When Mankind heard the squeal of the door, there was a moment when he was sure it was Uncle Paul coming home. Coming to tell him it was all a mistake, he didn't really want Vader and Undertaker after all, Mankind was the only wrestler for him.

It wasn't, of course, and when Mankind looked up from the corner where he sat he saw Brian Pillman sauntering in like this was his boiler room.

"Nice place you got here." Pillman sat on a crate and looked down at him, grinning.

"Come in, Brian, make yourself at home. Don't bother to wipe your feet on the welcome mat I purchased and placed by the door for that very reason." He trailed off as Brian slid down beside him, insinuating himself into Mankind's line of sight.

"You really want to tag with Steve?" Brian caught his face when he tried to turn away. "Does it look like a good deal to you?"

"Well, let me answer your question with a question." He jerked towards Pillman and screamed, "Does this look like a good deal to you? Do these scars look like I've taken a lot of good deals in my life?"

Brian just grinned at him. Or maybe it was a snarl. "What is it you think you're going to get from him? 'Pick me Steve,'" he said, sing-song and mocking. "Pick you for what? The fused ankle of the month club?" He leaned closer. "If what you're looking for is a few shattered bones, you don't need Steve for that."

"I know where to get plenty of shattered bones. But what I don't know," he told Brian, "is where to get the companionship of a tag team partner."

"Companionship. Right." Brian's hand cupped his cheek, slid back over his missing ear and around to the back of his neck. "Do you imagine how he'd kiss you?"

"I have to admit, the thought did cross my mind. But you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?"

"I'll show you, Cactus."

Mankind could tell he was trying, but he didn't think it would be like this with Steve at all. Brian's lips were chapped and Mankind could feel him shaking. For a guy in a faction of five, Brian seemed awfully lonely. Mankind buried his hands in Brian's hair and kissed him back. "It's okay, Brian," he pulled back to tell him. "You don't have to kiss me like Steve. You can just kiss me. I'm a good kisser."

When Brian kissed him again, he bit. He bit hard, and Mankind didn't appreciate it very much but he was prepared to take it, because he hadn't been kissed in a long time.