated look but kept his mouth shut as he followed his lover to the door. Not having to deal with the bags just aided him in his planning, since he didn't have to worry about ditching the darn things before executing his attack. Stifling a laugh as Kevin unlocked the door, Scott followed him into the entrance and waited for Kevin to put the bags down. "Scott, do you want me to get the cream ou..." By the time the question was halfway out of Kevin's mouth, Scott was ready. He pounced on the tall blond as he turned, his hands automatically wrapping around Kevin's neck and the back of his head just in case they slid off the couch when they landed... or missed the darn thing altogether. Luckily, Scott's aim was true and Kevin landed nicely on his back, draped across the cushions, with his legs dangling over the end. The moment he was convinced they had safely landed, he used a knee against the cushion to push him up to proper attack level and covered Kevin's mouth with his own before the big man could ask the obvious question. His fingers locked tightly in the silky blond strands of Kevin's hair to hold his head immobile as Scott plundered the warm wet recesses of his lover's mouth. When he was convinced he was close to passing out from lack of oxygen, he finally broke the liplock, ending it with a gentle lick to kiss swollen lips as he panted harshly for breath. Giving Kevin a look similar to the one that his lover had gifted him with at the airport in Uniondale, Scott murmured a quiet "I love you, Kev" before peeling himself from atop the larger man's frame. Grinning at the look on Kevin's face, Scott decided he had better address the issue that Kevin had brought up on the way in the door before his lover's mood turned abruptly sour. Licking his lips, he savored the salty taste of cashews and Kevin before speaking. "If you want to grab that cream, I'm going to call Estela and then I'll meet you in the bedroom." Wandering into the kitchen, Scott found the number for the restaurant and quickly made the call. Once he identified himself, he was greeted with a flurry of Spanish, most of which were reprimands for not stopping by lately. Scott grinned as he apologized for his lapse and then shared his good news. The resulting shriek had him holding the phone away from his ear as his friend happily congratulated the two of them on finally coming to their senses. She immediately offered to fix their meal herself and with some suggestions from Scott they came to an agreement on the massive order. Scott was fully aware of Kevin's presence in the doorway during the entire conversation, having seen his lover from the corner of his eye. He was also aware that Kevin was slapping the tube of cream against his palm in an impatient manner as he kept talking. That Kevin hadn't met him in the bedroom as he'd suggested wasn't really a huge surprise and as he hung up the phone, he grinned at the blond. Without saying a word, he passed Kevin in the doorway with a wink, snickering quietly as Kevin followed behind him. Halfway to the bedroom, Scott stripped out of his shirt and tossed it behind him with superb accuracy. Flicking a glance over his shoulder to make sure the garment had ended draped over Kevin's head as planned, Scott laughed quietly. Just before reaching the doorway, he untied the drawstring in his sweats and pulled the waist to loosen it. Letting the pants drop as he stood next to the bed, he used his feet to push the sweats off and then climbed onto the bed face-down, naked as the day he was born. Sticking his tongue out at Kevin, Scott grinned and then pillowed his head on his arms. "Do your worst, babe, just don't get too naked because you're answering the door when the food gets here. I'm thinking I'm just a tad underdressed." to be continued...

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