A few years later . . .
Shannon took another swig from his Jack Daniels bottle and stared up at the night sky from his hotel balcony. If he closed his eyes, he could revisit that time a few years back and feel Jeff's mouth exploring his chest. He'd done it a lot since that night. He and Jeff hadn't hooked back up since and Shannon tried to keep the hurt inside. He didn't understand but he didn't want to lose Jeff completely. He let his mind wander back.
They'd awakened early, just after dawn. The sunlight hadn't let them sleep. Jeff's arms had still been around Shannon's waist. When Shannon stirred, Jeff had jumped back as if he'd been burnt. Shannon felt a deep pain stab his heart but didn't say anything, figuring Jeff had been ashamed of what they'd done when they were drunk. He rubbed his eyes pretending he hadn't noticed that Jeff was staring nervously at him. If the older man wanted to ignore what happened, Shannon's only choice was to go along with it if he wanted to have Jeff in his life at all.
"So, I guess I'll let you get ready to go then," Shannon said offering Jeff what he hoped was a friendly smile.
"Uh, yeah," Jeff said smiling back. "I'll call you next week sometime and let you know how it's going."
"Sounds good," said the smaller blond. He patted Jeff's arm on his way out of the yard.
They'd never discussed what had happened that night again. In the few years since, Jeff had immersed himself in his extreme character and his multitude of fans. The girls loved him. He wasn't a womanizer but he did date a bit more. He'd recently settled down with a girlfriend, Beth. Shannon watched them when they didn't know he was looking. He couldn't get his best friend out of his mind, or his heart. For his own part, Shannon had settled into a nice relationship with Crystal, a girl he'd known for years.
It was just that every so often, well often, Shannon couldn't get that night out of mind. So he handled it as he always did: he bought a bottle of Jack and wallowed in his memories. He took another long swig, closed his eyes and felt the slow, hard stirrings caused by his memories, as a tear slid down his cheek.
*************************************
The next evening, Shannon wrapped the tape around his wrist tightly. He'd twisted his left wrist in a house show the week before and wanted to make sure it was protected as best as possible before he went on tonight. The door opened and he looked up, startled.
"Just me," Shane smiled.
"Hey," Shannon grinned back.
"You ready for our big boy band debut?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," Shannon laughed. "You?"
"Yeah," Shane replied dropping onto a bench to tie his boots. "I can't wait! I'm so glad they came up with a gimmick for us. I was so scared they were going to let us go."
"Me, too."
The door banged open and Evan strutted inside like he owned the place. Nothing new. Shane and Shannon exchanged a smile before greeting him.
"How goes it, my man?" Shane cried.
"Going great," Evan grinned. "How you doing, Shan?" He clapped Shannon's shoulder causing the smaller wrestler to jump.
"Doing, fine, Ev," Shannon smiled.
Evan had been hanging around Shannon more lately and it was a bit disconcerting. He was a great guy and really good looking, but Shannon wasn't attracted. He liked Evan fine but he wasn't sure what was going on here. He tried to stay with Shane as much as possible these days, but this new gimmick would have him spending more time with Evan now. A job's a job, though, and he was glad to be working for WCW.
"You guys need another rehearsal?" Shane asked.
"Nah," Shannon waved him off. "I got the songs down."
"Yeah," Evan agreed. "Besides, as soon as Shannon hits the scene, the girls will be screaming too loud to hear us anyway."
"Speak for yourself, man," Shane pretended to grouse. "I ain't no slouch myself."
"Neither am I," Evan grinned.
"That's debatable," Shane laughed.
Shannon laughed along with them, but Evan's comment made him uneasy again. He finished taping his other wrist and bent down to lace up his boots.
"Hey, I'll be right back," Shane said and he darted out the door, leaving Shannon and Evan alone.
Shannon's stomach lurched but he tried to keep his actions calm.
"So, Shan," Evan said in a low voice. "What you up to lately?"
"Up to nothing, Ev," the blond replied pulling tightly on his laces and refraining from looking up.
"Really? Because I haven't seen you around much lately. I thought you must be busy."
"Just the usual stuff," Shannon said, beginning to sweat a little. "Traveling wears me out and I'm trying to spend more time with Crystal when I can."
"Oh," Evan said, disappointment evident in his voice. "So, you're avoiding me then?"
"Why would I avoid you?" Shannon shifted to the other boot now, taking his time.
"I don't know," Evan said plopping down on the bench next to Shannon. "I just got the feeling."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"No, I meant why are you trying to spend time with me?" Shannon asked. He wasn't sure he wanted to have this conversation, but there seemed to be no way around it.
"I just wanted to," Evan said, his face reddening a bit.
"Look, I'm not sure if I have this right, so please don't take this wrongly," Shannon began, licking his lips. "I got a girlfriend."
"I know," Evan said, smiling faintly. "I do, too. I just can't stop thinking about you."
Something in Evan's desperate tone pulled at Shannon's heart. He knew exactly what the other man was feeling. He lived it for the last few years while the object of his own deep desires pretended the most earth shattering night of his life never happened. Try as he might, he just couldn't hold onto the discomfort he'd felt earlier.
"Really?" he asked nonchalantly. "Me?"
"Yeah," Evan nodded, looking down. "Look, I know you have a girl and nothing serious could ever come from it, but do you think you could, you know, go out with me. Just once?"
Shannon sighed and tilted his head studying his new tag team partner. Evan still hadn't looked up. It seemed he'd already resigned himself to a rejection.
"Sure," Shannon finally said and Evan's eyes snapped up to his in surprise. Shannon laughed as he took in Evan's hopeful expression. "I said yes," he assured him.
"Really?" Evan finally smiled.
Shannon smiled. "I can't promise anything but a date, though. Like we both said, we've got girls. But as long as we know what's what, what's the harm?"
"That's what I was thinking," Evan grinned. "Thanks, Shan. How about tomorrow night?"
"Okay," Shannon chuckled.
"Hey, Ev, Bish wants to see you," Shane said, poking his head back in the doorway.
"Okay," Evan said, jumping up. "See you two in a few."
"What's with him?" Shane asked with a laugh, sitting down in the spot Evan just vacated.
"Nothing."
He knew that wouldn't work but he tried anyway. Shane could be a pain in the ass when he wanted to and Shannon had a feeling this was one of those time.
"Sha-a-annon?" Shane teased. "What's up?"
"Nothing," Shannon felt his cheeks grow hot. "He asked me out on a date and I said okay."
Shane went quiet and watched Shannon through shuttered eyes.
"What?" Shannon asked.
"You sure you want to go down that road?" Shane asked carefully.
Shane was the only person Shannon told about that night with Jeff, and he hadn't told him everything. As far as Shane knew, Jeff and Shannon made out and cuddled all night. But that was enough. The other man, who looked at Shannon as a younger brother, was very protective of his feelings. He remained friends with the Hardy brothers, but as far as Shane was concerned, Jeff was just Matt's brother. Nothing more. He couldn't understand how Jeff could play with Shannon but ignore his feelings so easily the next day. And Shane could see Shannon's love shining in his eyes whenever Jeff was near, but the younger Hardy refused to acknowledge it. Shane had told Shannon, on numerous occasions, what he thought of Jeff, so his reaction to Shannon's dating another guy wasn't surprising.
"It's just one date," Shannon sighed, rolling his eyes. "He was telling me how he couldn't stop thinking about me and I guess I felt like I could help him avoid the pain."
"Shannon, just be careful, okay?" Shane said, putting an arm around Shannon's shoulder. "I heard some things about Ev that don't sit right with me."
"Like what?" Shannon asked.
"He dates a lot of guys and the relationships end badly."
"Badly how?" Shannon was beginning to worry about what he'd got himself into.
"He gets obsessive, I hear," Shane said.
"It's only one date."
"Okay," Shane said, backing off. "Just be careful."
"Okay," Shannon said distractedly, thinking about how he could keep things distant but friendly with Evan. Tomorrow would come too soon, he thought.
*********************************
AUTHOR'S NOTE: First, I'm very excited about my reviews! Thank you all for welcoming my first piece. I have so many ideas for this story I just hope I don't blow it!
Grasshopper: This is definitely not the end yet! Poor Shannon has some more angst to go through first. (I just LOVE Shannon!)
Hearts Desire: I went to the site you recommended, but I couldn't get it. Maybe it's just temporarily down. I'll keep checking. Thanks!
Cat Lea Takersdarkone: THANKS! I was really nervous about the romance scene. I hope it was hot enough!
I hope you all stay with me for more!
Shannon took another swig from his Jack Daniels bottle and stared up at the night sky from his hotel balcony. If he closed his eyes, he could revisit that time a few years back and feel Jeff's mouth exploring his chest. He'd done it a lot since that night. He and Jeff hadn't hooked back up since and Shannon tried to keep the hurt inside. He didn't understand but he didn't want to lose Jeff completely. He let his mind wander back.
They'd awakened early, just after dawn. The sunlight hadn't let them sleep. Jeff's arms had still been around Shannon's waist. When Shannon stirred, Jeff had jumped back as if he'd been burnt. Shannon felt a deep pain stab his heart but didn't say anything, figuring Jeff had been ashamed of what they'd done when they were drunk. He rubbed his eyes pretending he hadn't noticed that Jeff was staring nervously at him. If the older man wanted to ignore what happened, Shannon's only choice was to go along with it if he wanted to have Jeff in his life at all.
"So, I guess I'll let you get ready to go then," Shannon said offering Jeff what he hoped was a friendly smile.
"Uh, yeah," Jeff said smiling back. "I'll call you next week sometime and let you know how it's going."
"Sounds good," said the smaller blond. He patted Jeff's arm on his way out of the yard.
They'd never discussed what had happened that night again. In the few years since, Jeff had immersed himself in his extreme character and his multitude of fans. The girls loved him. He wasn't a womanizer but he did date a bit more. He'd recently settled down with a girlfriend, Beth. Shannon watched them when they didn't know he was looking. He couldn't get his best friend out of his mind, or his heart. For his own part, Shannon had settled into a nice relationship with Crystal, a girl he'd known for years.
It was just that every so often, well often, Shannon couldn't get that night out of mind. So he handled it as he always did: he bought a bottle of Jack and wallowed in his memories. He took another long swig, closed his eyes and felt the slow, hard stirrings caused by his memories, as a tear slid down his cheek.
*************************************
The next evening, Shannon wrapped the tape around his wrist tightly. He'd twisted his left wrist in a house show the week before and wanted to make sure it was protected as best as possible before he went on tonight. The door opened and he looked up, startled.
"Just me," Shane smiled.
"Hey," Shannon grinned back.
"You ready for our big boy band debut?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," Shannon laughed. "You?"
"Yeah," Shane replied dropping onto a bench to tie his boots. "I can't wait! I'm so glad they came up with a gimmick for us. I was so scared they were going to let us go."
"Me, too."
The door banged open and Evan strutted inside like he owned the place. Nothing new. Shane and Shannon exchanged a smile before greeting him.
"How goes it, my man?" Shane cried.
"Going great," Evan grinned. "How you doing, Shan?" He clapped Shannon's shoulder causing the smaller wrestler to jump.
"Doing, fine, Ev," Shannon smiled.
Evan had been hanging around Shannon more lately and it was a bit disconcerting. He was a great guy and really good looking, but Shannon wasn't attracted. He liked Evan fine but he wasn't sure what was going on here. He tried to stay with Shane as much as possible these days, but this new gimmick would have him spending more time with Evan now. A job's a job, though, and he was glad to be working for WCW.
"You guys need another rehearsal?" Shane asked.
"Nah," Shannon waved him off. "I got the songs down."
"Yeah," Evan agreed. "Besides, as soon as Shannon hits the scene, the girls will be screaming too loud to hear us anyway."
"Speak for yourself, man," Shane pretended to grouse. "I ain't no slouch myself."
"Neither am I," Evan grinned.
"That's debatable," Shane laughed.
Shannon laughed along with them, but Evan's comment made him uneasy again. He finished taping his other wrist and bent down to lace up his boots.
"Hey, I'll be right back," Shane said and he darted out the door, leaving Shannon and Evan alone.
Shannon's stomach lurched but he tried to keep his actions calm.
"So, Shan," Evan said in a low voice. "What you up to lately?"
"Up to nothing, Ev," the blond replied pulling tightly on his laces and refraining from looking up.
"Really? Because I haven't seen you around much lately. I thought you must be busy."
"Just the usual stuff," Shannon said, beginning to sweat a little. "Traveling wears me out and I'm trying to spend more time with Crystal when I can."
"Oh," Evan said, disappointment evident in his voice. "So, you're avoiding me then?"
"Why would I avoid you?" Shannon shifted to the other boot now, taking his time.
"I don't know," Evan said plopping down on the bench next to Shannon. "I just got the feeling."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"No, I meant why are you trying to spend time with me?" Shannon asked. He wasn't sure he wanted to have this conversation, but there seemed to be no way around it.
"I just wanted to," Evan said, his face reddening a bit.
"Look, I'm not sure if I have this right, so please don't take this wrongly," Shannon began, licking his lips. "I got a girlfriend."
"I know," Evan said, smiling faintly. "I do, too. I just can't stop thinking about you."
Something in Evan's desperate tone pulled at Shannon's heart. He knew exactly what the other man was feeling. He lived it for the last few years while the object of his own deep desires pretended the most earth shattering night of his life never happened. Try as he might, he just couldn't hold onto the discomfort he'd felt earlier.
"Really?" he asked nonchalantly. "Me?"
"Yeah," Evan nodded, looking down. "Look, I know you have a girl and nothing serious could ever come from it, but do you think you could, you know, go out with me. Just once?"
Shannon sighed and tilted his head studying his new tag team partner. Evan still hadn't looked up. It seemed he'd already resigned himself to a rejection.
"Sure," Shannon finally said and Evan's eyes snapped up to his in surprise. Shannon laughed as he took in Evan's hopeful expression. "I said yes," he assured him.
"Really?" Evan finally smiled.
Shannon smiled. "I can't promise anything but a date, though. Like we both said, we've got girls. But as long as we know what's what, what's the harm?"
"That's what I was thinking," Evan grinned. "Thanks, Shan. How about tomorrow night?"
"Okay," Shannon chuckled.
"Hey, Ev, Bish wants to see you," Shane said, poking his head back in the doorway.
"Okay," Evan said, jumping up. "See you two in a few."
"What's with him?" Shane asked with a laugh, sitting down in the spot Evan just vacated.
"Nothing."
He knew that wouldn't work but he tried anyway. Shane could be a pain in the ass when he wanted to and Shannon had a feeling this was one of those time.
"Sha-a-annon?" Shane teased. "What's up?"
"Nothing," Shannon felt his cheeks grow hot. "He asked me out on a date and I said okay."
Shane went quiet and watched Shannon through shuttered eyes.
"What?" Shannon asked.
"You sure you want to go down that road?" Shane asked carefully.
Shane was the only person Shannon told about that night with Jeff, and he hadn't told him everything. As far as Shane knew, Jeff and Shannon made out and cuddled all night. But that was enough. The other man, who looked at Shannon as a younger brother, was very protective of his feelings. He remained friends with the Hardy brothers, but as far as Shane was concerned, Jeff was just Matt's brother. Nothing more. He couldn't understand how Jeff could play with Shannon but ignore his feelings so easily the next day. And Shane could see Shannon's love shining in his eyes whenever Jeff was near, but the younger Hardy refused to acknowledge it. Shane had told Shannon, on numerous occasions, what he thought of Jeff, so his reaction to Shannon's dating another guy wasn't surprising.
"It's just one date," Shannon sighed, rolling his eyes. "He was telling me how he couldn't stop thinking about me and I guess I felt like I could help him avoid the pain."
"Shannon, just be careful, okay?" Shane said, putting an arm around Shannon's shoulder. "I heard some things about Ev that don't sit right with me."
"Like what?" Shannon asked.
"He dates a lot of guys and the relationships end badly."
"Badly how?" Shannon was beginning to worry about what he'd got himself into.
"He gets obsessive, I hear," Shane said.
"It's only one date."
"Okay," Shane said, backing off. "Just be careful."
"Okay," Shannon said distractedly, thinking about how he could keep things distant but friendly with Evan. Tomorrow would come too soon, he thought.
*********************************
AUTHOR'S NOTE: First, I'm very excited about my reviews! Thank you all for welcoming my first piece. I have so many ideas for this story I just hope I don't blow it!
Grasshopper: This is definitely not the end yet! Poor Shannon has some more angst to go through first. (I just LOVE Shannon!)
Hearts Desire: I went to the site you recommended, but I couldn't get it. Maybe it's just temporarily down. I'll keep checking. Thanks!
Cat Lea Takersdarkone: THANKS! I was really nervous about the romance scene. I hope it was hot enough!
I hope you all stay with me for more!