A/N: So, this is my first ever Smoochy-story. It's all Nani's fault that I started this after a talk on Twitter, so if you don't like it, blame her. ;-) I did my best with that first chapter and I hope you all will like it. Please bear with me but thou English isn't my mother language, some stuff may be a bit wrong or turned around in the sentence building, I still hope you all will know what I want to say with it. Please leave a review, I want to get better and better, these always will help.
Thanks to Glamagirl, DCFanatic4Life and StephanieIrvine for the inspiration and the motivation to start writing some Smoochy. I cannot keep up with you, but I try to. ;)
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except the idea of Chris Jericho in an dancing outfit.
Knocking on a door is not easy.
At least for Chris Irvine it's an hard move right now. Since a few minutes he is standing in front of this door, waiting, trying to work up the courage to knock. It wasn't the fact that he should go in there, it's the fact what his request is. WWE employees that went by got an weird look on their faces which Chris responds with an „Get off, jackass!" Yes he was rude, he knows, and usually he wasn't. Usually he was everyone's friend, but right here right now he needed to concentrate, get himself together.
She never liked him, Chris knows that. He always tried to be a gentleman, damn hell he was. His mother would be proud of him if she could see how he treats her. But she always was defensive and he got no idea why. Holding doors open, let her always go at first, paying for snacks when they accidently met at „Dunkin Donuts", he was just nice to her. He never tried to hit on her, she was smart, eloquent and honestly said – beautiful, but did he ever imagined to be with her? No he doesn't. After his divorce barely 6 months ago, he definitely got enough of relationships for a while, even when it's sometimes sad to lock up the door at home and no one is here waiting, welcoming you with a warm, sweet kiss. A kiss from lips you missed for a long time while you are on the road or overseas.
Chris shook his head, realizing he is still standing here in front of this stupid door. „Ah fuck, who cares.", he muttered to himself and held his hand up to knock. The vibration that went through Chris' fingers wasn't pleasant, rather shocking loud in that quiet corridor this Monday afternoon. „Come in!", her voice sounded through the door and Chris softly pushed the door handle down to enter her office.
„Hey Stephanie.", Chris greeted her friendly, even when he knows the answer already. „Irvine? What do you want?" There was it again, the annoyed tone, that anymosity in Stephanie McMahon's voice. Chris went in completely and closed the door behind him. He smiled. „Well, you know it actually may be an odd favour I want to ask you for." Yes it was odd, definitely, he thought, mostly that he asked Stephanie for it was odd, „I'll compete in „Dancing with the Stars" again this Saturday as you may know..." No reaction, was she shocked? Did she even heard what he said? „So?" She looked over her glasses, observed him allover, her eyes wandered from his spikey short hair, over the black shirt and pants to the also – obviously new – black shoes.
Chris Irvine was a weirdo to her, he always was. His friends who feed themselves from Grey Goose Vodka were weird, so was his taste for disgusting horror-movies. He was very cute indeed, no doubt, but he also is a womanizer, he loves to flirt with almost every woman he meets, never backed down a challenge. No surprise his marriage went down the toilet, thank god there were no kids involved she thought. And the fact that he always was so nice to her scared her – a guy like him isn't nice without a reason, so she stays away from him.
But he came closer now, starting to speak up again. „Well, my partner – Marlene – she called me today and told me she got a cold and I don't got a partner to practice now." Stephanie dropped her pen. „No! No! NO! Don't tell me you came here to ask me if I train with you! Forget it Irvine, who do you think I am? I got other things to do that to let you step on my feet with your bigfoot-shoes while you are trying to „dance"! This show was your idea, now you will find a solution to get out of this misery without an embarassment. We gave you the time to compete, so you are responsible for this mess!"
Stephanie's voice got higher with every sentence, it already causes pain in Chris' ears. Her cheeks flushed with red, she definitely was in rage. „Do you know what you expect from me here?" Yes he knows, he really does. It was an big favour actually, but Stephanie was the only one who can help him now. „Yes I do Stephanie and trust me, if all these Divas wouldn't be so dumb, I wouldn't ask you. I mean, they think a „Tango" is something to eat!" Trying to explain himself in front of a Stephanie McMahon who does not like him anyways, doesn't make it easier. And all of this just for dance-practice, he really needs to be desperate.
The brunette still looks at him in rage, almost hateful and Chris starts to feel uncomfortable. Her eyes stared him down and he feels like he is catched in a spell. He stared back, he got no other choice and Chris also can be stubborn, there is no reason to let fine Miss McMahon hold him down like a puppy. He is older and actually one of the Top Players in the company – to ask for a favor isn't too much is it?
He tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow. „What do you say?", he asked calmly and in his most charming way he keeps for people who really mean something to him. And there weren't many. Stephanie sighed. „They really think it's something to eat?" She still couldn't believe it, if this is true, there is a serious word with the talent management needed. Chris nodded. „They asked me if that's the thing which is filled with vegetables and ground meat, they really think it's a Taco! Imagine that!"His voice was comfortable to listen and he speaks to her like they were buddies for a lifetime, maybe he is not that bad at all, he also don't dared a look deeper from her eyes, even when her cleavage almost begged for it today. Sometimes rumors may be wrong, maybe Chris was just an guy who likes to have his fun without going further, someone Paul never was.
If he started something, he went through it until the bitter end, even when this should mean that his wife finds him with another girl making out in their bed, in their house. Finally this is over now, and it's time to move on, to forget what Paul did to her, broken hearts, nights full of tears, she got no idea what drove her to marry him, to give him power through all these years. So she looked up at Chris again. „Who was that?", she asked curiously and taking her glasses off. Chris came closer, his movements seemed to become more fluent and graceful since he started to dance. He also lost some weight, it was obvious.
He laid his hands on the table between them and was not looking off from her eyes. „Kelly and Layla." It was just a whisper, like anyone could hear them. Stephanie rolled her eyes. „The usual suspects huh?" The blonde canadian smiled and still waited for an answer on his question. It was a staredown, Irvine against McMahon, who looked away first loses – and Chris got no intention to lose, so does Stephanie. He stared, tried to throw her off the game, but hell that girl was stubborn, Chris even felt stared down by her for a minute. He never lost a battle like this – but right here right now he was close, real close to give up. They never looked that long at each other, no one felt unconfortable, actually it was a warm, intense feeling that filled the bodies of both. No cursing, no yelling, no calling-names, something that is unusual when Chris and Stephanie were in a room together.
„Fine... actually it's an shame what you ask me here...", Stephanie broke the silence that started to lull around them with a sigh, „but though I am sorry for you and your look obviously hypnotized me, cause I think I absolutely went nuts, I will help you out. For only one time!" Chris smiled, it almost was a smirk, the Jericharme worked again and he was glad – and proud. „Thank you." Stephanie responded with a smile, the first one Chris ever saw from her when it belonged him.
His grip at the table loosened, but he wasn't able to look off of her, that smile, it was warm and welcoming. „You don't need to stare at me anymore, I already said Yes.", she laughed. Raspy and deep from her heart, Stephanie actually can feel humor, that was something new from the always serious businesswoman. Is it possible that Stephanie McMahon and Chris Irvine become friends? After 11 years of hate and fights against storylines and at meetings, could this be the final peace Chris always wanted?
„Is it okay for you when I pick you up after the show?", he asked, still smiling. She nodded. „Should I bring something with me for that... session?"
„No... just some trainers and comfortable clothes."
„Good, I'll be ready after the show."
„Great...", Chris slowly headed to the door to leave while she looked at her papers again, „Stephanie?"
Her head snatched up, usually she would be annoyed again, but she wasn't. „Yes?"
Chris felt an knot in his throat. „Thank you."
Stephanie nodded smiling and snapped playfully. „And now get out of my office!"
He went out and laughed to himself. Some things will never change...
TBC (if wished)