This happened every fucking night, he couldn't help it. Being in a War Zone was like a frat house compared to his child-hood. Until the explosion. Until all his eyes could see were flames and the deadly smoke was wrapping it's noose around his throat. To this day he didn't know what had saved him. God? WillPower? Strength? He wanted to forget about the whole thing. Training was awesome it was the best part of his fucked up world. He'd get up real early and run for miles. Get bottled water afterwards, lay on his bed covered in sweat, his heart pounding his muscles getting fitter by the day.

That bedroom silence alone he cherished.

That asshole was trying to contact him again. Fucking Paddy, he never got message until it was too late. All he needed was space, space to breathe and make amends for the past. There had been times he was running scared, times he'd bailed out on the barrel of shit that the future had in store, but at times it was fight or flight. Not many people knew it, but sometimes Tommy got tired of fighting. He couldn't fight every action, every asshole, every situation every second of every fucking day. He worked his ass off all day and night, but Tommy knew when to work hard and when to play hard.

Tommy could have sworn that he was happy being alone. Until Walker swarmed into his life like a vulture, determined to pick him apart. A couple of drinks and a vomit puddle later, a tall stranger was standing in-front of him looking at him like he was an old buddy.

"Do I know you?" Tommy asked.

"No...but you will" He said. He introduced himself as Walker, claiming to be a big fan. Walker pulled out a pen. Tommy didn't have paper or a serviette, so Walker rolled up his sleeve revealing his arm. Tommy stared at him for a moment before writing his autograph on his arm. "Thanks" Walker said walking away. Tommy thought that would be the end of it, but Walker wasn't gonna disappear without a bloody after-party. Tommy couldn't remember or see what started it, Walker was being a jerk, he was about to get this ass kicked for some reason and Tommy felt like he had to intervene.

"You know this dick-shit?" Huge Italian guys asked. Tommy ignored the question and sent them packing to the other side of the bar with tender whispers and menacing stares. Walker had decided he'd had enough fun and gently pulled Tommy towards the exit.

"What the fuck was that?" Tommy asked shaking Walker off.

"Just wanted to see the "Tommy Riordan" affect" Walker said, moving closer and closer towards him until Tommy realised they were in an alleyway.

"Hit me" Walker asked.

"Are you fucking crazy?" Tommy asked.

"It's just tit for tat Tommy-boy" Walker said. "You touch me, I touch you" Tommy shook his head until Walker's hand wondered down Tommy's chest, his fingers then stroking his crotch. Tommy pushed his hand away before Walker realised how much he liked it. There was no way in hell Tommy was inviting Walker back to his place, so he waited until Walker ended up walking him to a flat. Tommy assumed the flat was his. It was well kept, tidy with secrets lurking beneath it. Pretty much like Walker himself.

"A drink?" Walker asked. Tommy shook his head. Walker made coffee instead. Tommy took one sip of it, before Walker crawled over un-zipping Tommy's jeans and tugging them to his knees. Tommy didn't get it, is this what Walker did with every fighter? He enjoyed the feeling of Walker's saliva on his skin, but he couldn't relax. Walker stroked him harder, caressing him in hotspots that made Tommy moan, but nothing happened. To save himself from being laughed at Tommy hoisted his jeans up, and took his jacket off, letting Walker admire the sight of his arms, now huge by all the lifting weights and exercises at the gym.

"Someone's been pumping iron" Walker said, taking his own jacket off.

"Still want me to hit you?" Tommy asked. Walker still did but he didn't want to dent Tommy's ego, which was as huge as his bicep muscles.

"Hit me?...Fuck no" Walker asked as he went to the end of the room and pushed a door open. Walker turned on the light and Tommy found himself walking into a bedroom. Walker took his shirt off, Tommy tried to look at everything else other than the half-naked man standing in-front of him.

"So? Do I get to see the cow before I milk it?" Walker asked.

"That's fucking flattery...light off" Tommy told him.

Annoyed by that condition, Walker pushed the resentment down and laughed it off. He turned off the light, the only vision he was seeing was from the streetlights outside shining through slits in his curtains. He walked over to where he thought Tommy was standing, but found he was reaching for air. Tommy was good. Walker couldn't sense him before Tommy grabbed him by the waist with one arm and threw him on the bed. Walker barely got his balance before Tommy took his body over like a tidal wave.

Tommy took his own jeans off chucking them on the ground. He knew he couldn't kiss Walker. There was something "off" about him, an ora not quite right about him an aspect of Walker that was sordid and reptilian. Now wasn't the time to be nice. He wrapped his hands around Walker's waist pushing his jeans and his underwear down. He guessed Walker was a "boxers" man for some reason. He pushed himself inside Walker, yes it was stupid, He didn't know Walker from Adam, he could be riddled with...well anything. But Tommy didn't give a shit. As memories of his downfall in The Marines appeared in his mind like a slide show.

He removed himself and used his fingers, before he tore Walker apart. He slid his fingers inside him until he could feel fluid running over his hand. He thought Walker was peeing on him, but given the way Walker was facing that was impossible. He stopped, leaving his hand untouched as he went out of the room. It didn't take long for him for find the bathroom. Tommy put the light on and went straight to the mirror. He held his hand out in front of his face looking at the hand reflection. Walker's blood was trickling from his hand, down his arm following the trail of his veins.

He didn't want to hurt anyone...not really. Tommy stood there over Walker's sink all he could think was: "No...not this again"

Too much blood had already been on these hands, that was part of the problem. He looked at Walker's freshly clean white bathroom tiles. Tommy guessed this ass cleaned his bathroom everyday. Tommy couldn't remember the last time he cleaned anything apart from his sweat, his drool, his cuts from his body after each fight. Tommy placed his hand on the wall and wiped his palm of Walker's blood on the tiles. It trickled down the wall in self-righteous waves. Tommy sat on the floor taking deep breaths until he heard the door creak open.

"Taking a breather?" Walker asked. Tommy got up and turning the bathroom light off. Walker turned the hallway light on so that Tommy wasn't completely invisible.

"Are you in pain?" Tommy asked.

"I'm used to pain...just like you" Walker said smiling.

"No" Tommy said sharply. "No-one's like me"

"Poor poor baby" Walker laughed, walking over and stroking Tommy's broad chest.

"Fuck you" Tommy said, getting on his knees. Walker leaned himself on Tommy shoulders before Tommy grabbed his hand, he got up and chucked Walker on the ground with a "Judo flip" He'd been taught in high school.

"First time's a charm" Tommy said.

"Well you know what they say, "you always remember your first time" Walker said. Tommy mounted Walker, enjoying the dominance, but jumped off him when he could feel Walker's erection between his legs. Tommy moved into side control and leaned so close to Walker he could smell his sweat.

"I'll see ya around...I guess" Tommy said before leaning over Walker's neck and biting him. As the copper sourness flooded Tommy's mouth, he got up and spat out Walker's blood in the sink. He turned the hallway light off, so Walker couldn't see his half-naked shadow. He washed his mouth out, then went to Walker's bedroom and collected his clothes. By the time he was fully dressed Walker was sitting on the sofa topless, with blood trickling down his shoulder. He tapped Tommy on the shoulder as he opened the front door, Walker passed him a piece of paper, with numbers on it.

"Call me...if you want" Walker said, giving him the piece of paper.

"I don't want" Tommy said throwing it on the floor and shutting the door. Walker was a creepy fuck, but Tommy was attracted to his wildness. Tommy would always be too wild to tame, but it was interesting to see Walker try. Tommy got a shower when he got back and answered worried texts from his friends. He told them he was fine and he'd see them at training tomorrow.

Morning arrived with a bang. Tommy's ears were ringing from the loud noises of his dreams. He jogged, then went to his local café for a grilled Tuna steak and egg whites. "Thanks Jill" Tommy told the waitress that put his plate in front of him. She obviously had a crush on him, but Jill was a girl that didn't like to make herself obvious. Tommy didn't mind the attention, but didn't know what to do about it either. He dug into his egg whites, debating whether or not to put salt on them, when he saw a hand thump a ketchup bottle on his table.

"Morning" Said Walker. "I come bringing gifts" Walker said squeezing the ketchup bottle.

"Mmmm..." Tommy said ignoring him by eating.

"Your autograph was showered off last night" Walker told him patting his arm. "Mind giving me another one?" He asked.

"Bite me" Tommy said getting up and taking his plate and himself to a saner place without Walker.