Story Title: Next, Part 1

Story Type: Slash, AU

Characters: Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Roderick Strong, Evan Bourne

Pairings: MMG, Roddy/Evvy

Rating: PG-13/NC-17

Series: Neko: Just Them, Don't Touch, I Agree, You, 5 and 1-Neko, For You, Never Again, Jump Start

Disclaimer: I fucken wish I owned these guys. I mean, that would be a good time. Unfortunately, they belong to themselves and TNA/ROH/WWE.

Warnings: Slash, language

A/N: So, here we are. Another new neko story. I'm writing so much more of these then I had ever planned on, lol. When I wrote 'Just Them', it was just supposed to be a quick little one shot to help me get the image of neko!Shelley out of my perverted brain. Almost nine stories later and he's still stuck in there, and now he's dragged neko!Evvy along for company. Now, I've given up trying to predict how many of these there will be, and just decided to enjoy it as it comes. Enjoy, peeps.

Roddy hesitated when Lily asked him what color collar he wanted for Evan.

He walked over to the cage where Evan was watching curiously.

"Hey, Evan," Rod said, pausing nervously for a minute. "Um, do you want to pick out your collar?"

"My collar," Evan repeated, touching a hand to his throat. All the times he'd been bought and sold -five times now- none of his other owners had ever asked him that.

"Yes," he decided, grinning. His face fell a second later. "But I can't see any of them from here."

Roddy turned to the sales girl and smiled charmingly. "Is there any way he can get out of the cage? I mean, we'll be leaving with him soon, so there's no real harm, is there?"

Lily smiled back at him and walked over with a key in her hand. "Well, technically, it is against the rules, but he's never been a problem before. Isn't that right?" The last word was almost a purr, the words dripping with honey.

It made Roddy raise an eyebrow and Alex caught the way the other neko flinched away from her hand when she opened the cage door and tried to help him out. Chris's eyes narrowed and he exchanged a long look with Roddy, putting his hand back on Alex's lower back to help steady him.

Once Evan was out of the cage, he walked over until he was next to Rod, his tail lashing in aggravation. Rod smiled down at him reassuringly, putting a hand on the neko's shoulder. Evan blinked up at him and then relaxed a little.

"Come on," Roddy said, leading Evan over to the counter, making sure he kept him on his side away from Lily as they walked over.

Evan paused, his ears twitching as he glanced around the room before going to the counter with Roddy. As they walked past Roddy's friends, Evan glanced at them curiously; especially the neko. The other neko's owner leaned closer and whispered something in his ear, that made him roll his eyes and smirk, but Evan could see the affection and love between them and it made his chest ache.

He looked at the collars on display, biting his bottom lip worriedly. Evan glanced up at Roddy and then back down again.

"What's wrong?" Rod murmured, putting his hand on the back of Evan's neck.

"I really like the dark red one," Evan confessed, his voice low. "But I think it's more expensive then the other ones are."

Roddy smiled a little, rubbing the neko's neck briefly before moving his hand. "That's alright," he assured him. "Your collar's included in the buying price, and even if it wasn't, a couple extra dollars isn't a big deal."

Almost twenty minutes later, Evan was smiling broadly, happily running his fingers over the new collar around his throat.

"Have a nice day," Lily told them, smiling sweetly. She eyed Chris and Alex speculatively before licking her lips. "And, sweetie, let me know if you ever want to get rid of that neko. I'm sure I could get you a good price for him."

Alex blanched, his ears flattening as a low growl left his throat, his tail lashing in agitation. Immediately, Chris's hand was on his back, rubbing in small circles. He looked at the sales girl in disgust, his lip pulled back from his teeth threateningly.

"Roddy, do you have all your paperwork?" Chris asked, his eyes never leaving the sales lady's.

"Yeah, I got it," Rod answered, his own disgust obvious. After giving Lily one last glare, he led Evan away from the counter as Chris told her off in a harsh voice, his words leaving no doubt that he meant what he was saying.

There was no mistaking the venom in his voice but the hand on Alex's back stayed even and gentle and Evan's eyes were drawn there.

"Alex -or any other neko, for that matter- is not a damn pet for you, or a toy to amuse yourself with. How would you like it if I went and asked your boyfriend to sell you to me? Or if I just fucken used you however the hell I wanted?"

"He's lucky," Evan murmured without thinking. "To belong to someone who cares for him so much."

Roddy looked at him curiously, but all he said was: "They belong to each other."

A few minutes later, Chris and Alex joined them, completely ignoring the crying woman at the counter.

"Ready?" Chris asked, his voice pleasant but there was a gleam in his eye that made Roddy shake his head.

"Yeah, let's go," Roddy answered, leading the way out the door. "Chris, Alex, this is Evan. Evan, these are my friends Chris and Alex."

"Hello," Evan said cheerfully, a wide grin splitting his face. "It's nice to meet you."

"You, too," Alex murmured, wrapping his tail around Chris's leg. He could disassemble with the best of them, but the truth was that he wanted to get as far away from here as possible.

"So, Ev, you feel up to lunch?" Chris asked, throwing an arm around Alex's shoulders and placing a quick kiss on his hair. Enough to let him know that he knew Alex was upset but not enough to embarrass him in front of other people.

"My treat," he added as they started walking down the street.

Evan looked up at Roddy nervously but when Rod just smiled and nodded, Evan broke out into another grin. "Sure, sounds fun."

"Mickey D's?" Alex asked hopefully, his ears twitching slightly.

Chris rolled his eyes even as Roddy snickered. "Sure; as long as Evan doesn't mind."

Evan blinked as three sets of eyes focused on him. "Um, I've never been. But it sounds OK to me."

Roddy looked at him incredulously. "You've never been to McDonald's?"

Evan shrugged. "No one usually wants to take us out in public. You know how it is," Evan said to Alex, both of them sharing a look of understanding.

"Alright, then," Chris said after exchanging a long look with Roddy, both of them saddened and incensed by what most nekos had to go through on a daily basis. "McDonald's here we come. Prepare to have your mind blown, Evan."

As they walked down the street, Evan watched the three of them argue back and forth, play shoving each other once in a while. After a couple minutes, he felt comfortable enough to add his own comments here and there.

Maybe life was about to get better, Evan thought hopefully as they got closer to the fast food restaurant. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face at the thought.