Cody keeps an eye on the door of the bar. He sighs inaudibly to himself as he
stands behind Randy at the bar, massaging his tense shoulders and listening to
him flirt with the person beside him. Randy always seemed so much calmer when he
had someone to hold his interests.
Cody quietly prays that he will find
someone a little more permanent. He listens to the banter between the two before
Randy is suddenly and decidedly uninterested. Cody rolls his eyes, and drags
Randy to the dance floor for a while to at least keep himself entertained - and
Randy never said "no" to him… Then again, as he thinks of it… No one has ever
said "no" to him. He grins at this and pulls Randy close after another glance at
the door.
"I guess Teddy isn't coming," he whispers in a low voice to
himself, though Randy picks up on it with those really… really gorgeous ears of
his. He looks like Zelda.
"He doesn't care about you," Cody instantly
believes this and agrees the second Randy announces it so casually, so
obviously… as if everyone in the world knew it before he did.
"I think
you're right," he nods, snuggling into Randy's chest instantly.
He feels
just a tad guilty with Randy's hands all over him, as if he was cheating on Ted…
but even if his darling DiBiase was standing right there in front of him, he
probably wouldn't even take the time to notice that he was currently kissing the
Viper. If he wasn't going to give Randy the time to listen to his plans for the
PPV, then he certainly wasn't thinking about anything he had to say - even for
the moment that he was - well, jokingly, actually on his knees in front of him,
ready for a little post match loving… that was… ignored.
He settles his
mind on the idea that Ted is just absolutely not interested anymore. Maybe he
wasn't even really talking to his brother. Maybe he had gotten lucky with his
lying that he happened to grab the phone to discover it was Brett just once.
Tonight he would break up with Ted. Maybe he could be Randy's permanent
relief from everything in wrestling. He smiles at the thought.
A few
hours later, Randy is dragging him back into his hotel
room.
:::
Why hadn't they come home yet? Ted wondered aimlessly,
walking from the kitchen area to the bed and repeating the cycle. Here he tried
to order a nice meal (because he just didn't cook) for his team- or atleast Cody
who he figured to arrive after escorting Randy- and neither of them was home
yet. That was a total bummer. So Teddy did what he figured would be the best
idea: call Cody and try to rush him home. He figured if Randy went to the room
with his ring rat, they could have some alone time. After all, it was coming
close to he and Cody's six month anniversary and lately it seemed like his Cody
was moving away from him. Boy did he hope he wasn't driving the cutie into
someone else's arms…
Troubled he flopped onto the bed with his already
pre-dialed phone in his hand. Moments passed before the phone went to Cody's
voicemail, which in turn triggered the Dibiase's worry. Where could his boy be?
Finding that he was more tired than he thought, Ted lied himself down and
clicked off the lights. He guessed they get in when they got in.
And
right on time the door bust open and beams of hallway light blew in, irritating
the young man's eyes while cascading around two figures he knew too well.
Confused, he attempted to call out to either of the the tangled bodies but his
throat goes dry as he sees he wouldn't get an immediate answer- especially with
both men's lips locked so tightly around eachother.
He couldn't speak,
couldn't move, couldn't breathe… the only thing Ted could think to do was gasp.
He could see the shorter figure jump and just to make sure he wasn't mistaking
either identity he flipped the light switch back on; proving sure enough that
Cody was in Randy's hold.
Slowly, fearfully, regretfully he rose and
rubbed his eyes, blinked a few times. "What...Cody… this…?" He couldn't bring
himself to form coherent thoughts as his lip quivered.
Finally he
grabbed his blonde hair and shook his head furiously, "This can't be happening!
This has gotta be some sick joke, right?" When he didn't get an answer right
away he threw his phone to the door just barely grazing the two.
"I
don't believe this! I don't deserve this, Codes!" he was obviously hurt by it
all but anger paired with ever-building jealousy fueled him on. "Do you know who
I am? I'm a Dibiase! I'm the one that's rich and you go running off to him?
Was he the one paying for all your clothes? Did he buy you all those vintage
comic books? Was he the one that paid for you to go see that specialist about
your 'lissssssp'?" Teddy mocks knowing, seeing how sensitive a topic that was
by the hurt in his boy's eyes. He can't stand to look at them any longer.
Momentarily he feels terrible but the furry let's his regret subside and he
turns to Randy.
"And I guess I can't be mad at you, can I? You just
proved once again how you ruin everything! You slither your way into whatever
you want without any remorse for any one and do whatever you want! But you can't
help it, can you? Your IED is just so controlling that you give into the stress
and disease, right? Or is it just another crutch, blatant excuse you use to get
ahead?" Ted punches the wall nearest him and realizes it gets quiet for a
moment.
"Obviously you two just belong together, huh? Two brats that
care nothing about me. And here I was thinking you actually loved me… guess
that's over, right?" Finally a tear falls down his blood red cheeks. Grabbing
his bag, he looked through it and tossed Randy the t-shirt. Without looking into
his eyes he speaks, "You don't have to wait till Sunday to kick me out. I'm
just...I don't want to be apart of this." Still wrapped in his anguish, Ted
rushes past them to get his still intact cellphone and whisk his way out the
door.
It was raining outside so he sulked in the next best place: his
car in the parking lot. He needed someone to hold right now.
And as if
on cue he got a call from his brother. Shakily he answered,
"Hello?"
"Listen Teddy! I'm not going to have you hang up on me again and
I'm putting my foot down! No matter what you say, I'm coming down there to visit
you on Monday!" Brett's voice was strained as he tried to maintain some
sternness but it wasn't hard to tell the kid was nervous with his demands. He
was pretty transparent.
"No."
"But Ted-"
"Tonight. Get on
the plane and come down here tonight so I can be with you
tomorrow."
From lack of answer Ted could hear Brett's immediate shock.
"Are you sure? I mean I will but why so suddenly? Is everything
alright?"
"…I need somebody, Bretty."
Brett decided not to ask
anymore questions and instead said his good-byes assuring he'd be there ASAP.
Cody sits on the bed in silence, saying nothing as he zips up
his pants with embarrassment and decides to throw on a few extra layers of
clothes, maybe just to rid himself of feeling cheap; all the names everyone in
the locker room called him. He hated that. He couldn't help that he was just
so.. Dashing. He looks across the room at the mirror covered closet, admiring
himself for a few moments before being lured to see himself a little closer, and
maybe take off the Orton hoodie he piled on over another shirt. The reflection
of his palm touches its true self, and he grins.. Maybe he was becoming just as
crazy as Randy was.
Tonight, Ted had proved that he did not care for him,
and so he settles for grabbing his phone from his pocket, an eyebrow quirking at
the missed calls from Ted and deciding to just delete them - if Ted had
inquired that he got his calls, he would just say no. He probably called him by
accident, on his way to dial Brett… The C and B categories were just close
enough for that to have been the truth. He nods to his reflection.
He
lets the guilt fly away from him, and snuggles up in Randy's hoodie, even though
he had left moments after DiBiase. It smells like him… Masculine and sexy,
dripping hormones and leaving behind a aura of violence in it's soft fabric.
For a guy, Randy sure liked girly things… in private, at least. He
chuckles to himself and rolls over, staring at his phone for a bit, even though
it was inactive at the moment. He lets the light burn into his retinas for a
bit, it would replace the betrayed look on Ted's face that was burned into his
mind previously. He scrolls through his contacts after thinking about all of the
hurtful things Ted had said to him.. About him, rather; as if he was not in the
room.
So, now he knew how Ted really felt about him. He repeats
everything back to his father, Dusty, who just listens to him cry in the middle
of the night, alone, desperate for attention, staring at the video game remote
sitting on the television, and still a little turned on… maybe they had a Zelda
game for him to play; or at least Mario Kart. His mind wanders while his father
is offering some kind of comforting words, but there is only one thing that
makes him sit straight up and nearly drop the phone…
"I left Ted's father
for the same reason. He couldn't get past that I wasn't just as rich as he was.
They'll never see us any different, Cody; we'll always be peasants to any
DiBiase. Enjoy what he got for you, and move on. I did."
Cody is
somewhere between horrified and feeling even more awkward than he did earlier,
he mulls over the words, though he only offers his dad a simple "I guess" for a
response. His dad had never been wrong before… and now, they had gone from
living in the worst conditions, to being pretty well off.
He looks back
at the mirror, and smiles. He could probably get other guys like Ted… He was
after all, very sexy, very … dashing. He could still end up happy… His father
was, at least… and well… Cody was much better looking by comparison - he just
had to keep watching his weight. He considers throwing up the liqueur he had
earlier, along with the way too many French fries.
"Thanks, Dad…" he
smiles a little, switching the phone over to his other ear, and decides that his
elder would be his source of entertainment for the night, if Randy wasn't going
to be. He can't help but lay on his side and just keep staring at himself in the
mirror. How could Ted not want him? Better yet… How could he want Ted for a
boyfriend? Well, not anymore he didn't.
Randy, for one, had
absolutely no problem picking a new toy in the hotel bar. It was like a gift
from God the way he could just simply stroll through every fish in the sea. His
night goes perfect, as perfect as it can go, because when he wakes up the two
girls he had picked up were gone, not nagging at him for his clothing,
autographs, stuff in general, or asking him any questions. Maybe he didn't know
that he was Randy Orton… The Viper. He scratches at his head, asking his voices
if he thought that was a good thing or not, he just didn't know how to feel
anymore.
He showers, gets dressed, lazily deciding to not brush his
teeth, and just go outside to smoke. He strolls through the hall way, talking to
himself - holding a real conversation, one that no one could hear the other
side of - and walking at an uneasy sort of gait, his upcoming match clearly on
his mind. He looked disturbed and psychotic, like a man who was just a second
away from snapping for the final time, and taking down everything in his
path.
Orton doesn't even realize it when he walks past Ted in the hall on
his way to the elevator. It's as if a voice smacks him upside his demented head
and tells him to turn around. He blinks, as if he was struggling to realize who
the hell DiBiase was, almost even questioning if the kid staring back at him
wanted an autograph or something. Ted looks like he plays soccer, he observes
randomly, exclaiming an "Owch!" as if someone had smacked him again, and a
simple, "Oh…" just under his breath.
"Hey, Ted…" he starts, scratching at
the back of his neck, "Last night," Randy shrugs, "Cody, well.. He came on to
me, alright?" he isn't sure why he has to explain himself to Ted, and has a
rather hard time even trying to… though he doesn't offer an apology at all. "You
and me, tonight? I'll take you out, if you want…" he offers instead, waving his
hand about, "Last night, don't worry about it… Just don't step out of line and
talk to me like that again… Or you'll never use your fucking mouth to make
another sound… Except to mumble for a god damn nurse." he hisses, his anger
obviously building back up as he remembered the insults hurled his way, even if
he had deserved it.
:::
It pained Ted to believe that Cody had
come on to Randy and he was still upset at he man but he was starved- having
little food since the night before. Easily, he took him up on the offer.
Randy seemed much more civil in the booth at a restaurant and it made
him think back to an earlier conversation.
"I'm going out tonight, order
what you want and I'll be back soon."
Brett fiddled with his buttons and
poked out his tongue in focus. "Oh yeah? Where ya
headed?"
"Dinner."
"With who? You've moved on that quick?"
Ted sneered at his brother with little heat behind it and underlying
hurt. "No I did not get over him. He's the love of my life, Brett. I can't just
let him go because i'm not...satisfying..." he mumbles out with a brightly
blushing face.
Brett was still concentrating on his buttons. "Trust me,
you're more than satisfying, Teddy. And how is it you supposedly need me for
comfort and then you got the nerve to go out and leave me
here?"
"Whatever." The man waves away his kid brothers words.
"So
who is it?"
"What?" Ted inquired.
"This dinner distraction, who
is it?"
Ted knew what would happen if he told Brett. The kid would insist
he tag along. "Don't worry about it. I'll be back soon. Don't do anything I
wouldn't." And he left without another thought to anything but fueling up on
food and alcohol.
Well he hadn't got any alcohol in his system but he
was stuffed enough on food. Randy had been calmly talking to himself and hadn't
even thought to bother Ted- trapped in his own world. He cleared his throat. "I
Uh… I'm really sorry about last night. I know you said forget it but I never got
to really apologize. I was outta line." He can't tell what the viper feels about
his words as he chose to hide his embarrassment and stare into his plate
nervously. "Can you excuse me for a moment," he begs and rushes to the bathroom.
Inside the stall he thinks…wonders…misses Cody so he calls him again
getting another 'ignore' pressed on his call. So he has to leave his fifth voice
message today. "Hey Codes, it's me…again. I was just calling to say I really
wanted to see you. I really wanted to talk to you… I thought about what I said
baby and I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it- just please call me back." He
fished for things to say that he hadn't said in previous messages. "…you know I
understand! Randy's not that bad, I guess. Um," with each fleeting second of
silence he gets more frantic. "If you weren't happy with me why didn't you just
say something? Why couldn't you just tell me instead of...Talk to me Cody
please!" He heard the bathroom door open and he quickly wrapped up the message.
"Well I gotta go. Call me back...Bye."
Trying to wane suspicion, Teddy
flushed the toilet and walked back to his place at the booth. While his weary
heart was broken, he still had a duty to Orton to uphold.
Don't do
something Ted wouldn't do? That idea alone made Brett's mind reel with plans but
he chose to sit them aside as he spotted a tearstained photo of his brother and
'ex'. He didn't get he whole story as to what happened but anything that made
Teddy so distraught had to be under horrific circumstances.
Even though
Cody wasn't his favorite person, he was really…handsome and he seemed genuinely
nice the first time he met him. Then again he slowly turned more hostile,
aggressive, possessive over the phone.
He ran a finger over his brother's
smile and in return it made him smile. Ted was gorgeous when he was happy and he
was never happier than with Cody- the thought alone making Brett roll his eyes.
He bet he liked having his brother wrapped around those nimble fingers of his,
toying with his heart strings. Well he didn't like it one bit!
A twinge
of jealousy and disbelief egged him on as he stood from the bed in his pajamas
and stormed out the door. He headed for the room he saw Rhodes in earlier and
decided to give him a piece of his mind. If he couldn't see what a catch his
brother was, then he'd let him know what he was missing.
"Rhodes? Hey
Rhodes, open up!" He banged hard. "I need to talk to you right
now!"
:::
Randy finishes well.. Talking to himself… The people
around them giving him occasional glances of curiosity that he glares them down
instantly for, Ted being the only guy who could keep him from jumping up and
killing somebody - maybe Ted was good for something, he decides. It's like he's
being told to listen to Ted when he starts talking, and he does… for whatever
reason, since he responds by rolling his eyes the second Ted opens his mouth.
And Randy listens, kind of… in a way. He agrees that Ted was out of
line, and just narrows his silver eyes at him. His apology would be proven at
the pay per view if he could retain his title against Cena… Ugh… Cena… He can
just about feel the stress sitting back on his shoulders, the entire weight of
everyone watching him fail again, because, ultimately, he would do just that.
Super Cena… what was so great about him? He growls and takes another shot of
whisky, waiting for Ted to return.
"Ugh, just ignore it!" Cody rolls
over in bed, checking on his phone before hitting the voicemail button, shutting
it off quickly. He doesn't care anymore - at least, he's trying not to care
anymore.
Cody's little pep talk with his dad was perfect for what he was
going through. Nothing Ted could say could change what he said, the truth always
came out when someone was mad at you. He almost considers dropping his phone
into the drink on the night stand, but he doesn't, he's just a little smarter
than Randy to not do that one.
"…Everything go alright in there?" Randy
snickers quietly, lifting his drink up to his lips, "You look… flustered," he
shrugs, taking a sip from his new drink.
He looks Ted up and down for a
bit, "You're not.. You know, bad looking," he offers, feeling noticeably awkward
as he says it. It isn't that he doesn't find Ted attractive at all, of course he
does… Or he wouldn't be a part of his stable. Randy did not hang with
unattractive people. "Whoever you were cheating on Cody with must be some good
lookin' guy," he grins, "Always calling and everything… You'll have to bring him
by the PPV," he almost goes for his drink again, adding a quick, "I promise I
won't sleep with him… Maybe," with a wink.
Cody growls at the
sound of the door being banged on, and doesn't bother to get up. He paws at the
guy on top of him, who gets up in annoyance at the sound that doesn't seem to go
away.
"If it's Ted, I'm not - well, I guess he knows I'm here," he
shrugs, "I don't want to see him."
The much older superstar opens the
door. His face that always seemed to be in a constant scowl looked even more
upset now. He runs a hand through his dirty blonde-brown hair, his head cocked
to the side as he leaned up against the door frame, his luxurious black robe
tightened around his waist carelessly.
"What on earth do you want, kid?"
he asks, his English accent dripping with discontent.
He really doesn't
bother to listen to any kind of answer, turning back to Cody, "Someone wants
your bloody autograph, or something."
Cody cocks an eyebrow, "Regal, just
tell them to go away. Come back to bed."
:::
"No I don't want a
stupid autograph not from a harlot like him!" Brett rethinks his word choice.
"Harlot? Trollop? Cheater?... I'll stick with cheater." His dad told him not to
use derrogatives to disrespect people- no matter what they did. Too many years
of doing that made his vocabulary very different to say the least. Jericho may
have been impressed.
He was a liitle intimidated by the Brit in the
doorway but he had a mission. "Move!" Brett yelled sternly but as Regal's scowl
grew his voice shrunk. "I mean could you move please, Mr. Regal…sir?" With no
budge, the youngest Dibiase just decided to converse around the veteran.
"Well Cody I just wanted to let you know, this is all you're fault! My
brothers been blowing up your phone, starving himself, and emotionally derailing
all because you can't stay a one trick pony! If you didn't want him, you coulda
just said so but you just had to break his heart and in the worst way! All
because you can't get over yourself! I don't like when people hurt my brother
and I'm gonna make sure you never do it again!" His angry face is almost akin to
adorable with his Dibiase pout but his point is clear. "The only guy that
probably wanted more than to just get in your pants, the only guy that didn't
care about your family history, the only guy that didn't believe the locker room
stories about you, and you blew it. I hope you're happy jumping from bed to bed
like the leech you are!" Letting out a huff, the pajama clad Dibiase paraded
back to his room in triumph. He did good for his brother and now time for a nice
well deserved treat.
"Not bad looking, huh?" Ted was out of it so
Randy's playful banter just flew in one ear and out the other, of course it
would come flying back later like always. He did hear parts though and chose to
comment at those. "I swear to you, I didn't cheat on Cody. All those calls were
from my…" He freezes when he's about to mention Brett, not sure if that was the
smart move. While Randy may not have been as conniving as he thought, his cat
who ate the canary grin spoke of his true intentions. "It was my dad." the
answer is calm as if trying to make Randy believe it as well as himself. "Cody's
just so over jealous sometimes and I think it's his insecurities- but then again
maybe I was just never good enough…" Sensing he wasn't getting too much
attention, Ted stopped talking all together. Minutes flew before he decided it
was getting pretty late. Brett would call soon. "I gotta head home, Randy. Um
thank you- for the meal any…way."And he hurried back to the hotel.
After
Brett fell asleep that night, Ted had taken it upon himself to have a father-son
session with Big Daddy Dibiase. He hadn't openly cried in sometime but when he
explained everything to his dad, the tears broke loose. "And Dad, the worst part
is I can't… I don't know how to get over him."
He could imagine the
worry-riddled face frowned in concentration. That was the puzzled face he saw
for years when tax time came. They were well off ,yeah, but even the wealthy
dreaded taxes. "Look my boy, the Rhodes have always been that way. Dusty was
like, well, he was like a beautiful flower- or a diamond! Yeah a diamond because
the bigger they are the more beautiful they get!" That coined Ted Sr. laugh.
"Dad, focus!" Ted demands as quietly as possible while holding the phone
away from his ear.
"Right. Anyway, he was something everyone wanted that
only the rich are able to afford. When you can't afford it anymore, it gets
taken away. When my money wasn't enough for him he left. Everyone will do that
son because you're a Dibiase. It's our way of life."
Ted sighed in
contempt but he ultimately accepted it. He guessed he'd just forget about his
Cody…well just Cody. Maybe it was time he settled on his arranged marriage to
his money. Yes. If love from a person wasn't going to happen he'd be in love
with the one who loved his slightly attractive face most; money.
Cody isn't sure what to think, but he plays along to the
Cheshire cat grin of amusement on Regal's face and follows along to his
words.
"Who in the bloody hell was that?"
"Not a clue…" Cody waves it
off, "Probably someone from the last town."
Regal glares at him. He's just
like Randy, they both just… know everything, somehow. Regal makes it clear that
he does not like liars, and his teal green eyes boar into Cody until he tells
the truth so automatically. He tells just enough until Regal is bored with the
immature situation, and crawls back into bed with a shot of warm
scotch.
Cody snickers, earning a harsh glare from Regal, "Oh, nothing,
Baby.. Not you," he purrs, slinking up to him and kissing over his neck while
the other man enjoys his drink, "It's just… I never heard anyone talk to me like
that before, "Harlot," really?" he laughs softly, "I can't stand
Brett…"
"Stop talking."
Cody nods, though his mind is still on the
younger DiBiase while he's pushed back down onto the mattress, and simply
ignored for a short duration that allows him a few trips around the bathroom and
a game or two of Kirby on the hotel television. His score unfortunately quite
low rather than his usual first place wins that he always has.
He blames
Brett, and he can't wait to break the kid's view of his brother in the morning…
He looks back to Regal who takes a cigarette break by this point in between his
pouring drinks. Cody politely excuses himself, putting the control down and
throwing Regal's robe over himself, it feels so elegant and classy… All the
fancy gold embroidery combined with the plush fabric… and It makes him feel like
he belongs with Regal. He knows he could be the perfect pet if he could just
keep himself in check, and maybe with Randy's tutelage and training had led up
to this prospect, and it only aids in fueling his anger at the younger
DiBiase.
He storms down the hallway, feeling every bit of his pent up
anger for everything that Ted had said to - or about him. All of he horrible
comments… and he dared to mention his lisp… he growls and nearly breaks down the
hotel door before Brett even gets a chance to open the thing. …And Cody screams
in his face, as loud as his lungs would allow, loud and long enough for security
to come running up the staircase at the end of the hall and try to lead him away
from taking everything out on the youngest DiBiase:
"Ted was cheating on
me! He's not some holier than thou bitch that you think he is! He's just like
everyone else I've ever been with! He's not with - wasn't with me because he
"loves" me! You don't pay a prostitute for sex! You pay me to leave afterwards!
That's exactly what I did, I left! I don't have to hear any shit from your
little five year old bullshit self! Ted knew what I was when he wanted to date
me, and your father knew what my dad was!" Cody can't help but seer with a
delightful feeling of vengeance when he smacks Brett across the face, "DiBiase's
are not meant to be with any Rhodes, you bastards think you can get anything you
want, don't you? Well, you can't afford us," he laughs so manically that it
scares the security men gripped to his arms now, holding him back away from
Brett.
"I don't care what happens to Ted anymore, I'm done with
everything! I found someone worthy of me," he watches Regal calmly talk down
security in that charmingly, intelligent, British way of his; and they release
Cody into the Brit's custody. "And I am perfectly happy now, thank you," he
grins in such a vile way that it's absolutely, unquestioningly frightening… that
same look he got from staring at his self in the mirror last night.
At the restaraunt, Randy was more than surprised to be left alone by Ted, who
the hell did Ted think he was anyway? Lying to his face - he guessed at this,
at least. No one really wants to talk to their father that much, did they? He
certainly did not… As for Cody… well… He couldn't quite figure out what was
going on between Dusty and Cody, and he preferred not to think about it, really.
He shudders at the mental images the thought provides and turns his attention to
a waitress with her top just too low, and takes her back to the hotel after her
shift, and before he sets to harassing Ted for the night - after all, this
would have been the perfect time to pounce on the DiBiase, and maybe straighten
him out before the pay per view.
::: 2 :::