Title: The Twelve Days of Christmas
Author: slashburd
Pairing: John Cena / Ted DiBiase Jr
Rating: M
Disclaimer: I do not know of any of this to be true, I don't know or own these people (but I'd secretly love to!).
Summary: M/M Slash, smut, some bad language
Semi-sequel to my other story Sweet Memories which would put this into more context but this reads ok alone anyway :)
*
John padded barefoot down the stairs, rubbing his eyes having been rudely awoken by a knock on the door. He opened it with a fair idea of what was going to be there when he did. As he looked down there it was, a pile of fresh cut logs with something balanced on the top. This had been going on for the last 11 days now with no explanation, no card left, nothing. Every day there had been a gift balanced on the top.
Initially he thought that it was a kindly gesture from one of his neighbours as he'd grown pretty close to them over the years he'd lived there but when he'd asked around nobody owned up to it. The first few days the gifts had been been a box of cookies, some glass baubles and a poinsettia, the sorts of things you would give as a neighbourly gift at Christmas.
It was only when the gifts got more personal that he'd gotten a little more curious as to the sender. There had been a signed and personalised jersey from the Tampa Bay Rays, a Hank Williams Jr CD, a book on the history of muscle cars and a huge treat basket full of bones and chews for Paddy who had enjoyed laying in front of the fire last night festively gnawing away. This made John think that he'd either got a fan stalking him or an admirer, not that he was sure which he'd prefer it to be.
It had been 2 years since Randy had passed away and there hadn't been anyone since, not even so much as a one night stand. It wasn't like he hadn't had offers and he'd managed to offend a couple of guys from the roster when he turned them down but nobody made a big deal out of it as they'd been able to see the hurt in his eyes every time Randy's name got mentioned. When he inducted Randy into the Hall of Fame earlier that year the speech had brought real tears to every eye in the room including his own.
The loneliness hadn't faded but it had changed. Before he was lonely because Randy wasn't there. Now he knew he'd never totally be over Randy or the way he'd died but he accepted that he'd like someone in his life to share it with. He'd just not met that person yet and sometimes didn't know if he ever would. He felt that now he came with the baggage of being a widower it was hard to explain his past to strangers without sounding like he wasn't ready to move on. On the other hand everyone he knew had seen him fall to pieces and slowly rebuild himself and he didn't want to be anyone's pity project.
He picked up the bundled logs and the brown paper gift back that was perched on top, taking a deliberate look around to see if there was anyone watching or lurking nearby. Same as the other days there was no signs of life other than the footprints in the snow that coated the pathway to his porch. Heading back inside the house he took the logs into the lounge and put them at the side of the fire. All that remained in the hearth was just a pile of glowing embers after the hearty blaze that he and Paddy had enjoyed so much last night. Pausing for a moment John couldn't decide whether or not to build a fire but he decided to see what had been left for him today.
He shuffled a sprawled sleeping Paddy down the couch so he could get enough room to sit comfortably and delved his hand into the bag. Drawing it back out there was a small odd shaped parcel wrapped in brown paper and tied with string, a woollen beanie hat and an envelope. Resisting the temptation to open the card first he undid the string and the wrapping around the package. Opening it out on lap revealed inside a small bundle of cinnamon sticks and tied around them was a gift tag that just said 'For Later' on it.
Out of all the presents he'd received so far, that one made the least sense to him. Carefully he wrapped the paper around and slipped it back into the gift bag with the hat. Unable to wait any longer he carefully tore into the sealed envelope, wary that it might not be something pleasant inside. He still had no idea who all these things were from. Pulling a card out of the envelope he looked at the picture on the front; a winter landscape scene that gave no clues as to where or who it was from.
Opening it up John saw that there was a message inside, all handwritten. It read:
"Dear John,
I hope the twelve days of Christmas have been as much fun for you as they have for me and that you've enjoyed those gifts as much as I enjoyed surprising you with them. If you'd like to know who I am I'll be at the old stone bus stand in town at 5pm.
Whether you come or not, have a Happy Christmas.
p.s. It's cold out, you'll need the hat x"
John smiled, pleased that he'd got some chance now of finding out who had been leaving the parcels. He patted Paddy's head and hoped that the dog was agreeable to a walk later as there was no chance he was going alone.
~x~
His walk in wardrobe now looked like a hurricane had torn through it. Trousers, jumpers, jeans and shoes lay forlornly rejected and discarded all over the floor and the chair. After spending the day putting the tree up time had run away with him which meant a quicker shower than he would've liked and then the fashion parade. Now he was stood downstairs in his winter coat he realised that all that was visible of his carefully compiled outfit was his jeans. He was still glad he'd made the effort, if nothing more than to make him feel good about himself for a change.
Calling Paddy from his prone position in front of the fire John hooked the leash into place and headed for the door, grabbing the woollen hat as he wrestled his clumsy frame and a giddy dog out into the winter evening. The snow was crunchy and cold but luckily not too deep for walking in. He set off down the street and watched as Paddy jumped in and out of the snow, tail wagging wildly with excitement. Memories of how he and Randy would take walks in the winter came to mind, their arms linked and faces rosy from the cold. John smiled and remembered fondly, grateful now that the tears didn't come as often as they used to.
Before long the walk and the wait was almost over. Turning the last corner John took a deep breath to steady himself and pulled Paddy's leash short to keep him close by. He could make out a figure seated in the stone building but it didn't seem familiar at first glance. He kept walking at a steady pace and established that the person was almost certainly male but appeared to be as wrapped up against the elements as he was himself. There was no chance of a clear look at the face as he was coming at the building from the wrong direction.
Taking the last few steps John could feel the nausea in the bottom of his stomach which was churning wildly with nerves. His hands shook and he was glad of the leash to grip onto to try and make it less noticeable.
The man stood up and looked up the street in the opposite direction as if he was just passing the time. He then turned on his heel only to find John stood in front of him with a very waggy, very excited dog in tow.
"Wow. You actually came!"
John knew the voice, knew the accent, knew those eyes.
"Teddy?"
"Last time I looked...I mean, yeah...."
Teddy looked at the ground, conscious that he might have come across a little smart. The last thing he wanted to do was to undo everything he'd tried so hard to create.
"So you were behind all the gifts, the logs, everythin'? Christ, Teddy...."
John was more than a little shocked. Not only was he surprised that it was someone he knew that had been doing all this and not some random oddball, it was also the fact that it was Teddy. He'd been good friends with Teddy ever since the Legacy days and John had gotten to know him through Randy. They'd double dated with him and Cody until the younger men broke up and after Randy died he'd been a shoulder that John had literally cried on during many drunken nights.
Sure they had always had gotten on well and the banter between was sometimes so crude it raised locker room eyebrows but John never had an inkling that Teddy saw him as anything more than a friend. That made him feel a little dumb. Had he missed the signs or were they never there until now?
"Yeah, I...um...thought it'd be a nice thing to do for you and...err...maybe I'd be able to let you know something that I just couldn't find the courage to say outright. I know that may me sound a little...er...corny but, hey, I'm being honest here."
Teddy shot John a smile, one that was made all the more endearing my the red nose and scarf wrapped tightly around what looked like an almost frostbitten face. He was conscious that he was hanging his heart out to dry and had no idea whether or not John would reciprocate any of the feelings. All he did know is that he couldn't wait any longer to find out if there could be anything between them.
"I've brought hot chocolate if you'd like some?"
Teddy gestured behind him where he'd thrown a blanket over the bench in the shelter and there was a large flask there. John nodded and both men went to sit down leaving Teddy to pour them both a mug of the steaming liquid which was to prove a welcome remedy to the chill in the air.
"Teddy, there's been some real thoughtful gifts in that stuff you've been bought me and the logs, and well, what I'm tryin' to say is that I appreciate all the trouble you've gone to."
"Like I said in the card, it's been a blast coming up with all the different things and I hope that you've liked them. And...." Teddy gulped a mouthful of his drink like it was Dutch courage. "I kinda hoped that it'd help you figure how much you mean to me."
Teddy immediately looked away, scared to see John's face contort into the look of horror he was expecting. He'd always thought John was out of his league and knew that this was a man who'd knocked back every move made on him in the last couple of years. Teddy didn't consider himself to be anything special but what he did know is that he'd fallen hard for his friend and couldn't carry on doing nothing about it. His daddy always taught him to be the man, to step up and take the chance. Well now he was taking that advice in the fullest possible way. He stared hard at the ground, grinning when he caught sight of a wagging tail out of the corner of his eye. If nothing else Paddy still seemed interested.
John was more than a little shocked but he was also incredibly flattered that someone had gone to all that trouble to do something nice for him. He'd enjoyed the surprises, the flattery of the gesture and the thought that had clearly gone into the idea and the execution. A happy smile broke across his lips and spread across his whole face bringing tiny laugh lines to the sides of his moistening eyes and a warm feeling in his heart.
He'd never thought of Teddy in that way before, mainly because for so long Randy was his everything and after that, well, he'd not taken much notice of anyone in that way. He gazed over at Teddy, nerves clearly written all over the younger man's face. John ran the idea of them together in his mind. They'd always gotten along well and Teddy was a good looking man, kind, loyal and obviously very thoughtful. John realised that maybe that was the kind of man he needed in his life to start getting back to normal. Maybe the right guy had been around longer than he thought but he'd just not been in the market for anything more than friendship until now.
"Teddy, I had no idea but y'know, I'm not a subtle kinda guy. You know me, bashin' me over the head is probably as good a way as any of getting things to sink in! So, you like me, huh? Well, I'm real flattered...."
"But you're not interested...."
Teddy interrupted, driven by the sinking feeling in his heart that was telling him that this had all been in vain.
"Hey, gimme a chance! What I was gonna say is that I'm real outta practice too with this whole romance thing so, hows about we start by going back to my place and you can tell me what a hot dame I am over some eggnog – if that's still how it goes down these days?"
Teddy looked up to meet the gaze of the big baby blues that shone in the last of the dusk and after a few serious-faced seconds both men broke into laughter, partly though nerves and partly because John had never been able to resist making a joke at the most inappropriate times.
"Sounds good to me. My ass is freezing!"
John raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak, the smutty comment loaded and ready on the end of his tongue. At the last second he thought better of it and simply stood up, reaching out a hand which was gladly and tightly grasped.
~x~
The walk back home hadn't taken long, the sheer desire to get out of the cold driving the pace up. The snow was flurrying now and everything was white over, including Paddy who was shaking himself like a go-go dancer to knock the snow off. They hadn't held hands all the way home. Around halfway John had slipped his arm around Teddy's shoulders and drew him a little closer than before. He'd tried to justify it to himself that he was just seeing how it would feel but in truth he'd liked the feeling of someone being close to him and he just wanted more of it.
Teddy had been shocked that John had even offered his hand, let alone walked with him like that. When he'd felt that strong arm around him it was all he could do not to drag John into a kiss there and then.
Having ditched their wet coats and shoes in the hall John showed Teddy into the lounge before grabbing some towels to give Paddy thorough rub down and then a bone to reward his patience. John filled two mugs with the rest of the hot chocolate and added some cream and marshmallows to them, determined to make Teddy feel special for the rest of the night. He felt bad that he didn't have a gift for Teddy, unable to stop a grin forming when he thought of the alternatives he could offer instead. Immediately he chided himself for thinking such things less than an hour after they'd met up and for flattering himself in assuming that Teddy would even want things to go that far.
Back in the lounge Teddy looked around the room. The tree glistened in the corner and the cards that covered the fireplace and the wall were a testament to how many people thought the world of John. He spied his own card in the centre of the mantelpiece and a blush crept up his cheeks. Teddy recalled the first day he left the logs, dashing up to the door and then running away after knocking, feeling as giddy as a child on Christmas Eve. He felt bad for leaving John wondering but he'd decided to stick to the plan rather than piling in, knowing if the gifts were disliked or unwanted they'd be left out for him as a message to stop.
John arrived with the drinks, putting them down on the coffee table and sitting on the couch beside Teddy. He sat sideways on, watching the silhouette of the handsome face being highlighted by the flickering coming from the fire that had been set before he'd left earlier. Slowly Teddy turned his head, locking eyes with John.
"Do you have the gift from today?"
John reached down the side of the couch and retrieved the bag then passing it over. Teddy reached in and his hand emerged with one of the cinnamon sticks. He stood up and walked over to the fire, slotting the cinnamon in through the grills of the grate and using the poker to push it in. He looked over at John who was watching him intently.
"Bet you wondered what they were for didn't you?"
John nodded, temporarily dumbstruck by the sight of Teddy crouched in front of the fire, eyes sparkling as they reflected the flames and smiling a gentle smile that served to melt down more of the icy walls that had been built around a broken heart for so long.
Making his way back to the couch Teddy made sure to sit facing John, one leg tucked underneath him so he could get that bit closer. He took as gentle a deep breath as he could manage and rested his arm on the back of the sofa where John's was, reaching for the large warm hand that he'd held on the way home.
John responded straight away, interlocking their fingers and giving a squeeze. Inside his heart leapt almost clean out of his chest, the tenderness of the touch making a connection in his body and mind that had not been made for some time. With his other hand he tentatively reached out and cupped the side of Teddy's face, using his thumb to stroke the warm skin of the younger man's lips.
Teddy closed his eyes, the thrill of the gentle touch and the way they were finding their way to this so naturally taking his breath away. He felt the pad of the thumb sweeping back across his mouth and planted a kiss on it. When the thumb stopped and moved away he feared he'd gone too far and screwed his eyes shut tight, not wanting the moment to end, not wanting to acknowledge that he'd gone too fast and made a mess of it all.
John leaned forward, pressing his lips against Teddy's. As he responded John slid his hand around and laced it into the short dirty-blonde hair, the kiss becoming more and more passionate. Their tongues met for the first time and it was like an electric shock charged through them both. Out of nowhere a mewl escaped from the back of John's throat and was absorbed by the kiss. Teddy knew that a noise so sweet and pure should never have connected as directly to his groin as it did.
Keeping his hand tangled in the short hair John pulled Teddy closer, leaning back as he did until he was propped back against the arm of the couch with Teddy knelt between his legs, still kissing him hungrily. The weight of the man on top of him felt so good and John began to blush as he realised that he'd quickly become aroused. With his other hand now free he slipped it around Teddy and, after a seconds' hesitation when he just let it hover, put it on the firm fleshy bump of Teddy's ass.
As soon as Teddy felt that hand he couldn't help but grind his hips down, wishing he was already deep inside John. He felt the stiff bulge underneath him pushing against his own and spread his knees a little wider, supporting his weight by putting a hand at either side of John's head and rocking his hips backwards and forwards until both men were writhing and moaning. He knew that they were in danger of reaching their climax after hardly even touching their skin together if this carried on.
John's skin was tingling as if it was his first time all over again. The testosterone and adrenaline coursed through him like cocaine; the more he got the more he craved. He moaned freely, feeling the rush of lust and not fighting it, knowing that he wanted this; wanted to be kissed, held, touched and fucked.
Unwinding his hand out of Teddy's hair he placed both hands at the base of the muscular back that tensed under his touch and slid them under the hem of the t-shirt that covered it. He dragged the fabric up and broke their kiss to pull it up and over Teddy's head until it was being thrown off the end of the couch. John allowed his hands to wander and roam over his lover's chest, kneading and stroking the flesh while Teddy watched from above. A fingertip traced the line of downy hair that led from a cute bellybutton down to the belt buckle that secured Teddy's jeans.
Teddy saw John hesitate again but he was sure that neither of them wanted to stop now. He bent his elbows to lean down and kiss the swollen lips that pouted back at him, taking the bottom lip between his teeth and tugging gently.
"I'm all yours, if you want me...."
Their eyes met, both men's now nothing more than slits as they realised what was to come. There was a tone to Teddy's voice that urged John on and without looking away John undid the belt and the button on the jeans. He slid the zip on the fly down and hooked his fingers inside the tight white boxer briefs that complemented the tanned skin they enclosed so well. Teddy smiled and brought his hips up to enable John to slide the material over his straining cock and the swell of his ass. He quickly wriggled them down his legs and kicked them off onto the floor.
Teddy moved to rest back on his haunches, offering his hand to John and once it was accepted, pulling him forwards. He began to undress John, desperate to see the beautifully sculpted body he'd dreamt about so often. He unbuttoned the smart shirt and slid it over the strong shoulders, making sure to graze the skin with his fingertips as he did so. He heard John gasp and saw him close his eyes, seemingly lost in the moment. Running his hand over the tented denim he deftly undid the button fly, pulling it open and getting a first glance of the substantial bulge that lay within.
"John, I think you need to lose these and find the pamper kit I sent you a couple of days ago." Teddy tugged at the jeans and winked as John grinned at him and manoeuvred himself to be able to stand up.
John crossed the room, grabbing the pamper kit and then passing it to Teddy, watching as a small bottle was extracted from it. He slid his hands down the back of his jeans, pushed them down and kicked them aside. Teddy's skin brushed against his thigh as an arm reached past him to deposit the rest of the kit on the table. It made John shiver and his hardness twitch against his belly, the movement pronounced against the cotton of his underwear. Reaching his hand down to try and cover the movement up did nothing other than to extract a growl from Teddy who pressed his cheek against the material and nuzzled the stiff shaft, pausing only to drag his teeth along it.
In an act that indicated he was feeling braver than he actually was John coaxed Teddy's head away just far enough to be able to slip his boxers off and expose his large, smooth cock. It stood proudly between them, almost in contact with Teddy's mouth. A mouth which a tongue darted out of to lick the protruding vein on the underside from bottom to top in one stroke. The same tongue then paused for a moment to tease the slit which was already oozing a steady stream of pearly fluid. John groaned, caught between wanting to slide his full length into Teddy's mouth and pulling away to have some chance of lasting more than about ten seconds.
Teddy made the decision for him, patting the sofa and gesturing for them to resume their previous position. He was captivated as John lay down with his legs spread wide open and hips tipped up slightly. Teddy knelt up and shuffled between them, the click of the bottle opening the only noise louder than the spit of the fire and their heavy breathing. He tipped the bottle up and drizzled lube around the head of John's cock, using his fingers to smear it liberally all over the shaft, right down to the base. He then reached around and used those fingers to apply the leftovers to the puckered skin of his entrance, sliding one finger then two inside to stretch himself just a little. Teddy's mouth gaped open with the sensation, gasping as he removed them and then pressing his chest hard against John's as he resumed their earlier passionate kiss.
As they kissed John felt Teddy guiding his legs flatter and closer together from above. This was followed by Teddy throwing his legs over until he was straddling John at the hips, positioning himself so that he could rub himself up and down John's slick cock. Teddy panted as he saw John's hands disappear and felt one on his lower back pulling him forwards. Little did he know that the other was now gripped firmly around the base of the cock that would soon be ensheathed inside him.
John let Teddy fall back slightly until he felt the sweet velveteen skin around the head of his cock. He rubbed it around until he felt the warm slick spot he was aching for and used both his hands to pull the fleshy orbs apart, feeling the pop as the head slid inside. The gut wrenching groan that came from Teddy's mouth left John worried that he'd hurt him or gone too fast but the way in which he started to work his hips to take it all allayed those fears. Before long he felt sweat slicked thighs gliding against his hips and he registered the look of ecstasy on Teddy's face as his naked body glowed in the firelight as a vision of absolute perfection.
Teddy was sure he'd never taken anything as big but then he'd never wanted anything like he wanted this, like he wanted John. He started to ride up and down, slowly at first as he got used to the stretching but quickening his movements as he felt the pressure rubbing just the right spot inside him. His precum was now dripping down freely, splashing in tiny droplets on the defined muscles beneath it. John was flicking his hips to meet every downward stroke Teddy made, pounding deeper and deeper.
Their groans were interspersed with semi-delirious pleas where they begged each other not to stop, carrying on until they were only able to focus on their own bitten lips, gritted teeth and gutturally moaned names.
John lazily looped his fingers around Teddy's shaft as it bobbed wildly between them, moving his loose fist up and down in time with the thrusts.
"Harder, John...oh fuck...please...."
Gripping harder now John knew he'd got it right as within five strokes he felt Teddy tighten around him, his lover's movements now stiff and awkward as his climax locked out every tendon in his entire body. With one final slam down he sent them both over the edge, spilling hot opaque spurts all over John's chest and and neck, the sight of which made John arch his back to force himself right up into the contracting muscles. The pull of the inviting flesh against the sensitive tip of his cock starting a toe curling orgasm that saw him grabbing Teddy's shoulders hard as the spasms felt like they were taking his breath and heartbeat with them. He growled as it finally subsided, drawing Teddy down for a kiss that saw both of them battling to get their breath back between duelling with their tongues.
Teddy eased himself off and moved to lay with half his body sprawled across that of his lover, a strong arm holding him close. They kissed gently now, chaste kisses that told them both that neither intended this to be a one night stand. Closing his eyes and listening to John's heart still racing Teddy thought back to the night he'd had the idea about the presents and said a silent thank-you to whoever or whatever gave him the inspiration that had led to the wonderful night they'd shared.
John stroked the damp hair that tickled his chest, not able to remember the last time he felt even a hundredth of how what they'd shared had made him feel. For a fleeting moment he thought of Randy but he knew it was time to start again, to go on living and loving but never forgetting.
He was mid yawn when he was distracted by something. The warm smell of cinnamon drifted through the room, reminding him it was soon going to be sun up on Christmas morning. Running his fingertips along Teddy's jawline he smiled as he absorbed the view of a contented face that nuzzled into his chest, breathing slow and heavy in only the way that sleep can make a body do. He pulled the blanket from the back of the couch, covering them both up and whispering the most genuine "Merry Christmas" he'd said in a long time.
A/N: This is the first time I've seriously written John in anything smutty. He's my boy and I just haven't been able to do it before – strange or what! I know this is a bit schmaltzy but its Christmas and I just started and this is how it ended up. All reads and reviews appreciated :)