A/N: To make up for the short chapter a couple days ago. Hope you enjoy :)

"This is becoming a regular occurrence."

"Well, if you get coffee from one place alone," John joked. "Is this on your way home or something?"

"No. I live in the opposite direction," Randy clarified. "What's your excuse? There is a coffee shop on campus."

"Yes, but my roommate is hooking up with his latest girl and if I went to the campus coffee shop I'd be back within ten minutes," John said. "He needs a longer length of time than that."

"Sounds as though he's a stallion," Randy joked. "I'll get it."

"Get what?"

"Your coffee, I owe you from last month," Randy said handing over his money and requesting a cappuccino for himself.

"Thanks," John said smiling at him as he remembered their earlier conversation. "I should be going. Too much studying to do."

"Yeah, my paperwork is piling up," Randy said slumping his shoulders. "Unless-"

"What?"

"You want to be rebels and put it off until tomorrow? Or at least later this evening," he said wiggling his eyebrows.

"You hate being an authority figure, don't you?" John scoffed.

"What do you mean?" Randy asked confused.

"Your habit, even though it's not constant, of giving me advice that a member of the faculty shouldn't say."

"Guess I don't want to be in charge guy twenty four hours a day, besides, I'm off the clock now," Randy said. He took his drink from the barista and followed John to the door holding it open for him. "Come on, please, kill time, so I can put off going home by myself and completing paperwork."

John couldn't stay serious any longer and burst into laughter at Randy's behaviour, "Fine, where are we going?"

"There's a park ten minutes from here," Randy pointed along the road. "We could head there, walk around, head back here, and I'll be nice and drop you back to the dorms on the way home."

John looked at him, he realised this was a ritual for Randy, since he had it planned out. Well, the walking bit. John couldn't imagine that Randy flirted with students. Not that he was now. Not that John should be so relaxed either.

Randy led the way and John followed, losing his tongue, unable to make conversation with Randy. John had always felt relaxed around Randy, and as of late, when they had seen each other away from College, the older man had relaxed. Too relaxed because he'd catch himself and turn back to being a staff member and not a friend.

"So, big game coming up this weekend," Randy said glancing over at John.

"Um, yeah, everything's on the line. If we win, we head to the playoffs," John said.

"Nervous?"

"I'm struggling to focus on my studying," he nodded. "Chris' message couldn't have come at a better time; telling me not to head to the dorm."

"What happened to putting a coat hanger on the door?"

"It's been ties for ages, not coat hangers, are you from the dark ages?" John joked.

"I got news for you, I got caught many times because I rebelled and didn't but a hanger, or tie, on the door," Randy said.

"You forgot didn't you?"

"And I didn't get a single reply to my phone calls. I guess they didn't appreciate being caught in bed," Randy chuckled. "Not even in bed sometimes."

"You are disgusting," John pointed out.

"No, I enjoy sex, and I had the added help of being a couple years older than most of the freshman so they liked getting with the older guy," Randy hinted.

John could understand the idea behind it. Why not be with someone older when you're not very experienced, or sometimes, not experienced? It guarantees it will be better than everyone else on offer. Randy's a handsome guy; John could picture him younger and being cocky.

"It's at the end of that road," Randy said pointing with one hand and placing his other on the small of John's back.

Electricity shot through him as Randy kept his hand there as they crossed the road. John tried not to let his body react any further as shivers ran up his spine. Damn it, he shouldn't be reacting this way to another bloke and he didn't understand why he did.

"So, John Cena, when the football season is over, how do you plan on spending your free time?"

"My schedule will be much the same, practice, class, study, try to find a social life in amongst that," he said chuckling. Intrigued why Randy wanted to know, not that he'd hold back information.

"Expand on our social life, because I'm not sure heading to the local Starbucks is a social life," Randy joked.

"Chris and I head to a nearby bar, when there's no football," he shrugged.

"Wow, let's stop this whirligig of fun before you get carried away," Randy said. "You realise you're in College right? You're supposed to be getting slaughtered every weekend and hooking up with girls every chance you get."

"Did you?"

"Somewhat. I got my work done, and I got the grades I wanted, but when I finished my work, I had fun," Randy said.

"No doubt you were hooking up with-"

"I had a few partners over the years," Randy shrugged interrupting John's comment. "I'm not ashamed of it. Why not when you're young and don't want to settle yet. Besides I had to play catch up from high school."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't start until after I left high school," he explained.

As they neared a bench in the park, Randy took a seat and John sat with him.

"Why are you so worried what I do with my life?" John asked; noting how Randy had tried to challenge him on aspects of his life before and John still didn't understand the interest.

"Because you're a sweet kid who I'm sure will do great stuff with his life, but I worry you will end up regretting your decisions later in life when you realise you allowed no time to live."

"I'm not a kid, Randy," John snapped. "I looked after myself for years. Learnt to stand up for myself. I lift weights because I got bullied at high school, the size I gained meant that they left me alone."

"Did you get bullied at home?" Randy asked.

"No."

"Maybe not, but you want to prove yourself, make a name for yourself, but you don't want the fame, those ideals are conflicting," Randy intimated.

"It isn't because I want to make a name for myself, I want to be noticed, and, yes, I mean by my parents," John explained, regretting that he had even entered this conversation. "I guess it's a downside of being part of a large family. I'm the second of five boys and somewhere in the mix, I got overlooked."

"What do you mean?"

"Everything I'm good at, my older brother did it first, nothing new to my parents," he shrugged. "I idolise my brother, still do, but with my parent's focus on my younger brothers, it's difficult for them to find time with five of us. I'm independent and found guidance elsewhere, so I guess it never bothered me."

"But it does now?"

"Yeah. My brother decided not to go to College, he got a job and is on the management track," John smiled. "I wanted to come to College, and I secured a scholarship to come here."

"How did they react?"

"I got a handshake, and a well done, from my dad and my mom became silent; I'm still not sure what that meant," John shrugged. "My brother celebrated with me, psyched for me, he can't wait until I graduate and I'm the one with the degree in the family."

Randy chuckled at the comment and John pictured Randy getting on well with his brother.

"Why did you go to College?"

"Because I fucked up my first career choice," Randy said laughing again. "My mom supported me no matter what I did, but even she got pissed off with me when she heard what happened. She got even more pissed off with..."

"With who?"

"My dad, now my dad's another story," Randy said avoiding the question. "My dad said I had to get off my ass and do something with my life. Truth is I'd been considering my options, and I looked into College. I made the wrestling team at high school and enjoyed sports so I looked into the careers in the field. Athletic trainer was a good choice, so I looked into which colleges offered it. This place offered the best programme. I applied to here and a couple other places and got accepted."

"Where are you from?"

"St Louis."

"You moved across half the country to come here?"

"My dad tried to talk me out of going, apologising, when I moved to Massachusetts. I told him it my decision, nothing he'd said, I had considered this place."

"Do you miss them?"

"Every day," Randy said with a sad smile. "I try to call my mom every other day but she's a nurse and our schedules can clash but I keep in touch. If I'm not working in the summer than I head back and stay with them."

"I bet you're ready to leave by the end of the six weeks," John joked, he'd heard enough stories to know moving back in with the parents was not a choice he wanted to be faced with.

"God, yes, nothing better than your own space, if not your own bed," Randy laughed with John. "Come on, we should get back before your roomie and his girl get in the flow."

"Don't talk crazy, he couldn't keep me out of my room, could he?"

"If his sexual appetite is akin to mine," Randy said laughing.

The next night

"Well, I guess plans changed for the evening," Randy said as he parked his car in the campus lot.

"Still good though," John said. "Not going to admit to seeing it, but I enjoyed it."

"I thought a horror was showing."

"Horror isn't good for me," John admitted. "I'd be watching through my fingers."

"Maybe we should head back when there's a new one out, I want to see you go girlie," Randy teased.

"Fuck off, I'm not a girl," John said. "I didn't cry at that stupid movie you picked did I?"

"I thought you said you enjoyed it?" Randy said with a smile.

"Same time next week?" John asked shaking his head at Randy's behaviour.

"I'm in, there's a werewolf movie out which should be good."

"Can't be worse than being made to watch Theory of Everything, it's something you take a girlfriend to because she wants to watch those types of films. Two guys aren't supposed to be going to watch it."

"So I won't be getting a good night kiss?" Randy asked with a smile.

John sat shocked at the comment, Randy had never been this open over his sexuality and while he could still joke around, John knew Randy didn't hide his preferences.

"Um, I... I should," John muttered opening the door.

As he went to get out Randy's hand shot out and stopped him from leaving. Neither spoke but he could tell what Randy thought. His eyes focused on John's lips with his imagined thoughts obvious in his eyes.

The older man refocused on John, meeting his eyes. John hoped he didn't look as scared as his heart told him. Not sure if it were fear he felt. His heart raced, his stomach flipped and his lips dried out as he considered his reaction if Randy kissed him.

Randy made no move to close the gap between them and John wondered if he should get it take action and kiss Randy, a quick kiss good night, on the cheek, no, the lips, he'd be resembling a girl if he kissed Randy's cheek. Did Randy want that? Did he appreciate a more feminine man? Or did Randy want a man of action, someone to meet him halfway in a kiss? Isn't that what's supposed to happen?

"You should go," Randy said interrupting his thoughts. "You need to study."

"Night," John said making his escape out of the car and across the parking lot. He raced into the building and hid in the laundrette, collapsing onto a bench and holding his head in his hands. "What the hell is going on with me?"

Two nights later (last game of the season)

Randy breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the crowd roar as the College football team hit the field for the second half. This is it, the last game of season and everything rested on the second half. Losing by fourteen points, they needed to get them back and quick. If the team won, they went through to the playoff; if they lost, they had a long period of training waiting for the next season.

For the seniors on the team, he hoped they won. For John, he hoped they won. He tried not to imagine John's reaction if the team lost. He had put everything into his football, without his academic work suffering, and he wanted to see them pull this off, for John.

The last couple of days had been the longest he'd experienced in forever. His mind never left the moment in his car when he saw the truth of the moment, John wanted to kiss him. He'd been battling with himself over whether to kiss John and when he met his eyes, John was in the same predicament.

In that moment alone, Randy could tell John wanted it, but John didn't realise it yet, or possibly, if he did, he didn't understand why he wanted to kiss him. Randy had been there himself as a teenager, only he had been younger, realising his sexuality during high school. His first relationship didn't happen until after school and he made it into the Marines, but Randy didn't want to remember that period. He'd been hurt and trusted no one for a while afterward.

Randy took his jacket from his office and went out to the field. If he had to work, he at least got to watch the match. If an accident happened, he could be on hand to support the doctor. As a trainer they didn't need you to come along on the away games but if they asked, he never said no.

It was awkward on the bus, John sitting on the opposite row and not even acknowledging him. Randy didn't expect their typical drawn out conversation, but it's nice to receive an acknowledgment.

He chastised himself when he remembered that it had been two days since their near-kiss.

"Hey, Orton, right?" a man dressed in white and blue asked holding his hand out to shake.

"Randy, yeah, you the trainer?"

"That's me, thanks for your help today. When I got the call to say my colleague's ill I figured it's easier to call in the help from the other team," the man said.

"No problem, it's what I'm paid for," Randy shrugged.

"Are you guys staying over tonight or heading back after the match?"

"I didn't even ask," Randy chuckled. "When I got the call I drove over to the College and grabbed my gear before getting on the bus."

"Well, if you are staying in town, we could get a drink. There's a couple of good bars in town," he suggested with something else with his eyes.

"Well, give me your number; that way I can call you if we are staying; or even if I head out this way one weekend," Randy added. He needed to forget John, a relationship was impossible, John's a student. Randy should never even entertain that they could be a couple. A night of fun with someone his own age might help him move on from John. Not to mention it had been months since he'd even met anyone he liked in that way. It had to be a sign.

"We could slip ba-"

"Randy," a holler from the side-lines interrupted the opposing team's trainer and Randy turned his head to see the doctor on the field with a player on the ground holding his shoulder.

"Hold that thought," Randy said running over to the doctor.

As he got closer, he could see the player writhing on the ground and after he saw the number on the shirt, 54, John.

"Okay, John, we'll get you on a stretcher and get you inside to check your shoulder, okay?" The doctor asked as Randy reached his side.

"Guys back up okay," Randy said to the other players as they gathered around their teammate.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"He's in pain, he'll be out of the rest of the match at least," Randy stated. Whatever the injury, the doctor's face told him it was a long journey back to full health. Alongside that, John had turned white and wasn't talking to the doctor.

"Randy help me roll him on his side," the doc requested as the stretcher arrived to take John off the field. "On three. One, two, three."

Randy rolled John toward him as they slid the stretcher underneath and then lowered him to the apparatus, Randy helped the doctor strap him onto the board and carry him off the pitch.

As they passed the other team's trainer, the man offered his services and Randy declined, his guilt overtaking him for even considering going out for drinks with the man. As wrong as he knew it to be, he had an interest in John and it getting involved with another man just complicated matters.

They carried John through to the treatment room and Randy helped remove the straps and move John onto the treatment bench. He stepped back and let the doctor work, stopping himself from badgering the doctor with annoying questions that couldn't be answered as though he were an anxious partner.

John explained where the pain was and Randy's concern grew with the information he heard and the doctors follow up questions. Listening to everything being said Randy guessed something had torn which meant surgery and months of physical therapy afterward. He did the math in his head and in his professional opinion John was going to miss spring training, not to mention the football camps the following summer.

The doctor thanked John for the information and turned to Randy and nodded for him to follow him out the room.

"You surmised we're looking at a torn muscle," the doctor commented after the door closed. Randy nodded in response. "I'll get on the phone and arrange for an MRI, get a clearer picture of what we're looking at."

"Okay," Randy acknowledged looking through the glass pane at John. His heart broke when he saw the tears streaming from his eyes.

"Make sure he doesn't try using his arm," the doctor instructed.

"Can I help?" the College's trainer asked who had entered the treatment room to get things ready for after the match.

"I need to arrange an MRI, are you be able to get me in contact with the local hospital?"

"I'll check on John," Randy said leaving them to sort out the next steps. He opened the door and went over to John's side, pulling over a stall.

"What's going on?" John asked scrubbing his face dry with his good arm, he still winced in pain.

"Try not to move too much," Randy said. "The doc's getting hold of the hospital so we can do an MRI, see any damage to the muscles."

"At least it's the last game of the season, it'll give me a chance to get ready for next year," John sobbed, trying to see the positive.

"Let's see what the MRI says first, check for any damage," Randy said holding back the truth of the matter.

At the hospital

"Why is this taking so long?" John complained as Randy sat in the comfy seat beside his bed keeping him comfy.

"You can tell those painkillers have kicked in," Randy said without looking up from the magazine.

"Thanks for your support," John bit back.

"Listen, it will take as long as it needs to," Randy said. "You aren't the only patient in the hospital."

John stared daggers at Randy for his levelheadedness; right now he wanted to be miserable and complain. His arm and chest hurt, even with painkillers, the excruciating pain became bearable at best. He'd been here for four hours and the team's doctor tried to push it through since they had gone to the local town's hospital and not their usual facilities.

John realised the seriousness of his injury and he now needed to wait to find out to what extent. He still prayed for a quick and easy recovery to get him back to practice as soon as possible.

Randy had left his side once since they got to the hospital and John tried to find out if he wanted to be there for support, or because the College expected its student to be supervised.

He went to ask him again when the curtain went back enough to allow the team's physician to show his face and ask for Randy to come out. They left him alone with his thoughts and John came considered calling out for Randy to come back. He didn't want to let his thoughts travel too much, it meant they left him with the undeniable truth. He had a serious injury.

"John?" Randy asked snapping him out of his thoughts. He blinked away the tears which gathered and turned his head toward Randy who looked more serious than he'd ever known, as he held the results from the scan. "The doc thought it best if I show you the results. He'll come back to go over questions which arise."

"How long will I be out?"

"You ever seen an MRI scan?"

"Randy, please," John begged.

"The pectoralis major tendon has torn away from the bone," Randy repeated.

"So, a long time," John said letting the tears flow.

"As injuries go, its grim," Randy said perching on the bottom of John's bed and placing a soothing hand against his covered ankle.

"How does it get fixed?"

"Surgery," Randy stated. "The sooner the better. You'll need extensive physical therapy afterward."

"How long will the recovery take?"

"It depends on various factors," Randy said not making eye contact with John.

"How long," John said through gritted teeth.

"If the surgery goes to plan and there's no complications, you're looking at three months of rehab to get your range of motion back."

"That's doable," John nodded. "I could be ready-"

"No, John, I'm sorry, but that's your range of motion. To get the strength back and continue to play football, or lift weights as you do, you'll be looking at another month or more, and it's likely to be more," Randy stated.

"Will I stay here?"

"That's up to you," Randy admitted. "The hospital insists that the doctor here is the best in Massachusetts, but you need to decide."

"Can they do it near the College?"

"The procedure can be done by any orthopaedic surgeon," Randy explained. "You needn't decide now; The College is getting in contact with your parents, you can discuss it with them."

"You called my parents?" John asked pissed off and shocked.

"John, you had a serious injury in a football match and need surgery," Randy stated raising his voice. "The College has to inform your parents. And we informed your roommate since you won't be going back tonight."

"Whatever," John sneered.

Randy got frustrated at the insolence John gave him and John liked that he did, Randy shouldn't have allowed the College to contact his parents and tell them he'd failed. Randy understood his home life and he still let it happen.

Randy went to say something to him but instead turned around and whipped the curtain back and stepped out, turning around once more and coming back.

"God, John, I thought you to be different, that you're mature for a guy of your age. That you could take part in a grown up conversation but I still enjoyed hanging out with," he snapped. "You had your head on straight and what you wanted in life, even if something different than most of your teammates goals, was achievable. You even tried to stay positive knowing that this injury is a huge set back."

"What's your point?" John snapped back at him.

"You made me throw my impression of you out the window by having a hissy fit because someone called mommy and daddy," Randy said trying to reign in his frustration.

"I'm not allowed to be annoyed that someone interfered," John stated.

"They didn't interfere, they cared enough to tell your family you got hurt and might need their support," Randy snapped. "If nothing else, they did their jobs."

"And that's the truth of it," John said laughing. "Whoever made that phone call didn't care, I'm a name on a piece of paper. They made a call to cover their backs."

"Have I ever acted as someone who considers you a name on a piece of paper? I sat with you for the entire afternoon and evening," Randy said before turning to head back out the cubicle again. "I tried to do the right thing."

Two days later

Why did he want to put himself through this? John may have calmed, but he'd still be dazed from the drugs pumped into his body for the surgery. But he needed to see him. He wanted to check John was okay after the procedure knowing John may struggle in the aftermath.

Even if John didn't appreciate the gesture, Randy had done the right thing by calling John's parents. He needed someone with him for the next couple of days.

He went to the desk on the ward to ask for directions and knocked on the door to John's room, entering before waiting for a reply.

"Hi," he said looking around the room as he entered. "I wanted to see how the surgery went."

"Fine," John said without expanding on his comment.

"Good. Has the doctor been by to see you yet?"

"Yeah."

"Did everything go-"

"Why are you here?" John asked interrupting.

"I wanted to see you, you had your surgery and -"

"I'm aware of that, thanks," John said as he rolled his eyes.

At least the drugs had worn off and John wits were working. Randy tried a different tactic and asked where his parents were causing John to burst into a maniacal laugh.

"My parents decided that since everything went okay with my surgery, they should get back to the other kids," John said shaking his head before tilting his head back against his pillow and closing his eyes. "I guess nothing changes."

"They'll be back, I'm sure of it, they want to check on your siblings and they'll be back," Randy said. "They thought you'd want to sleep."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's it," John muttered turning his head away from Randy.

Randy reached his hand out and placed it on John's trying to reassure him, but he regretted it when John tensed.

"Will you quit it? Quit trying to protect me. I never asked you to," John snapped pulling his hand free. "I'm not gay, Randy. Please stop trying to be my boyfriend. I'm not interested in you."

Randy sat there for a moment letting the words sink in not knowing what to say.

"That's not why I... I came by..." he said trying to find the right thing to say. "I'm sorry."

He got up and left the room without saying another word. He'd made the wrong decision in going to see John. Instead of cheering him up, it upset him; both of them.

He got in the elevator and went to the parking lot. As he made his way along, he saw someone perched on the hood of his car. When he got close enough he realised who stood there and cursed under his breath.

"Ah, did Randy get his feelings hurt?" Cody asked in a mocking voice.

"Get off my car, Cody," Randy said agitated.

"What's it worth?"

"Blackmail, great," he mumbled to himself as he unlocked the car and got in ignoring Cody. He started the ignition and revved the engine. The benign threat worked and Cody got up from the hood stepping aside.

"Remember, I'm aware of this, Randy," Cody called as he pulled out of the parking space.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed. Please review :)