A/N: Little explanation needed for this one. First nd foremost this is the "oneshot" for CenaRKO1986 in relation to the #100 review for Life is Good... yes it has taken me this long... so apologies for the delay.

Second, the oneshot idea I had ended up being 32 pages long so I decided it was going to be better posting it in chapter format. Though I'm uploading it all in one go since it is complete.

I hope you all enjoy, especially CenaRKO1986

"Ran, tell me something," John shouted over the music pounding through the club.

"What?" Randy replied leaning in so he could actually hear John speaking.

"Do you even recognise this music?" John asked making Randy laugh at his words.

"There's only three years difference between us John, why are you sounding like your father?" Randy joked back, patting the man on his shoulder.

The two men sat back in the booth they had claimed with their colleagues when they arrived but so far neither of them had found a song they were interested in dancing to. The music wasn't to either of their tastes and John was noticing his age once again.

"Do you think they'll notice if I go?" John asked Randy as he took a swig of his beer, ignoring the test tube shot which sat in the rack. Zack had purchased a round and he couldn't bring himself to try the luminescent drink yet.

"You are not going and leaving me here," Randy called clamping his hand onto John's wrist and pulling him back down as he tried to leave.

"Oh, come on, Randy. We came out; we helped celebrate, but I have an early start on the road and I need to get some rest," John pleaded.

"Live a little John," Randy said chuckling, looping a friendly arm around John's shoulders. "It's not every day our friends get engaged."

"And I'm happy for them, big time happy, they deserve it," John said sounding as though he was trying to convince himself.

John went off into his own thoughts as he looked out over the mass of people, spotting the pair grinding up against one another on the dance floor. Heath and Justin looked good together, he'd give them that. Hidden away though, in the depths of his soul, he admitted he wasn't that happy for them. He couldn't understand why they could find love when after all these years of looking he was still single.

A slap around his head brought him from his thoughts and he looked over to Randy who was standing up next to him trying to get out from the booth.

"Where are you going?" John asked.

"I thought the john might be better company," Randy said laughing as he headed to the bathroom.

John sat there for moment thinking about his failed relationships. He could never understand why they didn't work out before he realised he was lying to himself. He knew why they never worked out. He worked too hard. But what could he do, he loved his job and unless he broke his rule of no dating in the workplace he didn't know how he could change that.

"Come on old man," Randy said pulling him from his thoughts and his chair. "I'm getting you out of here."

"Where are we going?" John asked.

"I need to eat something tonight. How about we head to the sports bar down the road?" Randy suggested. "I can eat and you can get off your chest whatever's eating away at it."

John looked over to Randy a little amazed he was still able to pick up on his thoughts as though it were only yesterday they were spending every waking hour together. For nearly three years, John and Randy had travelled together and shared hotel rooms while they worked their way up the career ladder. And even then, they worked together and hung out in their spare time. On numerous occasions they had to convince people they weren't a couple.

It was only really when Randy was transferred to the SmackDown tour after Edge's forced retirement that they didn't see each other as much. In fact it was only really at Raw they did see one another, when they weren't working at least.

They made their way out of the club and John sucked in a deep breath of fresh air as the cool breeze of the night hit his skin. He loved this time of day, or night as it was. As they walked along the road, Randy threw his arm around John's shoulders again in the same way he always had when they were walking along.

For some reason though, he felt different tonight. Maybe it was because he hadn't really spent much time with Randy recently. Randy's arm around his shoulders made him feel… secure. He wrapped his arm around Randy's waist and leant his head on his shoulder as they walked.

"You alright John?" Randy said squeezing his arm gently.

"Yeah, I've missed this," John said. "The two of us, hanging out. We should make sure we do this more often."

"John, we're walking along the road," Randy said suddenly stopping before looking up and down the street.

"What?"

"I swear there was a sports bar along here last time we came here," Randy said looking puzzled. "We stopped in, remember?"

"Ran, that was two years ago," John said smirking. "It was already gone last time the tour was in town."

"Damn; I liked that food," Randy complained.

"Why don't we just get something at the hotel," John suggested with a shrug. Randy shrugged in response and started walking again, heading in the direction of the hotel.

"So what's up with you?" Randy asked. "You kept zoning out at the club."

"I'm sorry; I just see them together and get jealous," John admitted causing Randy to laugh.

"I knew you had a thing for a nice tan, but I never noticed you had a thing for Justin, you hid that well," Randy teased.

"I do NOT like Justin, you asshole," John said shoving Randy aside.

"John and Justin, sitting in a tree," Randy said in a sing-song fashion as he regained his balance. John was already marching ahead and he jogged to catch up with him, wrapping his arms around him in a bear hug. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

"I hate you sometimes, Ran," John said trying to fight to get out of Randy's hold. "Let go."

"No."

"Let me go," John said still fighting to free himself.

"No," Randy said simply, tightening his grip. "Now what are you jealous of?"

"The both of them," John admitted feeling Randy's grip loosen.

Randy let his hand fall down to John's and he entwined their fingers together leading him over to a nearby railing. Leaning against it, he brought John in close and made John look at him.

"What can you possibly be jealous of?" Randy asked sympathetically.

"Come on Ran, it's obvious," John said shrugging and turning his head away.

"No, it really isn't," Randy said.

"They have each other; I have no one," John said hating that he felt this way. "Ten years in this company and I'm still alone. Still single. Straight away they find each other and a year later they're getting engaged."

"John, how do you expect to find someone when you don't let anyone in?" Randy asked, not wanting to push him but knew it was the only way to make his friend see. "I know of at least five guys who would love for you to ask them out."

"I don't want to date anyone at work," John reminded him.

"Then you better start taking time off, because you're never going to meet anyone else," Randy told him straight.

John nodded in acknowledgement but his mood didn't improve. Randy tugged on his arm and brought him into a hug, hoping to cheer him up. He held him for a few moments before John pulled away and smiled weakly at him. Knowing it wasn't anything he could change overnight for his friend, Randy wrapped his around his shoulders and they resumed their journey back to the hotel.

"So why are you still single?" John asked out of the blue.

"Please, you think there's anyone good enough to get with this?" Randy said pulling his pose as they walked. John turned to look at the man and burst into laughter at the way he suddenly resembled the cocky, young man who first entered his life when he worked in OVW.

John walked up to him and ran his hands playfully over Randy's chest and abs, snaking his arms around Randy's neck bringing his lips up so they were level to Randy's ear.

"About fifty guys," John said before abruptly pulling back making sure there was distance between them. "You're bottom of the barrel, Randy Orton."

Randy snapped out of his pose and ran after John trying to catch him as he raced ahead trying to get to find somewhere secure to hide from him. Randy smirked when he realised John had trapped himself in the courtyard they were walking through. As he got near, he lunged for the older man and caught him around the waist, pulling him back against his body.

"Take it back," Randy ordered with a chuckle.

"No," John laughed as Randy picked him up and carried him over to the water feature in the center of the courtyard.

"Take it back, or I dunk you," Randy threatened holding the bigger man over the water.

"No," John said squirming in Randy's grip.

"Fine," Randy said letting go of his grip and letting John fall into the water as he made a run for it, heading out of the courtyard back onto the main street. He stayed nearby, listening to John gripe about being soaking wet and heard him trying to get out.

When John made it onto the street, Randy broke into laughter as he caught sight of John in his soaking wet clothes. He knew he was in for it when John saw him and he made a dash down the half a block to the hotel. Just as he was getting close to the doors, John grabbed hold of him and in the speed of the moment, they both toppled to the grass, laughing, in front of the hotel. John pushed Randy onto his back and straddled his waist, pinning his arms to the ground.

"Say sorry," John said trying not to laugh from the fun he was having.

"I warned you, you didn't take it back," Randy said with his wicked grin spreading across his face.

"Say sorry."

"Take it back," Randy retorted.

"Never," John said smiling down at Randy.

Declaring a stalemate, John went to climb off Randy's lap, only to have the younger man overpower him and roll him onto his back, starting the struggle for supremacy all over again. They must have been rolling around for another five minutes before a sudden cough brought them from their horseplay.

John threw Randy off so he landed next to him, and they both looked guiltily at Paul Levesque and his wife Stephanie.

"Hey boss," Randy said sheepishly.

"And boss lady," John said saluting Stephanie.

"Nice of you to set an example for the younger members of the roster, boys," Stephanie said as she and Paul turned to go into the hotel.

"Uh, Paul," Randy called.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know what time they stop serving food?" Randy asked noticing John hide his head in his hands. "I'm really hungry."