Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews and everything, y'all! I am so
sorry about the last chapter. I honestly don't know what the hell happened
to the ending of it, it was there, then it wasn't! Sorry for the late-age,
but that's kinda the way my cookie crumbled! Anyways, here we go, chapter
eleven.
-
Title: Undisputed chapter 11
Author: Hearts Desire
Chapter Rating: PG-13 for language, slash, adult themes
-
Jeff lay awake in bed a couple of nights later. Shannon had taken to sleeping in the same bed with him, not that Jeff minded at the least. But Jeff's mind was racing. Although Shannon had seemed to be getting better; eating at least, there was still something about the athosphere Jeff felt sometimes.
Shannon had gotten better in some aspects. He was more talkative. He was eating more, he had even mentioned something about wanting to hit the gym some time soon. But, in another aspect, Shannon STILL seemed to be losing weight. Shannon denied it, but he wouldn't let Jeff get close enough to check anything out.
Jeff looked over to where Shannon was laying. He looked perfect, though he was repeatedly tossing and turning every once in a while. He had curled up in to a loose fetal position. Shirtless, with those loose purple plaid pajama bottoms he always insisted on wearing, even though they were at least two sizes too big around the waist and in danger of falling off at almost every moment.
Jeff had to laugh slightly, but so much else was running through his mind. Maybe it was time to get Shannon out of the house and go see some people he used to hang out with, he decided, rolling over and trying to get to sleep.
~
"Here." Jeff said the next morning, handing Shannon a mug of hot milk.
"What's up?" Shannon asked suspiciously.
"What? I can't heat you some milk?"
"I haven't had hot milk in ages. And ... my mom only gave me hot milk when I was either sick or something was wrong. What'd you agree to?"
Jeff sighed and sat down in front of his friend.
"Alright, I told Adam and Jay that we'd go out to dinner with them this afternoon."
Shannon choked on his milk at the announcement and started coughing. he patted himself on the chest harshly before turning back to Jeff.
"What'd you do that for?!"
"I didn't think it was that big of a deal ... and now that you're eating again, I figured it'd be nice. You know, get out of the house, back in to society."
Shannon groaned and rested his head up against the back of his chair.
"Jeff, you know I'm not that close to those two!"
"I know, I know, but don't worry about it. They're good guys."
"Jeffry, I don't want to go out!"
Jeff sighed, he really wanted Shannon to get better so that he could quit worrying about him.
"Alright, if you really don't want to go, then I guess I can tell Adam and Jay you're staying in for the night."
Shannon contemplated for a couple of minutes. Jeff sounded real set on going out with him. But .. if he went, he'd have to eat with them and he'd probably throw up all over the table. His stomach had been doing flip flops all day. He growled to himself.
"You really want me to go?"
"Yes."
"Then I'll go. But I ain't promising nothing."
"I don't need you to. Thanks, Shann."
-
Shannon stepped slightly behind Jeff cautiously. Jeff must have noticed.
"It's okay."
Shannon cursed himself inwardly. He never should have agreed to do this. But there was no backing out now. He had no choice but to hope this didn't take too long.
"Ah, there they are." Jeff said, waving to the two blonde wrestlers over in the reserved area of the resturaunt.
It was a big place with all plush red lining and chairs; big wooden tables and roped off areas for privacy. It was actually pretty packed even though it was nearing nine-thirty.
Jeff led Shannon over to the table where Adam and Jay were sitting. Both blondes at the table stood up to greet the others. Adam smiled brightly, pulling Jeff in to a hug and Jay did the same thing. Adam was the first one to step toward Shannon.
Jeff watched the look on Adam's face as Shannon flinched away from him, stepping behind again. Adam's smile flickered slightly; no one else outside Jeff, Shannon, and whoever that other man was knew anything about what happened so Jeff couldn't possibly fathom how Shannon felt like when he saw Adam set toward him.
"It's cool, you guys." Jeff reassured, taking a seat, "So, what are we having?"
"We, um, we didn't order yet." Jay said, shaking his head slightly.
"Then, let's do it now." Jeff smirked, "Sit down, Shannon. We ain't gonna bite you." he added, noticing Shannon was still standing with his coat wrapped tightly around him.
"I gotta go to the restroom." Shannon whispered, disappearing to the bathrooms behind the corner.
"What's wrong with him?" Adam asked watching Shannon walk away.
"He's just been feeling a bit down." Jeff passed off.
"He looks kinda bad. I mean, I don't mean to be rude, but he's getting a bit ... you know. He's always been small, but this; he looks like he's lost quite a bit more. And he's kinda pale."
"I know, I know. He's lost at least 35 pounds lately." Jeff admitted.
"Is he okay? Is he sick?"
"No. I think he's just tired. We've been party hardy lately. You know, stayin' up late and everything."
Adam and Jay both laughed but Jeff sobered up a bit when they noticed Shannon returning. Shannon quietly slipped in to the seat next to Adam.
"What'd we order?" he said softly.
"Oh, nothing yet. The waiter hasn't come." Jay explained.
A few minutes later, the waiter came and took their orders. Jeff, Adam, and Jay talked a bit, Shannon interjecting or answering questions a few times when asked. He could see Jeff's eyeing him most of the time and tried to shrug him off when the food came. He had no clue how he was going to pass this off.
He could say that his stomach was acting up, but Jeff wouldn't let him do that. He could just go to the bathroom after he ate; but he didn't know if he could even keep the food down long enough TO get to the bathroom.
"Shannon," Jeff asked warningly, "Are you going to eat?"
Shannon nodded, "It looks great."
Jeff smiled, Adam and Jay laughing slightly again.
"So, uh, Shannon, how are you enjoying your time off?" Adam asked, swirling some spaghetti around his fork and eating it.
"It's good." Shannon replied quietly.
"So, why'd you get time out, anyways?"
"Just ... uh, needed a break I guess. You know ... with everything."
Adam nodded, "I can understand that. How long do you have off?"
"Um, I don't know. Vince has it all worked out, I guess. I haven't talked to him for a while. Jeff's be the negotiator."
Jeff smiled a bit, laughing slightly. "Yeah, I guess you can call me that."
The group stayed a little while longer, talking over food. Shannon had opened up a little bit more around Jay and Adam, but he felt a bit uncomfortable with Jeff's eyes on him the whole time. After finishing a little more than half his dinner, Shannon scooted his chair back.
"Restroom." he explained, heading back tot eh bathroom.
Jeff watched him cautiously. There was something about this feeling he was getting that he couldn't explain. Maybe he should go in there with Shannon and wait for Shannon to get done?
"Jeff, come back to Earth there buddy." Adam smirked.
Jeff shook his head slightly. "Sorry. I was just ... zoning."
"We noticed." Jay smirked.
"I -uh, I think I'm gonna go check on Shannon."
Adam sat back a little. "Dude, he's just in the bathroom."
"Yeah, yeah, well, he's taking a bit."
Adam rolled his eyes. "A bit protective, huh?"
"Just worried. I don't ... I'm just gonna go check in on him."
Jeff pulled himself away from the table and headed to the bathrooms he had seen Shannon disappear to. He looked around the small blue tiled restroom.
"Shannon?" he called, "You in here?"
Jeff heard some coughing and sputtering before he heard Shannon reply he was there.
"Are you okay?" Jeff asked again, knocking on the door that he heard Shannon's voice from.
All that Jeff got in reply was retching. Or at least what sounded like retching to him.
"Shannon? Are you okay?" he asked again, "Can I come in?"
A cough, "Jeff, I'm fine." More coughing and retching, "I'll be out in a minute, okay?"
Jeff was silent for a minute. "Are you sick?"
"I'm fine. Just a little stomach thing, I think. Maybe I ate too much again or something. I'm fine, really."
"You sure?"
"Positive, Jeff. I think I just ate too much, I told you."
"Well, then, I'm gonna tell the guys we're gonna leave."
"NO! Jeff, I'll be out in a minute, okay? We can stay a bit longer. I'll be fine."
"I think we should just leave, tho-"
"Jeff, I haven't been out in a while. I want to stay a bit longer." Shannon reasoned. He knew that he was busted. Majorly. The least he could do to try and cover up was stay longer with the guys and "prove" to Jeff that he was fine.
"Are you sure you are up to it?"
"Positive."
Jeff was quiet again, contemplating.
"Alright, then. I'll see you out there."
Shannon nodded in relief behind the stall door as he heard the one to the room open and shut again. He was so close to being caught it wasn't funny.
-
Jeff slowly sat back in his seat. Adam and Jay looked at him oddly.
"Where's Shannon?" Jay asked.
"He's still in there. He says that the food must have upset his stomach or something. Cause I am pretty sure that he was throwing up."
Adam looked at Jeff nervously. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah, but he said he's okay. Just ate too much."
"So, are you leaving, then?"
"He says he wants to stay. So I don't know."
"Maybe ..."
Adam trailed off as Shannon slowly made his way over. Something was noticably wrong. He was pale and shaking and sweating slightly. He moved to sit back down, but stop real quick, bringing a hand to his head.
"Shannon? Are you okay?" Jeff asked, the three of them standing up to help.
Shannon shighed slightly, nodded shakily.
"Here, sit." Adam encouraged.
Shannon shook his head slightly, leaning back and letting his breath out slowly.
"Shannon, you look real, sick. Come on, we're taking you home." Adam said.
Shannon shook his head quickly, only causing him to get nausious. He was seeing at least triple and couldn't even tell who was standing in front of him.
"Shannon?" Jay repeated, "Shannon, are you okay?"
Shannon wobbled a bit before his eyes rolled back and he sunk to the floor.
-
Title: Undisputed chapter 11
Author: Hearts Desire
Chapter Rating: PG-13 for language, slash, adult themes
-
Jeff lay awake in bed a couple of nights later. Shannon had taken to sleeping in the same bed with him, not that Jeff minded at the least. But Jeff's mind was racing. Although Shannon had seemed to be getting better; eating at least, there was still something about the athosphere Jeff felt sometimes.
Shannon had gotten better in some aspects. He was more talkative. He was eating more, he had even mentioned something about wanting to hit the gym some time soon. But, in another aspect, Shannon STILL seemed to be losing weight. Shannon denied it, but he wouldn't let Jeff get close enough to check anything out.
Jeff looked over to where Shannon was laying. He looked perfect, though he was repeatedly tossing and turning every once in a while. He had curled up in to a loose fetal position. Shirtless, with those loose purple plaid pajama bottoms he always insisted on wearing, even though they were at least two sizes too big around the waist and in danger of falling off at almost every moment.
Jeff had to laugh slightly, but so much else was running through his mind. Maybe it was time to get Shannon out of the house and go see some people he used to hang out with, he decided, rolling over and trying to get to sleep.
~
"Here." Jeff said the next morning, handing Shannon a mug of hot milk.
"What's up?" Shannon asked suspiciously.
"What? I can't heat you some milk?"
"I haven't had hot milk in ages. And ... my mom only gave me hot milk when I was either sick or something was wrong. What'd you agree to?"
Jeff sighed and sat down in front of his friend.
"Alright, I told Adam and Jay that we'd go out to dinner with them this afternoon."
Shannon choked on his milk at the announcement and started coughing. he patted himself on the chest harshly before turning back to Jeff.
"What'd you do that for?!"
"I didn't think it was that big of a deal ... and now that you're eating again, I figured it'd be nice. You know, get out of the house, back in to society."
Shannon groaned and rested his head up against the back of his chair.
"Jeff, you know I'm not that close to those two!"
"I know, I know, but don't worry about it. They're good guys."
"Jeffry, I don't want to go out!"
Jeff sighed, he really wanted Shannon to get better so that he could quit worrying about him.
"Alright, if you really don't want to go, then I guess I can tell Adam and Jay you're staying in for the night."
Shannon contemplated for a couple of minutes. Jeff sounded real set on going out with him. But .. if he went, he'd have to eat with them and he'd probably throw up all over the table. His stomach had been doing flip flops all day. He growled to himself.
"You really want me to go?"
"Yes."
"Then I'll go. But I ain't promising nothing."
"I don't need you to. Thanks, Shann."
-
Shannon stepped slightly behind Jeff cautiously. Jeff must have noticed.
"It's okay."
Shannon cursed himself inwardly. He never should have agreed to do this. But there was no backing out now. He had no choice but to hope this didn't take too long.
"Ah, there they are." Jeff said, waving to the two blonde wrestlers over in the reserved area of the resturaunt.
It was a big place with all plush red lining and chairs; big wooden tables and roped off areas for privacy. It was actually pretty packed even though it was nearing nine-thirty.
Jeff led Shannon over to the table where Adam and Jay were sitting. Both blondes at the table stood up to greet the others. Adam smiled brightly, pulling Jeff in to a hug and Jay did the same thing. Adam was the first one to step toward Shannon.
Jeff watched the look on Adam's face as Shannon flinched away from him, stepping behind again. Adam's smile flickered slightly; no one else outside Jeff, Shannon, and whoever that other man was knew anything about what happened so Jeff couldn't possibly fathom how Shannon felt like when he saw Adam set toward him.
"It's cool, you guys." Jeff reassured, taking a seat, "So, what are we having?"
"We, um, we didn't order yet." Jay said, shaking his head slightly.
"Then, let's do it now." Jeff smirked, "Sit down, Shannon. We ain't gonna bite you." he added, noticing Shannon was still standing with his coat wrapped tightly around him.
"I gotta go to the restroom." Shannon whispered, disappearing to the bathrooms behind the corner.
"What's wrong with him?" Adam asked watching Shannon walk away.
"He's just been feeling a bit down." Jeff passed off.
"He looks kinda bad. I mean, I don't mean to be rude, but he's getting a bit ... you know. He's always been small, but this; he looks like he's lost quite a bit more. And he's kinda pale."
"I know, I know. He's lost at least 35 pounds lately." Jeff admitted.
"Is he okay? Is he sick?"
"No. I think he's just tired. We've been party hardy lately. You know, stayin' up late and everything."
Adam and Jay both laughed but Jeff sobered up a bit when they noticed Shannon returning. Shannon quietly slipped in to the seat next to Adam.
"What'd we order?" he said softly.
"Oh, nothing yet. The waiter hasn't come." Jay explained.
A few minutes later, the waiter came and took their orders. Jeff, Adam, and Jay talked a bit, Shannon interjecting or answering questions a few times when asked. He could see Jeff's eyeing him most of the time and tried to shrug him off when the food came. He had no clue how he was going to pass this off.
He could say that his stomach was acting up, but Jeff wouldn't let him do that. He could just go to the bathroom after he ate; but he didn't know if he could even keep the food down long enough TO get to the bathroom.
"Shannon," Jeff asked warningly, "Are you going to eat?"
Shannon nodded, "It looks great."
Jeff smiled, Adam and Jay laughing slightly again.
"So, uh, Shannon, how are you enjoying your time off?" Adam asked, swirling some spaghetti around his fork and eating it.
"It's good." Shannon replied quietly.
"So, why'd you get time out, anyways?"
"Just ... uh, needed a break I guess. You know ... with everything."
Adam nodded, "I can understand that. How long do you have off?"
"Um, I don't know. Vince has it all worked out, I guess. I haven't talked to him for a while. Jeff's be the negotiator."
Jeff smiled a bit, laughing slightly. "Yeah, I guess you can call me that."
The group stayed a little while longer, talking over food. Shannon had opened up a little bit more around Jay and Adam, but he felt a bit uncomfortable with Jeff's eyes on him the whole time. After finishing a little more than half his dinner, Shannon scooted his chair back.
"Restroom." he explained, heading back tot eh bathroom.
Jeff watched him cautiously. There was something about this feeling he was getting that he couldn't explain. Maybe he should go in there with Shannon and wait for Shannon to get done?
"Jeff, come back to Earth there buddy." Adam smirked.
Jeff shook his head slightly. "Sorry. I was just ... zoning."
"We noticed." Jay smirked.
"I -uh, I think I'm gonna go check on Shannon."
Adam sat back a little. "Dude, he's just in the bathroom."
"Yeah, yeah, well, he's taking a bit."
Adam rolled his eyes. "A bit protective, huh?"
"Just worried. I don't ... I'm just gonna go check in on him."
Jeff pulled himself away from the table and headed to the bathrooms he had seen Shannon disappear to. He looked around the small blue tiled restroom.
"Shannon?" he called, "You in here?"
Jeff heard some coughing and sputtering before he heard Shannon reply he was there.
"Are you okay?" Jeff asked again, knocking on the door that he heard Shannon's voice from.
All that Jeff got in reply was retching. Or at least what sounded like retching to him.
"Shannon? Are you okay?" he asked again, "Can I come in?"
A cough, "Jeff, I'm fine." More coughing and retching, "I'll be out in a minute, okay?"
Jeff was silent for a minute. "Are you sick?"
"I'm fine. Just a little stomach thing, I think. Maybe I ate too much again or something. I'm fine, really."
"You sure?"
"Positive, Jeff. I think I just ate too much, I told you."
"Well, then, I'm gonna tell the guys we're gonna leave."
"NO! Jeff, I'll be out in a minute, okay? We can stay a bit longer. I'll be fine."
"I think we should just leave, tho-"
"Jeff, I haven't been out in a while. I want to stay a bit longer." Shannon reasoned. He knew that he was busted. Majorly. The least he could do to try and cover up was stay longer with the guys and "prove" to Jeff that he was fine.
"Are you sure you are up to it?"
"Positive."
Jeff was quiet again, contemplating.
"Alright, then. I'll see you out there."
Shannon nodded in relief behind the stall door as he heard the one to the room open and shut again. He was so close to being caught it wasn't funny.
-
Jeff slowly sat back in his seat. Adam and Jay looked at him oddly.
"Where's Shannon?" Jay asked.
"He's still in there. He says that the food must have upset his stomach or something. Cause I am pretty sure that he was throwing up."
Adam looked at Jeff nervously. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah, but he said he's okay. Just ate too much."
"So, are you leaving, then?"
"He says he wants to stay. So I don't know."
"Maybe ..."
Adam trailed off as Shannon slowly made his way over. Something was noticably wrong. He was pale and shaking and sweating slightly. He moved to sit back down, but stop real quick, bringing a hand to his head.
"Shannon? Are you okay?" Jeff asked, the three of them standing up to help.
Shannon shighed slightly, nodded shakily.
"Here, sit." Adam encouraged.
Shannon shook his head slightly, leaning back and letting his breath out slowly.
"Shannon, you look real, sick. Come on, we're taking you home." Adam said.
Shannon shook his head quickly, only causing him to get nausious. He was seeing at least triple and couldn't even tell who was standing in front of him.
"Shannon?" Jay repeated, "Shannon, are you okay?"
Shannon wobbled a bit before his eyes rolled back and he sunk to the floor.