You have a date?

Kane was an asshole. Randy was too persistent and Punk was a dick. John had decided all this while sitting in the locker room. He'd avoided a few encounters with Randy already but he still had Kane to deal with.

Randy had seemed to have decided to make it his mission to prove to John that he was a different person. It wasn't as if he didn't know Randy was a little different. He'd been in several tag matches with Randy since the breakup of Legacy but Randy could still be a bit unstable at times.

Watching Punk and Ziggler interact with each other wasn't helping him much either. John was still blaming Punk for his new line of thinking when it came to Randy because he had started to notice things he hadn't let himself before. Things like how pretty Randy's gray eyes could be, even when they were shining with rage. Things like how little Randy wore when he was in the ring.

He was in a sour mood as he sat in a far corner to watch the show, waiting to be called for his own match. Punk and Ziggler were sitting not too far away from him, side by side. He had no clue what the two of them were saying to each other but the almost identical smirks on their faces told a story of their own.

"You're not avoiding me, are you?" The deep voice startled John and he looked up just as Randy sat down beside him.

"Of course not," John answered automatically, lying through his teeth. He'd never been too great at lying though and it didn't even sound convincing to him.

"Sure you're not." Randy paused, studied him a moment. "Look, I have a proposal."

"Alright," John said cautiously.

"We go out." Randy held up a hand when John began to automatically protest. "I'm not trying to pressure or anything. I'm just saying we go out, have fun. We've done that before, right? I get that you don't trust me at this point but give me a chance, at least one. I promise I'm not going to throw myself at you while we're out."

John chewed his lip, considered this. He'd been resolved before-well, kind of resolved. "I don't…"

"A chance, John. That's all I'm asking for."

And he couldn't really argue with the tone of Randy's voice or the look in his eyes. "Alright…"

Xxxxxxxxx

After John left the room, Randy got up and walking around he took the seat he'd seen CM Punk vacate just a few moments before. Ziggler was smiling when he sat down and it didn't fall at all when he met Randy's gaze.

"Somebody has a date tonight," Randy commented, stretching his legs out before him. "And I'm going to bet it isn't you."

"You have a date?" Ziggler asked, his tone mocking. "Are you sure about that? Sure Cena isn't going to bail on you halfway through? He sure didn't look too excited when he left here."

"I'm doing better than you," Randy replied with a scowl.

Ziggler's smile only grew. "Sure about that, Orton? I've at least gotten my hands on Punk."

Randy rolled his eyes. "In the ring, Ziggler. I'm betting he hasn't let you anywhere close to where you need to be to win this bet outside of the ring."

"I'm getting there," Ziggler said with an unconcerned shrug.

Randy leaned closer to him. "Well, if you don't get there fast enough…" He left the sentence hanging, didn't need to remind Ziggler verbally the stakes they had set down for the bet.

"I'll get there before you, Orton."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

John was just unlocking the door to his hotel room when Punk came up to him. "Hey, you going out?"

"Yeah." He'd told Randy he'd change and then meet him.

"Great. Can I use your room while you're gone? I'm bored out of my skull and I don't feel like going out right now."

"Why would you need my room?" John asked even as he opened the door and let Punk inside.

"Ziggler somehow found out which one is mine and he's been bugging the shit out of me. And as much as I'm enjoying this game, I am exhausted right now."

"Well, if you actually slept every once and a while, you might not be. What the hell is going on with you and Ziggler anyway?"

Punk grinned. "Did you watch any of our matches? I honestly think I might be able to drive the guy insane before this is over."

John rolled his eyes and huffed out a small laugh. "Why would you want to play that game?"

Punk shrugged. "Because it is kind of fun. The guy won't leave me the fuck alone and this is way more entertaining that just getting pissed about it. And, I can still kick his ass during our matches."

"And you don't think this is going to backfire on you?"

"I can handle Ziggler." He paused, looked John over. "Where are you going anyway?"

"Just…out." John looked away from him, pocketed his room key.

"Out, huh?" He studied John's expression. "Out with Randy?"

John jerked his head up. "What? I'm not…." He didn't even finish that and Punk grinned at him.

"Yeah. And you're getting on me for messing with Ziggler. So, you have a date?" Punk sounded highly amused by the idea.

"Shut up." John immediately headed for the door. "Just…leave my room intact, will you?"

"Who do you think I am? I'm not the guy that destroys hotel rooms."

"Whatever. I'm leaving."

"Have fun!" Punk called just before he closed the door. John let out a sigh. He needed better friends.

Xxxxxxxxxx

John was having a good time. He'd been wary about the prospect of going out with Randy but had forgotten about that wariness after they'd made it to the club Randy had picked out. John had always liked going out to places like it. He liked the atmosphere and he liked dancing.

John got a view of Randy that he'd honestly never seen before. They danced in with the crowd, and while Randy often moved into his personal space, he wasn't making it obvious, which John was grateful for.

Randy was smiling-a real smile-for most of the night. He joked around with John and he danced. John had to admit that Randy may have been beautiful when he wasn't scowling in a rage. They didn't talk much, the music too loud to do so but John still had a good time.

In fact, he had a much better time than he'd thought he would and by the end of the night, his view of Randy had changed just a little bit. Randy never once pressured him during the night and, when they separated to leave at the end of the night, both men had smiles on their faces.

John was just even more confused about where he should stand with Randy.