Mizzy681: So we wanna thank you all for the lovely reviews, the faves and the story alerts. We still have a lot of ideas for our story, so it's nowhere near over, but unfortunately we also have a little less free time on our hands. Don't you just hate work? *sighs*
Legacy Chick: It's especially tough to write when Mizzy has work while I'm off and vice versa... which happens a lot as of late. We can only be happy that the muses help us. :P
Mizzy681: We just love our muses... all of them. Beside Cena... oops... Jeri shot him. Evan also died, stupid Sheamus. Jeri will have his revenge for that I'm sure.
Legacy Chick: Okay, enough with the muse-talk and on to the story. This chapter takes all place over the course of one evening. We're still with Randy's/Chris' "gang" but promise we'll also write more about Regals/Hunter's gang in later chaps plus there'll be a lot more characters involved.
Mizzy681: That's enough rambling for now... enjoy and leave loads of long and lovely reviews.
Warning: Slash, Sex, Violence, Blood, Cursing (lots of), Murder (yes, someone dies), a woman (yes, there'll be a woman in this chap) and ROMANCE
Disclaimer: We own a dozen of muses or so and obviously a crazy, fucked up mind (should I've warned that there's cursing in the Disclaimer, too?). Anyways, we don't own any of the wrestlers nor do we (I at least *Legacy Chick*) want to own most of them. They all belong to WWE, Vince McMahon *shudders at the thought* and their wives/gf's/fiance's. Except Mikey and Cody. They are still single as far as we know (if anyone knows otherwise, please don't tell us, we dun wanna know).
"Fuck," Mike cursed loudly. This whole operation was going wrong. It was nothing like him to make impulsive decisions, but the last few days had brought him off balance and the chance to get revenge on at least one of his enemies had seemed too good to be true. Normally he would have spend days planning this, considering every option and every problem in advance. Not only had he no idea how to find Jacobs, he also had not considered that at least a dozen people, including a cop, had witnessed him fighting with John only the day before. Therefore, if anything happened to John, he would be one of the first the cops would talk to.
"Think Mike, think…" He ignored the curious glance from Cody. He considered pulling the mission at all, but that would be a last resort. They could get the boy, if they had him alone. The only thing necessary was that John did not rapport him missing. At that moment, his phone rang.
"Hey man."
"Hey Mike. We already have him. Stupid chick was wandering through a neighborhood he shouldn't be in. He was alone, so we don't have Hennigan."
Mike breathed a little easier. "Don't worry Jake, we'll get him later. Get the boy to the motel. The crew will take care of him for the time being. I haven't been able to find Jacobs yet."
The blond nodded even though his lover could not see him, sharing a quick glance with Wade who had the boy securely duck-taped and wrists and feet trapped with ropes, gripping him tightly by his arms, holding him against his chest. The small brunette was crying heavily, trying to wriggle and writhe out of the dark-haired male with little to no effort.
"Sure we will. Anything else?"
Mike let go of a sigh of relief, raking a hand through his fingers while already thinking about how to get Jacob's address.
"No… just… get him there… and Jake?"
"Hmm?"
"Well done. You and Wade deserve some fun tonight. Make sure he gets a close inlook on our business."
The blond could almost see the wink his lover gave him, could imagine the smirk on his lips while Barrett stuffed the lithe body into the back of their car, securely locking the door again and walking up to him. Their eyes met, Jake's lips curled up into a huge grin as he kept his phone to his ear.
"I'll make sure of that, Mikey."
He already had an idea what Mike was talking about and was sure that bringing Wade there would not only be fun for the ravenette, but also for himself.
The moment he lay down his phone Mike realized exactly who would know where to find Jacobs. The only problem was convincing the guy to give him the info he needed. If he were lucky, it would only be money. One thing was sure; he would be going there without Jake.
Their job was done. They had needed the whole day to get that little skunk seeing that he was barely alone before they finally had gotten the chance. Jake had dropped the boy off at a secure place until Mike would get news on where that Jacobs guy was staying. Until then, he had his guys who would take care of the little bimbo. The blond could not help but grin the whole drive back into town; Mike was happy with him and the good job they had done and had even told him to go have some fun.
He knew how to take it, knew what exactly Mike was playing at and he surely was going to make good use of it. Wade had been pretty quiet throughout the whole drive back, going their plan over and over in his head to see if there could be any problems coming up. Cops were covered as far as he knew since his contacts were already well aware of what him and the blond had done a few hours ago. He had called them right away. They would not only keep quiet, but also accuse every one of their co-workers of having false information's once the topic came up.
The only problem he saw was the boyfriend of that little scumball, but no one would believe him anyways. From what Jake had told him, the boy was neither the brightest crayon in town nor the most popular and liked citizen. Mike was not the only one who hated his guts.
It was not before Jake turned of the engine that Wade finally snapped out of his thoughts, immediately taking in his surroundings, realizing that they were nowhere near the lab. The blond stepped out of the car into the cool spring-night, leaning back down again and peaking his head inside the car to lock eyes with a curious brunette.
"Come on… I wanna show you something."
The taller man just shrugged, following the blond out of the car, his brows shooting up when he realized that they were at the pub they had met only two days ago. Seeing the blond walking inside, he hurriedly closed the car-door and followed him. The pub was crowded as usual even that late at night in the middle of the week. The costumers though had changed; there were barely any businessmen but a lot more addicts, gang-members, dealers and youth.
Jake walked past the bartender with a slight smirk on his lips, the nod of approval from the older man enough sign that the drive here had not been a waste of time. His eyes scanning the pub for only mere seconds, he walked to a darker part of the pub, waiting a moment for Wade to keep up with him. The moment he felt the presence of the young man behind him, he took a turn towards a door –a sign clearly reading "No entry"- and opened him, motioning for Wade to go inside.
What was behind the door was something Wade had often heard off, but never seen so far. There was a crowd of cheering, of booing, of yelling, of whistling. His eyes taking in his surroundings he could make out 20, maybe 25 figures, mostly male, standing around in a circle. In the middle of said circle there were two guys, a smaller, bald one, skinny, young, bruises bathing his body and a taller guy, black, also bald, muscular, blood leaking from his lips and from a cut above his eye.
Jake watched Wade's expressions, saw the gleam in the brunette's eyes, the satisfied smirk on his lips, the movement of his cracking neck as he was rolling it. Patting him on the back, he got the attention of his new partner in crime, pointing at the guys in the middle of the circle.
"Our third form of income. We've three of those clubs in Atlanta and one a little outside of town. There are meetings every other day. Everyone who wants to fight has to pay 200 bucks, winner gets 300, we get the rest. We even have some cops competing every now and then. The guy over there…" He pointed to a tall brunette, bashed nose, bruises on his face, not quite well trained, but still bulky. "… He's the one taking care of the fights, of the club here. We come here to get our money once a week, usually that's Mike's job, but he often takes me with him to have some fun. Now… seeing that I'm still a bit banged up, I rather don't get in there tonight, but you…" Jake shrugged, smirking at the anticipation, the desire, the lust in Wade's eyes. "… you deserve some fun. And since it's your first day with us… you'll even get the participation for free."
Only a few minutes later Wade stood in the ring, shirt discarded, giving everyone including Jake a perfect view of his trained, toned body, muscles ripped and bulging as he pumped himself up. His opponent was a rather bulky, tall redhead, middle-aged, not only hair but also his clothes looking dirty and sweaty. Smirking smugly, Wade already knew that the guy would be no match for him.
Jake was watching the fight intensely, wishing it could be him instead of Wade, maybe even instead of that sloppy punk. He would love to compare his skills with Wade's, but his shoulder still was not good enough. He needed more time to heal or else he would regret it later, not only because Mike would kill him for risking his own health but also because he would not be at his best in the fight. His tongue darted out to wet his lips, eyes sparkling brightly as he pursued Wade's actions, decimating the other guy with kick after kick, with armbar's, punches, even a bodyslam. The guy sure as hell had lots of talent.
The fight was over in no time, Wade's last kick right to that guy's temple almost snapping his head off. Unable to get up by the end of the 10-count, the guy looked not just a bloody mess, but also dead, though his chest was still rising and falling. The money exchanged hands, Wade putting it securely into the front of his sweat-pants before grabbing his shirt and pulling it back on.
For Jake it had been fascinating to watch, especially the fact that Wade was barely sweating, was barely out of breath was something he locked in the back of his mind. He would definitely be useful –more useful than Ted- when it came to the more dangerous jobs. The brunette walked back over to him, wiping some pearls of sweat away from his forehead, a proud grin on his lips.
"Good job there, Barrett! I can't wait to be able and step into the circle with you."
The taller one of them just nodded his head, brushing some dust of his pants before glancing back at the onlookers and fighters with a smirk on his lips.
"Well… it sure as hell was fun… I've gotta ask you though… have you ever thought about taking bets on the fights? It sure as hell would be another good way to increase the income."
Obviously, he was not only a tough fighter, but a clever businessman, too.
"You've gotta ask Mike about it. Last time Ted suggested it, he was not too fond of the idea, but he never really told us why not."
Slowly making their way back outside, through the pub and into the cool air, Wade contemplated on whether to ask Jake or not. His curiousness was getting the better of him though.
"Why Mike? I mean… shouldn't it be Randy and Chris making such decisions?"
A low chuckle escaped Jake's lips as he opened the door to their car, shaking his head and stepping inside, Wade following him in with his brows arched, eyes focusing on the tall blond.
"You really have a lot more to learn, man… But that can wait until tomorrow."
It was not only as a reward that Mike had send Jake away to have some fun. He had a little errant to run and this was one he needed to make alone. This was one of the few things he kept away from Jake. This was more for the blonde's protection than for anything else.
Softly whistling he walked through the dark streets of his old neighborhood. The houses in this part of town were ramshackle and badly maintained, front yards had weed as high as your knees and were covered with junk, cars were rusty and old. Nothing good came out off this neighborhood; it was the kind of place that got into your blood. Half the kids Mike went to school with were already behind bars. In this part of town murder rates skyrocketed, and so did suicides. The level of drug and alcohol abuse was insane. This was a harsh world, a world forgotten by social services and ignored by government; this was a place that ruled itself.
Mike made sure he came back here every now and then, not only to see how far he'd gotten, but also to keep his ties with his old friends and to underline that he didn't feel himself above his old hood. Loyalty was fierce here and it was a group you did not leave without punishment. People knew who he was and on these streets - lethal to anyone who did not belong here - he was safe as a baby. He felt at home and he was, despite the lousy conditions, seriously considering buying his own place here sometime soon. He passed his old school - still the same old fucked-up building with leaking roofs and more windows broken than whole - and he turned a corner, finally reaching his destination.
This little house stood out like a beacon. The house was freshly painted, in bright pink and yellow, the windows sparkly and flowery curtains prevented people from looking in. The front yard was immaculate, the grass was mowed and flowers adorned the weed-free borders. It looked like the house of a fairy godmother, but Mike knew that the title evil witch was closer to the truth, at least, if she did not like you. When he rung the bell a merry tune flowed through the evening air and it did not take long before footsteps hurried to the door.
"Michael! It's been too long, my dear."
"Vicky! I should've come by sooner, but you know how it is…"
Vicky pulled the young man into a tight embrace; she was proud of her protégé. He had come far from the scrawny, hurt kid he once was, from the six-year old that was hiding in her backyard after being beaten by his older brothers.
"Where's that hunky bodyguard of yours? Didn't you bring him?"
Mike did not miss the disappointment in Vicky's eyes. Vicky loved her men young and blond and Mike had not made the mistake of bringing Jake within her reach more than once.
"Jake was busy tonight, so I decided to spend the night with my favorite auntie."
"Don't call me auntie, Michael, it makes me feel old. And don't give me that look, I know when you want something, I've known that since you were six and came begging for a sweet."
"Don't call me Michael, Vicky. It makes me feel like an accountant."
They both laughed when Mike followed Vicky to her living room. The house was on the inside as immaculate as on the outside. It was spotless, the furniture shone and everything fitted together. It was a snug place that made you feel at home, the kind of place you would suspect to find on the English countryside, not in one of the worst places in the USA. Vicky poured Mike a big glass of whiskey before bringing her own to her lips, sinking back into the thick cushions of her sofa.
"So Mike, tell me what you came for. Let's get that out of the way, before you tell me all that has been keeping you from me."
"I need information. I've tried everywhere and no one knows or no one dares to tell me. There's supposed to be a man in town, a big name from Boston. A guy named Glenn Jacobs. I heard he's looking for something and I think I have what he wants. I just can't find him."
Vicky giggled, taking in the determined features of her young friend. Mike hated to fail, that was even true as a young child, always proving that he was better then everyone else. However, friends or not, Vicky did never something solely for the other; giving things for free, meant giving up power. This was one of the many things she had taught Mike over the years.
"Ah… Glenn… I know him, I know him pretty well. And I do know where he's staying and how to contact him. But what can you give me for that little piece of information?"
Mike sighed; Vicky knew what he needed; now all that lasted was the usual negotiating.
"I could pay you handsomely. Or of course, us being old friends…"
"Us being friends doesn't mean you'll get anything for free. I know the deal you're talking about and I also know that Glenn is loaded. What cost me nothing to tell you, will make you a fortune. A fortune that - knowing you - you'll probably only partially share with your bosses."
She looked at Mike over her glass, an amused sparkle in her eyes when she read the truth in Mike's eyes. Vicky was one of the only people who could read him, the one who had taught him how to do so.
"How's Chris anyway? The little bugger never takes time to visit me anymore. The bastard feels he's too important to remember where he came from. And Randy? I've seen him pass by sometimes, but he never sees me. I make sure he doesn't. Aggressive little bugger, even as a kid. But it's no wonder, with parents like that. You might thought yours are bad, but Randy's? Though I don't think you know them, he moved away at a pretty young age. The only things I heard after that were gossip, but it was not pretty. Not that I've ever heard anything pretty about any of the Orton family. One big pile of shit. His sister, Becky I believe, works as a stripper and prostitute in the M5 now. Dirty place that is, and not a place that you would want your daughter or sister to be. Randy knows and so does their father, but they don't give a shit."
Vicky told this with shining eyes and soft clicking of her tongue. The woman loved to gossip and if she did not like you, she could not care less of the information she spilled. Mike sat relaxed in his chair, not showing the shock that her words gave him. He had never heard anything about Randy's past before his marine time. He did not even know that Randy was from around here. He had always thought Randy's parents had been loaded, but it seemed they had not always been. He needed to get to know more about Randy's background, something that would give him an edge over his boss. Talking to his sister might be interesting. However, that would come later; first, he needed what he came from.
"I always thought you were wasting your life working for them. You know there are rumors of Regal getting sick of Hunter? There's even rumors of Vince coming back from retirement. You might wanna make your move now, kid."
"I've heard the same things and let's just say I'm considering my options. But back to Jacobs, Vicky. I have all night to catch up on all the gossip. How much do you want?"
"I have no need for money, gorgeous. I've got everything I want and my nephew is doing good in his new business. He takes care of me just fine. But with him so busy, I'm getting a little lonely you know. And there's some jobs to do in the house, some paintings to hang, a room to paint, things like that."
Mike decided to play dumb. He had a feeling he knew who she wanted and he did not like it one bit.
"I could visit you more often, hire someone to help you out."
"No Mikey… you have no idea how to please a woman. And you know that I like my men blond."
Mike could not keep the anger out of his eyes, but he kept his voice friendly, "I can't send you Jake. He's busy."
"Don't worry Mikey," Vicky chuckled taking a sip of her whiskey, "I'm not asking you to give up your lover. He would be no fun at all. That boy has never even looked at someone else but you. But someone with your contacts must know someone who's willing to spend some hours entertaining a lady? I would pay him handsomely."
Suddenly the bleached-blond junkie came in mind and Mike grinned. He had the feeling Nick would not even object to this assignment.
"I'll send someone over the day after tomorrow. I think you'll like him. Young, blond, perfect body, a bit of a junkie, but nothing you can't handle and he's a real ladies man."
Vicky smiled and reached behind her for a pen and paper to scribble some information on.
"Tell Glenn I sent you. That will save your life. Glenn is not much saner than Randy is and much more dangerous, since he has the money to buy his own army. Now, tell me what's going on with you and that beautiful blond. Have you finally admitted that you love him?"
It only took them about thirty minutes to get close to the lab again, leaving the car five streets down, wiping away all evidence that they had ever used it, leaving the keys inside, before walking down the streets. Wade had decided to accompany Jake to the lab, wanting to get some more information about him as long as the night was still young, get to know not only Jake, but also Mike a bit better. In addition, if he got lucky, he might even run into that sexy brunette again.
They did not come far though, because only a few blocks down they ran into two figures, two whom Jake sure had not expected in that part of town, not that close to the lab, not anywhere near him at all. As he spotted them, the redhead as always carrying the lead pipe close to his body, the dirt-blond with brassknuckles wrapped around his hand and a Beretta stuffed in his waistband, he knew they were in trouble, loads of trouble. He was not sure if Wade had a weapon on him and even though they were both good fighters, he still had an injured shoulder.
"Look, look who we have here… Mister Hager and… a new plaything? What happened to your pretty boss, Jakey? Wasn't good enough anymore?"
Cena's voice ringed through the night, Wade's gaze drifting confused between Jake and the two strange men, the growl escaping his partner's throat alerting him that those two meant trouble. They were getting closer, too close, Cena's breath ghosting over Jake's face as he smirked at him.
"What, Hager? Cat cut your tongue? Not so brave and strong anymore when there's two of us?"
He could see the drugs in Cena's eyes, could smell the sweat on Cena's body almost making him hurl in disgust. How Cena was already back up after everything they had done to him a few days ago was a miracle. The guy should be curled up on a pile of piss at that rathole called his house. What he did not know was that Cena was not only pumped full of drugs but also on painkillers and still nothing made him numb enough to forget about the pain. He was thankful to have Farrelly with him.
Returning the smirk, Jake took one more step closer to him, the two men now chest to chest as he shook his head.
"Who would have thought you'll ever be able to walk again, Cena? And look… your mouth even grew bigger between last week and now… Farrelly helped you to stretch it, huh?"
Wade's chuckle made them well aware again of the existence of their two friends, Stephen watching the whole scene with as much interest as Wade, though his hand was tightly wrapped around his lead-pipe, ready to strike. The darkness of his eyes, the hard features of his face, the snarl on his lips made Barrett curse himself under his breathe for not bringing a weapon tonight. The only thing he had was his knife and somehow he doubted it would be enough if it came to a fight.
Cena's jaw clenched at the remark, his eyes flicking back and forth between Jake and the tall ravenette before he took a step back again, shaking his head.
"Funny, Hager, real funny… calling us gay even though you're the town's whore."
If it was not for his injured shoulder, he would have jumped him long ago and beaten the dirt out of his mouth, but Jake did not want to risk injuring himself even more. Mike would never forgive him and he did not want to kill them just now. After all, Mike was still waiting for his money.
"That reminds me, Cena… found enough jobs to get our 10 grand together yet? You know it's deadline in two days."
He was glad that Stephen stayed out of their discussion so far. He knew the redhead was not one to talk a lot, rather letting his actions speak for himself, and even though he was prepared, he did not like the silence radiating from the elder man.
Cena laughed heartedly, shaking his head, the sudden change in behavior alerting Barrett and startling Jake, both sets of eyes fixing on him as he almost doubled over with laughter.
"You really… think… you'll get… the money back?" Only a second later, he straightened up again, features returning to stone-cold, eyes darkening, lips twitching up in a smirk. "Too… damn… bad!" Before they knew it, Farrelly had tackled Wade to the ground, knocking him out cold with his leadpipe and Cena had caught Jake with a hard blow to his jaw, making him stumble backwards.
The two attackers gained momentum from the beginning, Jake's injured shoulder weakening him to a point where he could barely fight back while Wade was still a little exhausted from the fight he had gone through an hour ago. Brassknuckles and a leadpipe came into use leaving great amounts of bruises all over their bodies. The blond was able to block some blows, even hitting Cena back a few times. For a moment, it even looked as if he could overpower him, but the stinging pain in his shoulder all of a sudden made him lose his guard long enough for Cena to regain his strength.
All four were rolling around on the dirty streets, Wade trying to struggle free from a chokehold, getting his knee up fast enough to hit Farrelly's guts, able to roll him off him. Reaching for his knife, he quickly got it out of his waistband, striking like the pro he was and stabbing the redhead in his shoulder. The cry of pain alerted not only Cena and Jake, but also the young brunette who was on his way back to the lab. Quickly pulling and charging his gun, he ran towards the source of the noises, already quite aware of what might be happening.
Cena was up in no time, scurrying to get his Beretta out and pointing it at a heaving and panting Jake, out cold on the sidewalk, propped up on his elbows, blood leaking from his bottom-lip, jaw already starting to bruise. As soon as Wade heard the click of the gun, he spun around to face Cena, but the older male only took a few steps back, the gun in his hands pointing at Jake, then at Wade and at Jake again, a wicked grin playing on his lips.
"You better not move, buddy… or your friend will be dead in a matter of a second."
Farrelly had used the chance to get up again, trying to regain his breath, holding onto his bleeding shoulder with his good arm, pain and agony evident in his features.
Mike scowled as he turned the corner, stopping dead in his tracks as he spotted the scene in front of him. His lover on his back, Cena towering over him only a few feet away, weapon in his shaking hands. It did not take him more than a nano-second to make the decision, the loud "Bang" echoing throughout the streets, the tall, muscular dirt-blond sinking to his knees, then to his stomach, blood starting to pour from the back of his head.
Three sets of eyes gaped at the dying figure in surprise, the whole scene happening so fast that none of them had seen it coming, Farrelly's head snapping towards the small brunette, eyes widening as he saw the weapon in his hand, scrambling to get away as fast as possible, not even daring to check on his partner as he was sure he had not survived that shot.
"Don't forget the money in two days, you punk!"
It was the last he heard before he was out of their sight. Mike's eyes instantly flicked from Farrelly's retreating form to his lover, hurrying over to him and kneeling down, hands frantically clutching everywhere checking for serious injuries, checking for blood. Jake could not help but grin at him, even though the huge amount of pain he was in. The blond was so proud of his lover; he could not even form it in words.
"Babe… I'm okay… please. Just help me up, will you?"
After locking eyes with his lover, Mike hesitantly nodded, wrapping an arm around Jake's waist to steady him before pulling him up. Wade, in the meantime, had been checking on the cold form lying in the dirt, any signs of life wiped away, no heartbeat, no breathing. Mike's shot had almost literally blown his brain out.
"You sure you're okay?"
Mike still had an arm around Jake's waist, the blonde's hand involuntarily reaching for the back of his head, groaning a little as he felt for any bumps, shaking his head.
"I'm fine… nothing a nice massage can't change."
Despite being worried, Mike could not help but let a small grin appear on his lips, playfully smacking Jake's arm before a frown made its way back to his face and he turned to look down at the bleeding figure on the sidewalk, Wade standing next to him, just examining the scene.
"We better get going before the cops show up."
Neither of them would have argued with him there, both heads quickly nodding before all three of them hurried down the streets and towards the lab. If they were lucky, no one had seen their fight, if not they would have a lot of explaining to do the next days.
The city was dark, only some near-by lights giving the park a natural glow to it, Cody's fingers linked with the tall ravenette's as they walked towards their destination. Randy had not told him anything about the date, just that there was no need to dress up. Now that they were in the park, close to 10 pm already, Cody was glad that Randy had ordered Ted to follow them in a decent distance. He knew that his lover was playing mind-games with Ted and had happily agreed when Randy had asked him if it was okay.
The brunette was actually surprised that Randy had taken him on that date at all. He had kind of been sure that Randy would back-pedal at the very last minute and decide against this whole serious relationship thing. What the older man did not know was that it was Cody's first actual experience at something like this. He'd never had anything close to a relationship. Flings and One-Night-Stands yeah, but a date that -like he had requested it to Randy- would not end in sex, it was definitely a first.
The two lovers were silent, both of them oddly nervous even though they knew each other most of their lives. Cody wasn't the only one who had never been on a date before. Randy had never had the urge to do so, the need for something more than a quick fuck. The moment Cody had left his office that morning he wondered why he had so readily agreed on Cody's request for a serious relationship. He still didn't really understand; the only thing he knew was that Cody's company made him feel calm and peaceful and... normal. With Cody near the voices were quiet, never more then whispers in the background. Ever since he met Cody, the boy had that effect on him; his mere presence enough to calm him down, the innocence and playfulness of those blue eyes enough to make him forget about his pain.
As they reached their destination, Cody's eyes went wide, his lips parting slightly in a silent gasp at the scene in front of him. In a silent part of the park, a playground only a few feet away -empty at this time of the day- there lay a big blanket, surrounded by candles -not lit yet- and a basket in the middle of it. Next to the basket lay a single red rose, the moonlight barely skimming it.
Randy took in the surprised expression on Cody's handsome face, smiling inwardly as his eyes scanned the glimmer in Cody's blues, the big smile on his full, so soft lips. It was beyond him why every time the boy smiled, he could not help but smile, too. He had ordered Nick to arrange this picnic an hour ago and was actually stunned that the blond junkie did not screw something up for once. He knew if he wanted Cody to trust him again, to see the real him, the man that was still somewhere deep inside of him, behind those nagging voices and his coldness, he would have to give his best.
Ted stared at the pair, unsure of what to do, unsure of what they wanted from him. Was this meant as pure torture, or was Randy actually afraid something was going to happen? Forcing his eyes of his friends he stared into the darkness, looking, listening for something wrong. Pure jealousy filled him with a rage he didn't even knew he had in him, two feelings that were so, so wrong for the wrong reasons. For the thousandth time that day he started whispering prayers, hoping to calm his aching nerves.
The two brunettes had no idea of Ted's inner turmoil's, or if they did, didn't give a damn. They were all eyes, all ears for the other. The world around them forgotten for the moment. "Randy... this is... beautiful." He smiled up to the older man, love filling his heart. He knew he had been right about Randy, that there was a softer side of him somewhere deep inside.
Though Randy just shrugged, his sparkling eyes told Cody how much he appreciated the fact that he liked it. "It's nothing."
Cody smiled at him as they sat down on the blanket, Randy right next to him, wrapping an arm around the boy's waist to pull him into his side. The warmth of the Atlanta-air was nothing compared to his lovers body-warmth, radiating through him just by the mere contact of his bare arm.
The young brunette had done a lot of thinking over the past two days, most of it during his restless nights. He was sure that Randy's change had come not only from his past, but also from the constant use of drugs and the constant illegal fights he had done before he had to "retire" due to his shoulder- and neck-injuries. If he could get him to stop using, maybe it would be a good first step into the right direction.
What he did not know was what had happened in Randy's past that he had become the person he was now. The older brunette never talked about it, no one knew anything about his childhood, about how he grew up, none of them had ever met his parents though he had heard a lot of rumors on the streets. If only half of it was true, he already had his explanation.
The picnic went –to both of them surprisingly- good. They talked about all kind of things; music, movies, job, the city, their past "relationships", their past in general. None of them had even realized until them how few they really knew about the other one. Though Cody realized that Randy kept his answers about his childhood short, he was thankful that the older man let him in on at least some of it. Randy had not planned on ever telling Cody about his past, let alone in a park where every one could listen in. The few answers he had given the boy had been nothing spectacular.
Ted was still leaning against the tree nearby, looking everywhere but at them. The loving gestures between them, the gentle touches, the tender and longing kisses did nothing but to intensify the jealousy inside of him. Even though he had enjoyed watching them many times before, that had been hard, meaningless and fast sex, nothing compared to what was going on right now. It made him sick to his stomach to see the feelings between them grow with each passing minute.
"Randy… let's go on the swing!"
Even Ted couldn't suppress the chuckle at Cody's enthusiastic outburst after they had finished their picnic, the stunned look on Randy's face almost making him burst out in laughter.
"Babe… I don't think it's appropriate for a man with my reputation to go on a swing."
"Please?"
Cody's lashes fluttered against his prominent cheekbones before opening again, the most influencing puppy-dog-eyes staring straight back at the else so hard macho with pouting lips, trembling.
"Fine!"
It was rather an annoyed growl as Randy looked around the park before pushing himself off the ground, holding a hand out to a now beaming brunette and helping him up, their lips meeting for a short kiss as they stood chest to chest.
"Anything you want."
As they reached the swings, Cody motioned for his lover to sit down first, the older man hesitating a while, but finally obeying after his eyes scanned their surroundings again, gaining a chuckle from his lover.
"Randy! You really think it'll hurt your reputation when someone sees you on a swing?"
The older man just grunted as he finally sat down on it, crossing his arms over his chest, face clearly showing the frustration he felt. "Well… yeah!" Cody shook his head, smiling at his lover before moving in front of him and straddling his thighs, kissing him softly.
"If anything, it will help your reputation… cause you're here with the hottest thing in town."
He winked, eliciting a loud laugh from the tattooed man, the eldest instantly relaxing and feeling at ease, something only Cody could do to him. He was sure that Cody would never betray him, never hurt him, that unlike everyone else in his life he would not leave him. For some reason the boy did not judge him like everyone else, the brunette did not push him, he showed him something that Randy had never felt before: trust, love and worthiness. Unlike HIM, Cody accepted him the way he was.
The younger man smirked, scooting even closer, pushing Randy's thighs together with his palms. Alarmed at what the young brunette planned, Randy's brows shot up, eyes widening, grabbing the strings and holding onto them tightly. "Codes… you can't do that! This thing won't hold the two of us."
Cody just shrugged, raising one of his legs and pushing it in between the string and Randy's waist, doing the same with the other leg. "It will… I know it will." And before Randy could react, the brunette already sat in his lap, faces only inches apart. Randy wet his lips, staring straight into those ocean blue eyes, slight smirk playing on his face. "I'm not the first you're here with, huh?"
The young man just shrugged, pursing his lips at him, Randy's hands holding him tight by his waist while his own were wrapped around the short-shorn man's neck. "Maybe I've been here before… once or twice." Randy's smirk grew as he shook his head at him, his eyes gleaming with lust, length growing harder with every slight shift of Cody's hips. "Little slut, you." "Takes one to know one."
Anyone else would have been dead by now, or at least knocked out cold, but Cody's only answer was a sharp snap of his hips and a playful growl of the older man, his lips soon covered by those of his lovers. Randy's eyes stayed open, darting over to the blond watching them intensely, thinking neither of them would notice, as their kiss grew harder, needier.
"How bout we give Teddy-boy a show, babe?"
It was only a soft murmur against his lips, the huskiness of Randy's voice making Cody well aware of what he was hinting at and he instantly pulled away, blue emeralds staring at the older man as he shook his head. "You promised me something for tonight."
As if on commando, Randy let out an almost childish huff, pulling the young brunette even closer to him as he buried his face in the crook of Cody's neck, sighing. "I know… a man can try, can't he?"
As he watched the ongoing scene, Ted could not help to think back to his little conversation with Randy they had had yesterday in the hallway.
Closing the door behind them, Randy raked a hand through his shortly-shaven hair, closing his eyes for a second and taking a deep breath, before eyeing Ted. The young man was visibly shaking, swallowing hard at the look of despair in Randy's eyes, chewing on his lips as he waited for his boss, his friend to say something.
"You've talked to my dad… you've actually asked him for money."
It was more a statement than a question, the hiss clearly audible, Randy's voice though seemingly calm and low. Ted bit his lip, looking down at his feet as he tried to avoid eye-contact. There was something about Randy's look to make him feel uneasy, to scare him to death, to frighten him and he was sure, he was not the only one who felt that way.
Suddenly, he was pushed back into the wall, colliding hard with the brick, feeling Randy's breath ghosting over his face.
"Answer me one question, Teddy… what the fuck do you think you were doing?"
The venom in his voice made Ted shudder even more, Randy's hands on either side of his head and his face only inches away not really helping the matter as he tried to keep his composure, tried to look strong.
"I… he…"
"You know how fucking much I hate this bastard, Ted… you know it. You're the only one who knows… and still you go and talk to him, still you have the courage to ask HIM for money?"
Ted gulped, his gaze staying fixed on the floor as he tried to form words, form a sentence, the right ones.
"I… I needed the money… I'm having some troubles and… with the payment I get… I didn't… I… well, Kristen doesn't know and I just needed money, quick. You know my dad doesn't talk to me anymore; neither does my mother… so… who was I supposed to go to? Your dad was kind enough to listen and… to give me what I needed."
Randy was shaking with anger, with frustration, his whole body tense, muscles bulging underneath his tight shirt. Just as Ted braced himself for the slap to come, Randy turned his back towards him, clamping his hands over his face to stifle a scream before raking them down. If Ted had not been behind him, he would have seen the tears in his friend's eyes, tears of desperation, of anger, of agony.
"I'm sorry… but…"
"Shut up, Ted!"
The else so hard and steady was voice shaking now, throaty and raw as he took a deep breath. Ted knew better than to push his friend, than to act against his boss' order, slowly backing away again as he had taken a step towards Randy only seconds before.
"God damn, Ted… you could've come to me… but of all people… of all the ones you know, I know, you choose the one I despise the most. Fuck, really Ted…"
Staying quiet, Ted lowered his head again, tears threatening to build in his eyes. He knew that if Randy finds out, this would happen, knew he made a mistake to first go there, to that place of sin and lust, last night and then visit Bob early this morning, but he had needed the money for… well… to silence his desires, his needs. His wife sure was not the one to go to for that and he had been too embarrassed to ask Randy. The only option he could think off had been his friends father and even though he know their history, he was too desperate, too burnt out to even care.
The sharp inhale brought him out of his thoughts again, looking back up to find Randy standing in front of him once more, his sunglasses back on his nose, hiding his eyes as the older man seemingly tried to collect his feelings, his thoughts. The small tear-drop on his cheek should have surprised Ted, but he knew better than to say anything.
"How much?"
Ted blinked at the older man in confusion, tilting his head to the side and arching his brows as he was trying to figure what Randy was talking about.
"How much did he give you?"
"Five Thousand…"
It was barely above a whisper, Ted's embarrassment making his voice weak, making him look like a little boy asking for forgiveness as he lowered his head again. Randy took a deep breath, audible to Ted, before shaking his head and taking out his wallet from the back of his jeans, rummaging through it until he found the one thing he was looking for.
"Pen."
The voice back to calm, Ted looked back up at his friend, seeing the changed expression on his face. He looked a lot more at ease now, almost relaxed as he held out a hand to the questioning blond. Once again, Ted did not grasp what Randy wanted, looking a little dumbfolded at the dark-tanned male.
"Give me a fucking pen, Ted."
He obeyed instantly, searching his pockets for the item Randy knew so well he had always with him. It was one of his habits to carry one with him all the time in case his weapons would not work or he would get stripped of them. It might have sounded ridiculous, but he knew how to use that pen for more than just writing. Finally finding it in the back of his jeans, he pulled it out with shaking hands, holding it out to Randy.
The older man almost ripped it out of his grip, without a word or so much as a look at the blond, scrambling down on the piece of paper before handing it back to Ted.
"Take that check and give it to Bob. I don't want you to have any debts, not with him anyways."
He handed the surprised man the check, but not before taking off his sunglasses again, his now hard, stoned eyes boring directly into Ted's frightened greens, the snarl coming back to his lips.
"And next time, Ted… make sure you ask ME before you go to that old, useless bastard. You understand me?"
Ted only managed to nod, taking what was handed to him, slowly folding it to place it in the back-pocket of his jeans, determined to make his next visit to Bob before the evening dawned. He sure was not going to betray Randy's trust again. He was glad enough that the older man had not snapped on him, had not strangled nor hit him and especially that he now knew, he did not need to worry about their friendship.
He wondered what if Cody knew… would he still love that man so very much?
"Why's it always like this lately, Jakey?" Mike let his eyes travel over the form of his lover, who sat crumbled on his bed, head hanging, pale from the shock and the pain.
"Like what, babe?" Jake raked his hand through his hair, making it stand to all sides. He met Mike's eyes, which were warm with concern. He could not help but smile at this openness. Things had definitely changed for the better between them.
"You being injured, me having to rescue you and take care of you." His eyes suddenly got a devilish gleam, perfectly matching the smirk on his lips. "You do this on purpose, don't you? You like it when I take care of you."
Jake grinned, groin tightening because of the look Mike gave him. "Yeah right, I get beaten up by Cena and that crazy Irishman to make you act all nice and sweet." Slowly he lifted himself from the bed, stalking towards the brunette. "But I tell you this, Mikey. I have absolutely no intention of letting you take care of me." With those words, he shoved Mike against the wall, holding him there with his bodily weight, grabbing his wrists in one hand and pinning them against the wall. "I can take care of you just fine." He crashed his lips on Mike, ravishing his man's mouth, grinding against him. Mike hungrily answered the kiss, completely taken aback by the force behind the assault, but no less craving it. It had been too long since they last had sex.
Suddenly Jake ended the kiss, stepping back and walking away. Mike stared after him, breathless, hand on his racing heart. Jake leant against the bathroom door and smirked at Mike.
"I'm gonna take a shower. Wanna join me?"
With that words he disappeared inside the bathroom, leaving Mike bewildered for a moment. Jake was changing; time would tell if it was a good change, but one thing was certain, it was attractive as hell. He hesitated, not sure if he would let his control slip away so easy, but he still felt Jake's body against his, the passion in their kiss and he suddenly did not care anymore and hurried to join his lover.
The blond stood already under the streaming water, steam filling the room. Mike trailed his eyes over the sculpted form of his man, his broad shoulders, the strong back with the muscles rippling beneath the bronzed skin, the perfect ass and his longer-than-life legs.
"You're bloody perfect, you know that?" Mike groaned while ripping off his own clothes.
Jake turned around, a huge grin on his face, his arousal already clearly visible.
"Anything to please you…, boss," he answered playfully, his eyes glued on the stripping brunette, who looked just as perfect in his eyes.
Mike quickly stepped out off his boxers and stalked towards the waiting man. He pressed his body against his and wrapped his hand in the blond hair, to pull his head down and claimed the hot lips. Their kiss was passionate and sloppy, with clacking teeth and tongues fighting for dominance. This kiss was the only thing needed to make the two men rock-hard and throbbing for the other.
Both men panted into the kiss. Their lengths were trapped between their bodies and their buckling hips drove them together. The eldest slipped both hands between them and wrapped them around both dicks, rubbing them together. Loud groans filled the room, as Jake hid his face in Mike's neck, closing his eyes for a moment to completely savor the feeling of the expert hands of his lover. His lips nibbled the soft skin, quickly finding the places that drove Mike wild with need.
"I need you Jake… I need you to fuck me raw."
Two big hands trailed over the brunette's back, clenching his ass, fingers teased the cleft, making Mike mewl in anticipation. A tip of a finger entered the tight hole, massaging the velvet walls, lips found each other, hungrily kneading. Mike pushed back on the teasing finger, forcing it completely inside, rocking back and forth, uttering a loud scream when Jake stabbed the bundle of nerves inside him.
"Hurry up!"
"Needy aren't we?" Jake chuckled, but felt his own need rising by every yank on his dripping erection, by the way Mike rocked back on his finger, by the look of intense pleasure on his man's face. Suddenly he could not wait until he was pounding away in that inviting hole. A second finger was quickly adding, pulling roughly in and out. Groans left Mike's lips. He never minded it rough; at times like these, he even needed it rough. A few more stabs and Jake pulled his fingers out, shoving his man against the wall and deeply kissing him, meanwhile lifting him. A sharp pain made him cry out, letting Mike slip down.
"Fucking shoulder!"
The two men stared at each other for a few seconds; pain and concern drowned out by their mutual lust, before Mike turned around, leant his hands against the wall and offered the other his hot ass. The invitation was immediately taken; the larger man pressed his body against the brunette, pushing him against the wall. Mike tensed up for a moment, taken back to a moment of helplessness; another moment of being pushed against a wall; to the paralyzing fear of a man forcing his way into his resisting body. A gasp left his lips, eyes clenching shut, until the soft touch of his lover, the lips that tenderly nuzzled his neck, brought him back into the now.
"What's wrong, Mike?" Jake's voice was soft with concern. He had not missed the fear that gripped his love's body. He wrapped his arms protectively around Mike's waist and pulled him close, chin resting on his shoulder, cheeks rubbing together.
"Not now, Jake… We'll talk later… now I need you to make me forget… please help me forget…"
Jake closed his eyes and swallowed. He had a feeling what Mike needed to forget and he had to concentrate on the hot naked skin of his lover against his to keep his arousal intact. Mike needed this from him, like he had needed it countless times before and would hopefully never need again. As always, he would give the man he lived for exactly what he wanted.
"Please babe… I need to feel you in me… please."
Jake felt bad how it turned him on to hear Mike beg. Him begging was something new, a sign how much the last few days had effected Mike and a sign of the changed relationship between them.
Jake rubbed his leaking shaft up and down Mike's cleft, positioned himself in front of the pucker and as an answer to a inviting moan from the other, he plunged himself into the waiting depths. The heat gripped him like nothing else could and he wrapped his arms around Mike's waist again, creating as much connection between them as possible, lips trailing the naked shoulder.
"This… this is only ours… no-one else… I'll never let anyone hurt you again… let me protect you, Mikey… let me love you… You're mine and only mine…"
He did not expect an answer, but he got it anyway, when he slowly started to move in and out the tight hole.
"Yours," Mike groaned when Jake pulled fully out and plunged in again, hitting the bundle of fuck inside him, making his body arch up and sing. With every slow thrust, Mike felt like he melted a little bit more, every bit of tension leaving his body, until he was as liquid fire under the loving hands.
No force was applied, no roughness between them tonight. Jake showed him how love could decisively drive the demons away. No more words were spoken between them, only soft moans and pants filled the air, bodies rocked to meet the other, never once quickening the rhythm.
Nothing else mattered than the unique connection between them, the connection that Mike finally admitted to be love. Ecstasy rose through their veins, building higher and higher, reaching for a peak they had never reached before. When Jake felt the eruption build strong inside his belly, he tenderly wrapped his hand around Mike's twitching cock, keeping the rhythm of his hand the same as the pace of his slow thrusts against the bundle of nerves. Mike slowly lost control, buckling his hips back, impaling himself on the thick cock, his inner walls clenching violently as he tried to keep his orgasm back for a few more seconds. Jake answered the frantic moves by thrusting harder and harder inside his man, until they both exploded at the same moment, milking the other of every last drop of hot cum, screaming their lover's name so hard that it made the people downstairs in the lab look up and smile knowingly.
They slumped down the wall, Jake suddenly too tired to support his own weight and dragging the limp form of the brunette down with him. He pulled Mike on his lap and relaxed against the wall, while the hot water washed the sticky mess off their bodies.
Mike sighed, leaning his head against Jake's strong shoulder and caressing his cheek.
"I needed that."
Jake wrapped his arms around his love and pulled him close, claiming Mike's lips for a sweet kiss.
"Me too… We needed this." He grinned to his lover, "And now I need that massage you promised me, everything hurts."
Mike slowly made his way to his feet, turned of the shower and wrapped himself in a soft towel, before throwing one to Jake.
"Maybe that will teach you not to fight with maniacs, or to go outside unarmed. That was really insane, of you and Barrett both."
Jake huffed, slightly insulted, he felt stupid enough without Mike reminding him.
"Look who ruins the mood again."
A soft kiss left him breathless, the warmth in the blue eyes made his heart jump up into his throat. It was all the apology he needed. When they were both dry again, Mike pulled Jake after him and told him to lie down on the bed. And while his hands rubbed warm oil into the aching muscles, he opened up for the first time and told Jake all that was on his mind.
On other side-notes, I've never said anything about the winners for my lyrics challenge in "Couples". I'll publish the winner on my next one-shot of "SmutFest". Now please... have fun in reviewing the chapter! :P
