AN: So this is a new story, my first attempt at a full length centon fic. It is AU, so it's going to test my ability to work with characters and only sightly draw from their wrestling personalities. It will be a challenge. Updates will be on Mondays. Please let me know what you think about it.

It's Nice To Know You Work Alone
It's the beauty of confession
In the sound when the levees break
And all the air is wrong, wrong
Redesigning a connection
A composition painted on my face
With a smile drawn on, on
-Silversun Pickups

"I can't wait for you guys to meet him; I swear you'll love him!" Cody exclaimed to his less excited friends. They were in a small bar in lower Manhattan and it was just after happy hour, but because it was a Tuesday the bar wasn't too full.

The seemingly uninterested friends were Randy Orton, Christopher Mordestky and John Hennigan. Randy and Cody had been friends practically all of their lives having grown up as next door neighbors. They had managed to stay close friends even when Randy had to go away to graduate school while Cody moved to New York City to pursue his dreams of being a model. Randy and Cody had met Johnny while in high school and Chris had joined the group when he had begun dating Randy. Although things ended up not work out between the two of them, they stayed good friends.

"I thought the purpose of this outing was to celebrate your new billboard, not meet your new boyfriend." Randy said as he took a long draw from his beer and began searching the bar for any possible guys to pick up.

"That is why we're here, but I thought this would also be the perfect opportunity for you guys to meet Ted. We've been going out for three weeks and none of you have met him yet."

"I think we've all seen enough of him on that stupid tv show. We've practically already met him." Johnny had to be the least excited out of all of them about meeting Ted. It had been a well known fact between the guys that Johnny liked Cody a lot. He even went as far as to say he loved him. But Cody insisted they would only work as friends so he was stuck as just a friend.

"How the hell did you meet this guy anyway? And why did I not know about him until tonight?" Randy said as he sat up and threw an accusatory glance at Cody.

"I told you about how I had a role for a small cameo on Lakehurst a few weeks ago. You know Ted is one of the stars on the show. We met on set and he asked me to dinner and we just hit it off!" Cody was practically shaking with the excitement of his friends meeting his new boyfriend.

"Yeah Randy, it's all he's been talking about. Although I still can't understand how you didn't know who Ted DiBiase is. I don't even watch tv like that and I know who this guys is." Chris said as he took a swig of his own beer.

"Well watching the show would require having an actual television and we all know you're lacking in that department." Chris flipped Randy the bird as he took another sip of his beer choosing not to argue with him.

"Anyway…" Cody began bringing the attention back to him. "I would really appreciate it if you guys didn't give him a hard time."

"Hey, no need to tell them to baby me. I can take whatever they throw at me." Randy rolled his eyes. He should have known being the dramatic actor type he was Ted would have chosen that moment to enter the bar.

"Ted! You made it!" Cody shot up from his stool and enveloped Ted in a long hug before placing an even longer kiss on his lips. The kiss only ended when Chris cleared his throat. The couple quickly broke the kiss and Cody sheepishly pulled away from Ted. "Guys I would like to introduce you to Ted." Ted wrapped his right arm around Cody's waist and grinned at the group. "Down at the end is Johnny; he's the fighter friend I've been telling you about. Next to him is Chris, he's the struggling bodybuilder. And there's finally Randy."

"Finally I get to meet you guys. Especially you Randy, its weird hearing so much about someone I've never met."

"I wish I could say the same." Randy said as he sized Ted up. He couldn't help it. He had known Cody since he was born practically. He didn't like how he threw himself into his relationships and he didn't like the power Ted had to break Cody. Especially because he was some up and coming big shot actor. That was a big yellow caution sign for him. He looked past Ted to the figure that seemed to be hiding behind him. "Who's your friend?"

"The friend is John." The shadowed figured emerged from behind Ted and stared Randy down with just as much intensity as Randy was staring at him with.

"Sorry for my manners. This here is my bud John. He works with me on the show and we've been friends for the past four years." Ted said as he clamped a hand down on John's shoulder.

Randy resisted the urge to lick his lips when John emerged from behind Ted. The man was damn hot. His frame wasn't too lithe but it also wasn't too stocky. But he could see the muscles rippling beneath his shirt as he leant against the bar. And his eyes, he could get lost in those eyes for days. Randy prayed to whatever high deity there was that John was gay. Sure it never stopped him before from going after a guy, but it was a lot less work that way. Though from the way John seemed to be undressing him with his eyes, Randy was sure he had to be at least curious about guys.

Later on that night Randy stood outside the bar leant up against one of the windows smoking a cigarette. He had been on edge the entire night because he hadn't been able to get to talk to John. Cody kept pushing Ted on him telling him to talk to Ted. The small group had moved to a small booth but Chris quickly shot Randy a smirk and shoved Randy out of the way in order to sit next to John.

Randy had been trying to quit smoking and usually only did it when he was wound up and at the moment he was more wound up than a jack in the box and felt like he was going to pop any second.

"Nasty habit."

Randy turned to see where the voice had come from and smiled when he saw John. "I've been trying to kick it, but sometimes the temptation is just too strong not to give in." Randy quickly stubbed the rest of his cigarette out and threw it in the trash. "So what brings you out here?"

"Your two other friends went to find some guys to pick up and Ted and Cody started to make out. Figured I'd come out here and see what you were up to."

"I don't blame you; I can only imagine how gross those two must be in there." They sat in silence for a few seconds and it was killing Randy. "What do you say we get out of here?" Randy instantly regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth and he saw the bewildered look on John's face. So he quickly tried to do some damage control. "I mean the night is still young. I know this cool low key spot."

"That sounds cool. I'm down."

Randy smiled and gestured down the street. "It's not that far from here, we could walk. You didn't bring a car did you?"

"No I rode with Ted."

"Well let's get out of here then."

The walk was spent in silence but every few seconds Randy would sneak a sideways glance at John only to catch John doing the same to him. They would just smile at each other and look ahead. By now Randy was pretty much one hundred percent sure that John was at least bi and that thought only excited him more. By the end of the night he was sure John would be spread out on his bed begging for more as he plunged into him.

Randy was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he almost walked right past the small club. When they entered Randy lead the way over to the bar and ordered two drinks.

"How did you find this place? It's cool." John looked around in awe taking in the different neon colors that came alive under the black light and the weird glow everyone had under them.

"I found it while escaping Cody and one of his other boyfriends about a year ago." John nodded his head in understanding.

About a half an hour later and five drinks in, Randy was slightly buzzed, but John seemed to be a little more than buzzed. He wasn't sloppy drunk or anything, but he did seem to be more relaxed and had a permanent smile pasted to his face.

"So you mean to tell me you've never even seen an episode of Lakehurst? Not even when Cody told you Ted was on the show?" Randy laughed as John danced a little in his seat.

"No I haven't seen it. Are you questioning your fame now?"

John scoffed and shook his head dramatically. "I can't pretend like I don't know our viewers are teenage girls and women. I probably would be more shocked if you had seen the show. I mean it is about high school aged kids and the drama they get into."

"I guess that means you get a lot of women throwing themselves at you feet." Randy leaned in closer to John and shot him one of his irresistibly sexy smirks.

Randy's smirk increased when he saw the slight shiver that ran through John's body. "I guess I get a fair amount." Their eyes were locked and Randy knew that he was going to lose his cool really soon. He had been doing his best to try and resist grabbing John and dragging him off to a dark corner or the bathroom of the club but he found himself loosing it more and more each second. "I wanna dance!" The loud exclamation snapped Randy out of his slight daze and he looked at John confused.

"You want to dance?"

"I wanna dance!" This time it was followed by John jumping up off of the stool and quickly making his way over to the dance floor. Randy seeing no other option stood up and began weaving his was through the small crowd on the floor trying to locate John.

He was just about to give up when he felt and arm snake around his waist and a firm body press up against his from behind. He twisted his head to the side and was met with the grinning face of John behind him. "Finally I get you where I've wanted you all night." Randy felt his body come to life from the vibrations that ran through it when John spoke.

They began to dance, no, grind against each other and Randy was sure he was going to lose it soon. John's hands that had started out around Randy's waist began to travel further south and inward where they would grasp his inner thighs and sometimes lightly brush against the slight bulge in his jeans. Randy had one hand up behind John's head imbedded in his hair and the other was wrapped around behind John resting on the small of his back where it would sometimes dip down and brush over his ass or press their bodies even closer together.

Sometime while they were dancing Randy felt John begin to place light butterfly kisses on the exposed skin of his neck. When that became too much for him to take he turned around so that he was facing John and their bodies were perfectly aligned against each other. Before John could even begin to question what Randy was doing their lips were pressed together. The kiss instantly became heated and they began to battle for dominance with their tongues.

It was an unspoken agreement when they broke apart that they were leaving the club. Randy grabbed John's hand and intertwined it with his and led him out of the club. John was so engrossed in Randy that he didn't notice the car they had gotten into. He just assumed it was a taxi because they were in New York.

All he cared about was the fact that as soon as they were inside of it, Randy was on his back spread out across the seat and John was on top of him. John also didn't notice the type of building they had stepped into. Soon he was in an empty elevator with Randy and then suddenly he was being pressed down on to a couch while Randy lifted his shirt up and lightly traced his six-pack with his tongue.

As good as it felt there was still one pressing matter that was nagging him in the back of his mind. "Randy."

"Yeah, that's my name baby."

"No Randy, I have to ask you something." Randy looked up from he was working on the button on Johns jeans.

"Don't worry. I'm clean; I was going to use a condom anyway though."

"No, not that. I know this might sound a little weird, and I trust you and everything and I do like you, but I just have to ask you not to tell anyone about this…." Randy instantly shot up in disbelief and shook his head.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

John sat up off of the couch and took a second to actually take in his surroundings. He was in an open living room area with an attached kitchen and directly in front of the couch was large windows that showed one of the most amazing views of the city he had ever seen in his life. "It's just no one besides Ted and my parents know I'm gay and I have to keep it that way. My agents think it's best if I keep up with the whole tough guy portrayal because I fit the role for some really big action films. You can't be a convincing action hero if you're gay. I would never get any big roles."

"Oh bullshit John. You're just scared. I can't believe I almost slept with a guys who's still in the closet."

"Oh please you say it like you know personally what it's like to be gay, famous and in the spotlight." John quickly stood up and walked over to where Randy was standing, angry that he thought he could berate him for still being in the closet. Randy just laughed in response and that only made John angrier. "What the hell is so damn funny?"

"Do you have any idea who I am?" John stood there confused for a few seconds before it all hit him. The polished posh apartment, the way Randy seemed to ooze confidence and sexuality, and the car that had picked them up from the club. He was too absorbed in Randy to notice any of it before, but it all suddenly seemed to fit together like puzzle pieces. He had just almost had sex with Randy Orton. The Randy he had spent the better half of his night with was Randy fucking Orton, son of Bob Orton, owner and creator of Gentleman's Monthly, the biggest magazine for men in the country and Europe, and some big shot fashion model. Randy Orton, the rich, powerful, well known bachelor and trust fund baby who had been born with a silver spoon up his ass. Not only was he undoubtedly a hundred times more famous than John and millions of dollars richer, but he also had to be the world's biggest player and sex symbol. That and he was as far out of the closet as one could be. Randy Orton was gay. Randy Orton was publicly gay, the type of gay that spoke at rallies and won awards for being out and proud; also known as Ellen DeGeneres Gay. It was bad enough that he got enough shit for Ted being his best friend, he could already imagine the things people would say if they knew he slept with Randy Orton.

John couldn't believe he didn't piece it all together before. He blamed it on the fact that when Randy was usually seen in magazines and on tv he was always in a suit or in some type of dress clothes, but today he was simply wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Whenever Randy was in tabloids or on TMZ, he always appeared as snooty and arrogant, but today he had seemed so down to earth and laid back. But one thing wore through the shock of the fact that he hadn't even realized he was about to sleep with Randy Orton. If it was one person in the world who had to power to out him and ruin his career, it was Randy Orton. "I swear if you tell anyone about this…"

"What you'll kick my ass?" Randy threw his head back and laughed as if he had never heard something as funny as that before in his life. That only angered John further.

"Maybe I will."

"Oh please, you have no idea how many security guards would come before you even did as much as balled your fist up, that and the fact that I could kick your ass in a second. But you know what? You're not worth it. You're not worth me outing you. I don't give two shits if you're out of the closet or not, it's your loss. Now, if you hurry and leave, you can still use the back exit. Or you can use the front exit and explain to the paparazzi exactly why you're leaving this apartment building where I'm known to live."

John clenched his teeth holding his tongue from saying something he knew he would regret. He quickly grabbed his jacket off of the floor where it had landed and sighed as he walked out of the door and followed a bodyguard who seemed to appear out of nowhere.

He couldn't believe how his night was ending compared to how it had started. A mere few minutes ago he was sure he was about to have some amazing sex with an amazing guy. The time he spent with Randy had been good and he had been hoping a friendship would form between the two of them. But that was all gone now. He wouldn't be Randy's friend if someone paid him millions and millions of dollars. He hated him. He was a stupid arrogant prick who though he was better than everyone else. He had probably been laughing at John the entire night and making fun of him in his mind. Fucking douche he was.

Back inside of the apartment, Randy was slightly angry. Angry because the first guy he had met in a year who he was sure he could have more than a one night stand with ended up being stuck in the closet.

He had promised himself after his last tragic break up with a man who refused to come out that he would never date a closet case again. He wasn't there as something for some guy to dip into the wild side in secret with. He couldn't sit back and watch the man he loved ignore his presence in public again. He was a grown man and refused to hide himself for anyone. He just wished keeping the promised didn't hurt as much as the heartache that caused him to make it.

One thing was for sure though, Randy and John would not get along or agree on much for the next couple of years, but the one thing they did agree on was their mutual hate for one another. John hated Randy with the intensity of a thousand fiery suns, and Randy hated John with the cool cold calculated indifference only he could pull off.

They wished the other would disappear off of the face of the earth, but sadly for them, Cody and Ted didn't seem to just be a fling. They were seriously committed to one another and with Randy being Cody's best friend and John being Ted's and unfortunately, that was not the last night Randy and John ever had to see or be around each other.

AN: Please review to tell me what you think! Suggestions are welcome!