[Thank you Jeffs-NC-BabyGurl for your review
[So, I already see that table with all of 'em around it, and I honestly have got no idea why I picture Batista as the reasonable one, it just happened to turn out that way… I just let it go with the flow and sometimes amaze myself at what I make happen to those poor poor guys
[And trying to keep the chronological stuff right, This takes place before Vengeance and Summerslam
Chapter 6
Jeff was sipping on his beer, fully aware that his arrival had somehow stopped the conversation that had been going on and shifted uneasy until Batista couldn't take it anymore, "So Jeff, these guys tell me you survived your match with the Taker", only to be interrupted by Shawn, "Does he look dead to you Dave? Tztztz, I didn't say survived, did I"
Jeff downed half of the bottle, this was weird, he really had to be so wasted that he didn't get it anymore, 'cause whatever discussion was going on he couldn't comprehend why his arrival had caused that awkward silence, fortunately Batista seemed to be the only one to be able to still manage a discussion without glances and silences in his sentences…
"Shawn listen, why don't you just shut up, just speak when you've got something valuable to contribute to our discussion", Batista put a hand on Shawn's neck and squeezed, "And since that won't happen just shut up, don't bother me when I talk to Jeff", and then looked at Jeff who really cursed himself to have come down, "So I was told it was a great match, he ain't easy to wrestle with, Mark, but once you get him it's really a blast".
"A blast yes, and this was, right Jeff", Glenn couldn't stay out of the discussion, but got interrupted by Shawn, "and there's contestant number two arriving too", everybody turned their heads to the lobby were Mark was heading straight for them, Hunter giving some insight of his own, "You've not taken a beating unless it has been by that guy, and of course me, I'm still feeling sore from my last bout with the Deadman", leading Batista to growl, "I really don't need to be introduced to every sore spot and how it became sore, who was responsible and where it took place, so please, join your friend and don't speak anymore"...
Jeff felt his unease grow some more, yeah the match had been a blast but he'd rather be celebrating his victory than this, everything felt so wrong, so weird, he lost and that was the bottom line, he had never thought about it any other way, either you lose or you win, there was nothing in between, even if this time it all started feeling that way.
"Yeah it was", his emerald gaze pointed to the table he finally managed to answer Glenn, finished his beer and got up, "Listen guys, I'm really tired, I'll just go and rest, ok", only to find himself blocked by Mark who looked down at him and growled, "get down punk… Now… I need someone between me and that freak…", Mark pointed to Glenn and started pushing him back down, nearly into Glenn's arms who helped pulling him down, "Yeah Hardy, stay, now that my brother's here we can start celebrating right… Hunter, we need beer over here"…
Trapped between Kane and the Undertaker, a dream coming through, and Batista's reassuring smile couldn't calm his nerves, Batista who had the great luck of beeing between Shawn and Hunter could understand what sitting between two bickering baboons meant, especially for Jeff who was not the type to often mingle with them, he really had gotten the best available place on this table, luckily everybody had tensed when Mark had arrived so at least he wasn't the only one looking like fainting on the spot when the Taker grabbed a beer and downed it in one huge sip before giving Hunter a certain glare, "How did my brother phrase it, we need beer Hunter, and please, some tequila too, I have to celebrate my keeping of the title and this young man", he patted Jeff on the shoulder who winced, Mark had managed to hit the one bruise he had there and it wasn't a small one, "needs to drown his sorrow for not beating me"…
Jeff had a feeling as if struck by lightning, and everybody else just glared at Mark who shrug and added, "What? He can take it right Jeff, and besides he has one of his own so again, what? Don't tell me You've gone mellow dear brother", for Mark who liked it straight out it wasn't that big an issue, Shawn who was usually just the same just grinned and Glenn just fixed his bottle, a little shocked that after all the gentleness Mark had shown Jeff he now just spoke like that, as if he wanted to prove his brother wrong, and Jeff would be the one suffering from it…
"You're really tact in person Mark", Glenn couldn't believe he was his brother sometimes, but apparently he had been right, Jeff poked him with the elbow and smiled, after all there was nothing else to do and he was not in the mood for broothing, "It's okay Glenn, he's right, though I feel to tired for the sorrow part", no breaking, his inner mantra, no way he would show them any sign of sorrow or sadness…
Meanwhile at the bar, Hunter, figuring all the beers and the tequila bottle wouldn't fit in his hands, the alcohol percentage in his bloodstream highly helping his choice came up with throwing the bottle at Mark, since he had wanted it should he reception it appropriately, "Yo Deadman…", and off the bottle went flying, towards Mark, Jeff and Glenn, and all Hunter could do was following the bottle and thinking that with a lot of luck Hardy would end up shot off twice in one evening…
Fortunately, Mark stopped the bottle an inch from Jeff's face who glanced over to the Deadman shaking his head, "Thanx", only to get a lift of an eyebrow, "What for Hardy, I didn't give you some tequila yet, so quit the thanx-bullshit", and making a sign for Hunter to bring the glasses he opened the bottle, and started filling them, "So, anything planed besides getting pitch drunk and embarrass yourselves and our company tonight?", it was Marks time to start getting voicy and provocative, his time in his room had opened his eyes and maybe they were right, he had gone mellow and moochie, and there was nothing else but breaking them all that would bring him satisfaction…
And starting with the most annoying one he put a glass on the table in front of Glenn, then Shawn got his, followed by Hunter and Dave, he finally tilted his head to the side and checked out Jeff for a second, and deciding to get back at him for the chair in his face earlier that night he grinned, cleared his throat and asked with a soft, yet taquin voice, "You're sure you're old enough to drink something like this punk?", earning himself a look of disbelief from Jeff and a pretty pouty outbreak, he didn't want to pass for the one needing Batistas comfort-looks, or Glenns intervention for that matter, "You lost your mind right, yeah I'm old enough, wanna see my ID card before I get my glass or you gonna believe me without", and with a great agility he fingered Marks glass away from the Deadman and downed the tequila without salt but reaching for a lemon slice to bite in and looked defiantly at him, "can I have another one… tequila I mean", he wasn't dumb, without a precision he probably would have ended up choked on the spot, "I need to drown my sorrow like you've put it".
For a split second there was only silence at the table, everyone's eyes on the two and awaiting impatiently how the Taker would retaliate on that one, and they didn't have to wait long, filling up Jeff's glass again he sighed, "I need your brother's number Jeff, I feel desperately in need of explications on how you managed to survive 'till now, really, 'cause punk", he gave him his really scary gaze only to find that the emerald orbs had become even more defiant, "you really got some nerves". For the second time that night he sighed and shook his head, as Hunter's voice pierced the silence, "Welllll, and on that we should raise our glasses, right guys, we really don't want to start a brawl here, I don't feel like having Vince on my ass", Shawn intervening for the sake of the laughter added, "Yeah, as if you minded Vince on your ass"…
"And we're back on that, Shawn…", he started feeling like a teacher with his class, and all the clichées were nicely served on a platter, "Could we talk about something that doesn't make anybody feel uncomfortable, want to kill each other, because I'm this close", he downed the tequila and put the glass before Mark asking for a refill, "this close to tell you two", he gazed at Hunter and Shawn, "to go and get a room, a porn and start a wanking contest, you'd be occupied and you three", his glance went to the three protagonists in front of him, "you guys should get a ring and fight 'till your so wasted even Jackson's oxygen tent won't save you and have Kane commenting on it since apparently your match has marked him so much he doesn't find his tongue back"…
There was another awkward silence as everybody was staring at Dave who smiled and took the glass back from the Taker, "Yeah, well, you've got me infected with your stupidities guys, you know I like you right, but since I got here you've all been weird", Mark could keep quiet and his laughter filled the air, "Oh jeez, the one talking about acting reasonable starts too, great"…
"With what Mark, the fact with the match, the weird or the use of the word wanking?", Batista was not one to give up easely either, "All Dave, all", after a little staring contest the Taker stopped his gaze on Jeff who had taken the bottle and was refilling his glass, again, "Yo boy, how much sorrow is there to drown, if you continue you'll have drowned all of your conscience"…
"Does he have one?", Shawn threw a lemon slice at Jeff who tried to catch it with the mouth and managed, biting it in half, deciding to show them why he was the ultime ruler of the extreme, grinning spat it back at Shawn who tried to recatch the slices, unfortunately managing to make one divert into Hunters lap, he screeched amused and threw it away, making it land on the middle of the floor…
"Arf guys, behave please", he tried, Dave really tried but had a laughing fit when he saw them look at him, "Yeah, no more advice from you Dave, you're nothing better than any of us, so, you sit at this table you stand your man", Hunter smiled innocently, "More drinks guys?"…
Glenn, who had been silent for a good moment, drinking the tequilas with Jeff and his beers, had been thinking and more drunk than sober wasn't really thinking when he cleared his throat and looked at his brother, "It all started with the vomit incident right?"
The silence that followed wasn't an amusing one, every color had drained from Jeff's face who had just started feeling at ease, same for Mark who just stared blankly into the air and the other three just were speechless…
[Yeah, sorry, just had to make it end like that, but the next chapter is in work