It was later than he'd thought it would be. Punk was sitting up in John's bed, one knee pulled up and he'd slept. He'd slept rather well, actually. Granted, he hadn't slept a while and he had been nearing the point of passing out when John had dragged him back to his hotel room the night before but he was still surprised he'd slept as much as he had.

He'd been awake for less than ten minutes and could hear the shower running in the bathroom. He should probably get up. His back ached horribly and he knew he should probably try and start working that out but he needed to wait. Needed to wait for John to get out.

They still hadn't talked at all. As grateful as he was that John had helped him out after Jericho's attack, he was still worried that John was going to ask him to leave again. Last night was a little fuzzy for him but he hadn't missed the fact that John hadn't answered him at all when Punk had confessed his feelings…again.

When the shower finally turned off, Punk sighed and crossed his legs, waiting. The door opened, and John came out putting a white shirt over his head. Punk watched him a little warily and John stared at a moment after he got his shirt on.

"You're still here," John said first, looking unsure of what to do.

"Yeah…you not want me to be?"

"No…I…" John shook his head. "We should probably talk."

"Yeah probably."

John sighed and dropped down in the chair near the bed. "Feeling alright?"

"I'll be fine," Punk answered, studying him a moment.

John nodded and looked down a moment. "I was worried…"

Punk shrugged. "Yeah, figured." He got that. Even though he was pretty sure John was still mad at him…After all, he was pretty sure if they'd switched places if he was the one angry with John that he still wouldn't want to see John injured.

"Randy said I should talk to you, said I should really think about this some more."

"Randy?" Punk paused a moment and gave him an incredulous look. "Randy Orton?"

"Yep." John almost smiled at his tone. He shifted a little in his seat and then stood, began to pace. He seemed to be fighting with himself for a few minutes before he sat down on the bed. "I don't want to be mad at you anymore."

"But you are…"

John shrugged. "You still lied. And I've still been miserable because of that," he admitted.

Punk nodded and looked away. "Always figured I'd be the one to screw this up. I know I'm not the nicest guy in the world. Just never thought I'd do it this way."

John chewed his lip and spoke hesitantly, "except maybe you didn't…totally screw this up."

Punk's gaze snapped back to his. "What?"

"You can't do this to me again," John said with some intensity.

"I won't."

"I don't think I can handle something like this again."

"It won't happen again." There was a promise in Punk's eyes as he said it and John believed him in that moment. John leaned towards him and their lips connected for the first time in what felt like too long.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"I can't be mad at you anymore." John kissed him again, this time longer, pulling Punk until he was almost sitting in his lap. It felt good, to be that close again. And he found that Randy had been right.

When he pulled back he stared into Punk's eyes a moment. "I love you too," he finally said and the real smile that he got in return was worth everything.

Xxxxxxxxx

For the first time in what felt like a long time, John was content. Punk's back pressed against his bare chest, his arm wrapped around the man. He'd hated being away, hated how he had felt during the time they'd been broken up.

Letting it go had been easier than he'd expected. He supposed seeing Punk hurt had helped with that. And Randy. He was going to have to thank Randy later for that because he did love Punk and losing that for good was something, he'd realized, he didn't want to do.

This thing with Jericho, however, was something that was still troubling him. Something definitely needed to be done. He didn't want to have to worry that every time he left Punk alone, he'd get attacked.

John may not have known Jericho as well as Punk, obviously, but he did know the guy. He'd seen how Jericho had gone after other guys too. How he'd gone after Shawn. He was worried and angry.

Maybe he should do something about it. Whatever Punk said about keeping out of it, John was in it anyway. He'd been in it from the moment Jericho had coerced Punk into breaking things off with him.

Something needed to be done.

Xxxxxxxxx

There was definitely something right about this. At least Punk thought so. Sitting up in bed, a comic settled in one hand, John fast asleep beside him. It felt right anyway. More so than anything else he'd ever felt even.

More so than any other relationship he'd ever had.

Granted, he hadn't had a lot of relationships that went so far. His longest relationship before John had been with Chris and that hadn't been healthy in any way. He frowned slightly at the thought. He really did need to do something about Chris.

The man was already taking the grudge he had a bit too far but Punk couldn't ever say that he was completely surprised about that. Chris had always been a vindictive bastard. It had been something they'd had in common at one point.

Punk grimaced slightly as he thought over everything that had happened since Chris had gotten back. Even if he didn't go into his break up with John, Chris had gotten the drop on him an embarrassing amount of times.

He needed to do something about that. Maybe he needed to get back in touch with that side of himself. That side that could be just as equally vindictive and vicious as Chris could be…