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Media Download: ||10 Songs & Notes (Contains spoilers to the whole story)||

Chapter I

Cody's tutelage by Randy had started simply enough. Randy had approached him and told him that he needed to improve his defence with the upcoming submission pay per view match. Increasingly in the past few months Cody had lost important matches from tapping out. With the upcoming pay per view every main event match would end in a submission manoeuvre so it was imperative, more than ever, for Cody to be able to withstand the pain of any submission move and be able to counter it.

They had decided that Ted would stand in as a referee in the first wrestling session. They booked a training venue and Cody arrived early to warm up and stretch, knowing his muscles were going to be in agony soon enough, so he better be nice to them and get them warm and pliable for whatever torture manoeuvre Randy had in mind. Personally he wasn't a fan of stretching, despite his trainer's advice, it was boring and he preferred jumping into the action and getting started immediately. Today, however, he took the time to do the necessary stretches his trainer had told him do. Ted was on the other side of the room, talking to his wife on the phone. Randy hadn't arrived yet. Randy never arrived early for anything, it was part of his 'I'm more important than you, so deal with it' bravado that sometimes irritated Cody. He guessed when you play Randy Orton for so long you actually become Randy Orton, The Legend Killer. Most people confused the two but having worked with Randy for so long he knew there was a great
distinction between the man and the character, even if Randy tried so hard to conceal the fact.

Cody was doing his last stretch when Randy walked in, his gym bag in one hand, a cell phone in the other, his short hair wet.

"Sorry I'm late. I got held up." Randy said.

"No problem, Cody here was just getting warmed up." Ted replied. Cody got up to his feet and climbed into the practise ring. The venue was built like a boxer's gym with punching bags, mats and free weights around the room. The ring was smaller than the one they filmed in, the floor harder. That was probably a good thing maybe hours of tasting dust in this dump would make any other ring seem like paradise.

"Cody, are you ready to start?" Randy called out to him.

"Ready," Cody said.

Randy climbed into the ring, Cody lunged at him immediately, tackling him off his feet, proceeding to place several kicks at Randy's side.

"Way to go, Cody!" Ted shouted from ringside. Cody lunged at Randy again, but this time Randy was waiting for him and countered by tripping Cody. Getting behind Cody he placed him in a headlock.

"Cody, Cody, Cody." Randy said while placing pressure on Cody's neck. Cody clawed at Randy trying to get him off so he could be able to breathe. "You never strike first. You wait for your opponent to make the first blow, either wise you get too worked up and end up like this."

Randy let Cody go, "Are you ready to try again?"

Cody nodded. Then he stood waiting, Randy moved to his right, Cody stepped back ready to fight, waiting for Randy to strike. Randy moved closer, and executed a drop kick that knocked Cody off balance.

"Neither can you afford to be on defence. When a situation calls for it, strike first but be level headed about it."

"Randy, I'll try to keep that in mind at time when my head doesn't feel like someone just dropped a bowling ball on it."

"When will that be Cody? When you're a retired Hall-of-famer?" Ted asked from ringside. "We're wrestlers, we'll always be in some kind of pain."

Cody rolled onto his side cradling his head. Randy approached him and instead of helping him up like Cody expected, Randy proceeded to drag him in an old school submission move where Cody was on his side and Randy was twisting his leg at an awkward angle-a figure four. Cody couldn't stand the pain shooting up and down his side and less than minute since Randy had locked him in the move he tapped out.

Randy disengaged and Cody immediately reached for his leg. "Oh my God, I almost lost all the feeling in my legs."

"Cody, you have to learn to withstand pain. You can't give in so easily." Randy said.

Ted made an agreeing noise. "If they know you can't hold a move they'll always put you into it and wait for you to submit."

Cody knew that they meant well but he wasn't in an agreeable mood so he just kept quiet. It was in times like these when he questioned himself why he had ever pursued professional wrestling in the first place. It had always been more of his father's dream than his.

"Guys I have to get going." Ted said while grabbing his gym bags. "I guess I'll see you in two weeks time. Cody, work hard you can do this. Randy, make sure you get him into fighting form," he waved goodbye and walked out. Cody mumbled a goodbye and dragged himself to his feet, he glanced at a silent Randy.

"What else do-"he didn't get to complete his question Randy speared him in the stomach, proceeding to twist his legs in another submission move. Cody tried to hold out this time, he closed his eyes and tried to ignore the pain searing through his body. He had to get himself to the ropes as he had no other way of fighting it.

"Cody fight it!" Randy shouted as he pressed his legs around Cody's a little harder, twisting the knife a little deeper, making the pain just a little sharper. Cody pulled Randy and himself towards the rope, but Randy easily dragged him to the centre of the ring once again. Cody couldn't take it anymore, he tapped out.

Using the sleeve of his t-shirt he wiped sweat off his brows, "Look, Randy-"

"I know, Cody." Randy interrupted, "We'll just work on your form, okay?"

Cody nodded and they sat in silence for a few minutes catching their breaths. Cody used the time to recuperate, trying not to think what other sadistic manoeuvres Randy had up his tattooed sleeves. He guessed he'd find out soon enough.

"Cody, your main weakness is that you try to find the easy way out of things. You don't like being in pain-"

"And you do?"

Randy ignored Cody's interruption and continued to speak. "You don't like being in pain so you fight it, you tap out and you lose. You have to accept it as part of the job. Anything worth having involves a little pain." Cody snorted. "As your friend I've been very easy on you, but starting from tomorrow no more of that. I want you ready for your next match, so we train everyday from 8 am until lunch. And from now on you train wearing your trunks."

"My gym clothes are comfortable."

"Well unless you're also planning to wrestle on Monday night Raw wearing a baggy tracksuit and raggedy Varsity t-shirt you can wear that."

Cody fought the urge to roll his eyes, "What about you, you're also wearing a tracksuit."

"I'll be joining you tomorrow; I do have to set an example after all." Randy climbed out of the ring and grabbed his water bottle. "I say we've had enough for today."

Cody agreed. He climbed out of the ring, his mind already on tomorrow and what it would bring for him.

**


Cody was laying facedown on the ring floor and Randy was on top of him pulling his hands backwards. The pain was unbearable but Cody held on. Having his arms in an awkward position may be intense but the heat, the strange desire that pooled somewhere deep inside of him, was greater. He was hard and had been since the training match started.

It had started simply enough, the feel of Randy's chest against his when Randy had him pressed up against the ropes, Randy's hands brushing up against his ass when he lifted him, Randy's thighs locking his in a press. Or maybe the longing and the desire hadn't started in the ring but in the steamy locker room where they showered after training. He had seen Randy naked before, but then, in those times, Ted had been there. They had been jostling and laughing after a taping of Raw, or exhausted or beat down after another round of Legacy beating up a crowd favourite. Those times the sight of Randy's ass, the glimpse of his big balls or his flaccid dick didn't make Cody weak kneed and so achingly, blindingly hard that he had to make up an excuse about not needing to shower just so he could get away from Randy, so he could get back to his hotel room and after closing the door behind himself have his pants around his ankles and his hard cock in his hands, taking almost no time to come, with the image of Randy in his mind's eye.

More and more frequently the training sessions led to Cody jerking off frantically, in his rental car, in a storage cabinet, once in the showers after Randy and left with the air still so fraught with the scent of him, Cody had come hard, half afraid someone would walk in and catch him in the act. Even then he couldn't help it. His only consolation was that the jock strap he wore beneath his trunks concealed his hard on and if Randy felt it while they wrestled he never let on.

Randy brushed up against him, causing Cody to bite his lips to keep from moaning. Cody was already so hard and turned on just by being so close to Randy, being able to smell him, that mixture of cologne, cigarettes and something else, something that was just Randy. Cody tried not to gasp, Randy had him in a submission move where he was on his belly with Randy behind him, pulling his neck back. The problem with this manoeuvre was that Randy's crotch was just on Cody's ass so he had to bite his lips not to moan outright. Randy was so close, so close from fucking him to the ground, the mental images pushed Cody even closer to the edge. He had been painfully aroused before, but this, this was frightening, blood rushed into his cock and he could barely feel the pain anymore just the heat that emanated from Randy's body.

Randy disengaged Cody's head and turned him over for a three count, Cody pushed out and Randy straddled him, punching him twice in the face then tried to count him out gain. Cody kicked out. With Cody feet still apart, Randy climbed on top of him and grabbed Cody's hands and pushed them above Cody's head.

They were now crotch to crotch and it was like nothing else mattered to Cody. With his eyes closed, he barely felt the pain caused by Randy pulling his hands at an awkward angle, all he could feel was pressure of Randy against him, how if Randy pushed down against him any harder he could get over the edge, he just needed to come so badly. Cody bit his lips and without thinking he bucked his hips up, once, twice and that was all it took. He whimpered and with that he came, his stomach contracting as waves of pleasure overtook his body, his breathing ragged and uneven, he moaned and -

Reality brutally rushed in. Randy froze above him and released Cody's hands. Even with his eyes closed Cody just knew it, he felt it-Randy's eyes staring down at him. What had he just done? How could he explain it away? It was pretty much obvious what had just happened. Cody felt Randy get up from on top of him, Cody kept still. He couldn't open his eyes. He could never, ever look at Randy ever again. God, he could just die right now, if the earth could only swallow him, he would be grateful.

"Cody" Randy's voice commanding, Cody didn't respond, he didn't want to respond, yet he knew he had to. Then, with a sigh, Cody opened his eyes.

Chapter II

He didn't look at Randy but he could see Randy in the corner of his eyes. He could feel the shift in the atmosphere. Not friendly competition but something else, something wild and untamed and uncontrollable. Something that breathed and moved in the spaces between them. Never considering himself a coward, Cody had faced mighty opponents in his life but this he wasn't ready for, this being, this tension, he couldn't face Randy, and without a further word to Randy he got up and got out of ring, never stopping to look back at Randy, who didn't yell at him to come back and who didn't try to stop him. Cody kept walking to the locker room, he dragged on his tracksuit and grabbed his bag and he headed back to his hotel room.

Finally alone, he closed the door shut behind him; Cody closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Immediately he had a flash back of himself losing control and coming beneath Randy. Just as suddenly as he closed his eyes he opened them again fighting the wave of embarrassment, shame and yes desire, that threatened to grip him. He briefly wondered what Randy was going to do about the incident, wondered if Randy would tell anyone. He told himself it didn't matter as anything that occurred now would be his own irresponsible doing for losing control like that. Raising his hands to wipe his face, he took another heavy breath, he could still smell Randy on him, and God, he needed to shower, to wipe away the memory of what happened.

Walking away from the door he went to the adjoining bathroom, where he unzipped his hoodie dropping it on the tiled floor. He kicked his tracksuit pants of and pulled his wrestling trunks and the jock strap he wore down. He could smell himself, the aroma of sweat and come, he twisted the shower knobs. He stepped into the shower, trying to dull the sound that throbbed in his head, the self accusing critic that said, 'Nice going, loser', the fear of what would happen, if he could ever wrestle with Randy again, and if he did would he end up in the same unmapped, sign-less, beat down road of licentious desire and overwhelming yearning. Moments passed, how many Cody didn't know, could have been mere minute or hundreds of hours, all of it felt the same, but he stood in that shower until his skin began to shrivel and the water became tepid. Part of him knew he had to get out, dress, eat and get some rest. Another part wanted to just stand there and lose himself in oblivion.

Luckily the logical part won and he turned the shower off, dripping water all over the floor he moved to the mirror where he wiped it and looked at his own reflection. Studied his features, the curve of his jaw, his blue eyes, met his own gaze and even his reflection looked alien to him, his eyes held no answers. Grabbing a white robe he pulled it on and stepped into the hotel room where he began to pace. He had to get out of wrestling with Randy alone because he couldn't face him, and with the pay per view so close he needed to have his game together. Finally getting some focus, he immediately called his manager.

"Hello?"

"Joe, its Cody."

"Cody, how you doing? Training hard?" Joe asked, Cody could hear loud music and people in the background. He could barely make out what Joe was saying to him.

"Yeah, everything's going very well, I just need a favour from you, man." Cody began-

"You need a what?" Joe shouted from the other side.

"I said, I need a favour."

"What kind of favour?"

Cody sighed, no matter how he spun this he stilled looked like a grade A loser, "I need you to call Randy and tell him you got me a new trainer and he doesn't need to train me anymore"

"Why? Did something happen?" Joe had always been suspicious of Randy and had been against the WWE pairing Cody with him.

"No, just tired of it."

"No prob, Orton's a head case."

"Thanks, Joe."

"Take care, kid."

Now with that taken care of Cody ordered room service, ate while watching a crappy movie about a pair of siblings who were trapped in a 60s black and white TV show, and when they brought knowledge into the town people they slowly started to have bouts of colour. His eyes drooping, fatigue finally caught up with him and when he finally fell asleep he dreamt he was black and white and Randy was so bright, so full of colour, wild and beckoning to unveil all the knowledge in the world to him.

Chapter III

Cody always hated the evenings in which they filmed Raw live. It always felt like on one of those days it would be the day some catastrophic event would occur and he would make a fool of himself on national TV. On days when they filmed, he hoped and prayed that he wouldn't have to say something to the audience. It wasn't stage fright, it was living in his father's shadow that made his throat tight and tension cling to the base of his spine. On days where he had to make a grand arrogant statement, he dreaded it. The audience seemed to latch onto to his fear, yeah he knew everyone said he had poor mic skills, that he needed to improve them, but filming live wouldn't help him to develop his mic skills.

He and Ted were seated in the make up room waiting for the assistant director to call them backstage. And when the script called for it they would enter, kick Batista and HHH, grab a mic and make a speech about how they were young up-comers, ready to take over the WWE and HHH and Batista just needed to give up and retire-while they still could.

"You're old, your time has come and gone. HHH-it's game over, Batista-maybe it's time for us to put you down." Ted read out loud, then chuckled. "Who comes up with this shit?"

"Creative." Cody replied, glancing at his watch, wondering when Randy would show up. He and Ted were already in their in ring attire, bronzed up yet Randy was nowhere to be seen. He was already over an hour late.

Cody had not seen much of Randy since he-since the incident. When his luck finally ran out and he saw Randy it was because Legacy had a scene together on Raw so he, Ted and Randy had to practise alongside HHH and Batista for tonight's closing act. They would collide in the main event and 'fists will fly, bodies get bruised, one of the five men lays on the floor, broken-perhaps the end of his WWE career' the script had said, it was none of them, of course, bad guys got to fight another day. He finally saw Randy but Ted was there, along with the other wrestlers in the background, it didn't feel weird, Cody almost convinced himself that the incident hadn't happened, though every now and again, he could feel Randy looking at him. Cody couldn't make direct eye contact with Randy, barely meeting Randy's eyes when he spoke to him, choosing to stare of at a spot somewhere above his forehead, and if Randy thought that Cody was being weird he didn't comment on it. Ted seemed oblivious to any tension that might have be
en there, so Cody allowed himself to relax, to get back to how things were, to joke and laugh, but always making sure he never was alone with Randy. He couldn't be alone with Randy.

The door opened and Randy walked in, as if Cody's thoughts alone had caused him to manifest. He was wearing his Orton t-shirt and his wrestling trunks. The make-up assistant, Josie, immediately went to him, and started to apply bronzer on him. Cody pretended to read his script.

"Hey, Randy. You finally decided to grace us with your presence." Ted said.

Randy mumbled something in reply. Ted's phone rang and he scrambled to answer it, Ted's phone was forever ringing, it was probably his wife calling to wish him luck tonight like she always did. As Ted left the room Cody glanced to the other side of the room and noticed Josie was applying bronzer on Randy's thighs. Cody looked away quickly. Josie's cell phone also rang she answered it, spoke briefly, then told whomever she was speaking to that she would get there immediately.

"Cody, could you please apply the bronzer on Randy's back and chest for me, I need to cover a black eye." Josie said while grabbing her make up kit from the counter.

"Uh, I don't-"

"Thanks." And with that she was gone, the door closing behind her. Cody kind of sat still for a moment before he got up and picked the bronzer bottle.

"Randy, could you take your…" Cody didn't complete the sentence, choosing to gesture to the shirt that Randy still wore. Randy reached up and pulled his t-shirt off. Cody walked around to stand behind Randy. Squirting the bronzer onto his palm he tentatively began to the rub it onto Randy's back. Focusing on keeping his hands steady and breathing level, Cody willed his body not to get aroused, he couldn't, not now when they were-he glanced at the watch-five minutes from stage call. He ran his hands down Randy's back, studying the pattern of Randy's tattoos. Cody could feel Randy's gaze on him, studying him in the mirror in front of them. Cody would not look at Randy, couldn't confront their reflections in the mirror.

Finally done with Randy's back he moved around Randy and squirted more bronzer on his palm and started to apply some on Randy's left arm, they were close now, close enough for Cody to smell Randy. He kept his hands steady moving them over Randy's bicep onto his shoulder, then he did Randy's right arm, and repeated the same routine he had administered on the other arm. Done Cody placed both his hands on Randy's chest, over his pecs, and pressed the bronzer onto the warm skin there. He could feel Randy's heart beating, strong and unfalteringly, somehow the feel Randy's solidness gave him strength and he finally looked up at Randy.

Chapter IV

Randy gaze was hooded, his eyes almost closed, the heat in them, so sharp they burned. The look in his eyes was hotter than the sun, and it was then that Cody knew he could go on, could move his hands, slowly down over Randy's ribs, over his taut stomach, feeling the tightly clenched muscles, keeping his eyes on Randy the entire time, now emboldened he finally let his hands rest over the top of Randy's wrestling trunks. Cody hooked his fingers into the material and rested them there. Now finally there not certain if he could go on.

As if he could sense Cody faulting Randy backed Cody onto the counter and placed his hands over Cody's and helped guide Cody's hands over his crotch. Cody sighed, leaned closer, grasping Randy's cock, through the fabric of the wrestling trunks. He looked up at Randy, not sure if could, if he was allowed, but he wanted to, needed to, he stepped onto his tip toes and leaned up, pausing when he was a breath away from Randy's mouth, their breaths mingling in the space between them.

"Yeah, I'm calling Randy and Cody, now." It was Josie, just outside the door. Cody immediately pulled back and walked to the other side of the room raking an unsteady hand through his hair when she opened the door.

"Guys, the assistant director needs you backstage now," she paused as she assessed Cody, who wasn't looking at her as she spoke, then she looked at Randy who was still standing where Cody left him, facing the mirror, stoic and unmoving, "so lets get a movin'."

She made an urgent gesture with her hands and spoke into her headset that she had Randy and Cody and was leading them to backstage area now. Cody waited for Randy to walk out first, needing a moment to compose himself. Facing the brightly lit mirror, looking into his own flushed face he wished himself luck and exited the room. Randy was up just ahead of him, following an animated Josie who was talking about how exciting this arena was. They turned a corner and bumped into Ted.

"You finally arrived, boys. I was starting to have a feeling that I would have to beat up Hunter and Dave all by my lonesome." Ted said giving Cody's back a pat. "What are you so glum about?"

Cody made a rude gesture and settled into a chair, watching the monitor where The Miz was beating up John Cena. Randy took a water bottle and took a drinking from it, Cody tried to focus on preparing himself for his scene tonight. It was very difficult to concentrate considering what occurred earlier with Randy. It felt surreal, with them sitting here with Josie and Ted, going on like nothing had happened.

Technically nothing had happened. He had touched Randy, nothing more. Cody brought the hand he had had on Randy's cock up, studied it, he wanted to smell it, but thought better of that. It was just in that moment Randy looked over at him and they locked eyes, this time Cody met Randy head on and didn't look away. Ted was on the other side of the room, doing some last minute stretches and Josie was still chatting on her headset with her back to them. Cody lifted his hand, ran his tongue across his palm, tasting the bronzing lotion, he drew his index finger into his mouth and sucked on it while staring at Randy. Not even sure what he was thinking, Cody hollowed out his cheeks, keeping his eyes on Randy who kept perfectly still, the water bottle mid air. Cody, suddenly aware of Ted turning around, pulled the finger out of his mouth. Randy's jaw flexed, and Cody knew that whatever they started earlier, those few stolen moments, would be continued.

**
Later on that night, in the darkness of his hotel room, still reeling from the beating he received from HHH., images flooded Cody of him and Randy causing him to writhe underneath his duvet. Those few moments, when he had been on his tip toes, barely strong enough to stand, barely able to breath, taking in the air that had exited from Randy's lungs, so close, no longer alone in that small space, not sure if he wanted this, whatever it was, the electricity between them, to happen or if he was wrong for even considering it. His eyes tightly closed, he fought the urge to jerk off.

It was a losing battle.


**

The next time he saw Randy it was at a WWE pay per view launch party. Cody hadn't felt like attending but he new his presence was required and he figured he could make an appearance, drink a few drinks, and then be out of there and in his room in no time. He knew he would see Randy and a part of him had been nervous of what it would be like to see him, but then he figured Randy was partly responsible for what had occurred in the dressing room, so Cody had no reason to have the entire onus placed on him.

Cody had been at the bar talking idly with John and Adam looking around when Randy arrived. He was late, as usual, but he didn't look apologetic, he walked in approached a maitre'd and ordered something. Adam was saying something but Cody was struggling to pay attention to him, so he just excused himself and began to approach Randy but stopped when a scantily clad blonde walked up to Randy and whispered into his ear. He was laughing at what she said.

"You could never tell he was married, the way he carries on." It was Ted's voice behind Cody. "I wonder if Samantha ever suspects?"

Cody turned to face him, "I guess it's not really any of our business."

Ted nodded, "But still I can't help but feel sorry for her. Anyone here can see that Randy isn't faithful to her."

The blonde now had her hand on Randy's arm, talking animatedly and Randy said something to her to cause her to laugh out loud, causing a few heads to turn and look in their direction. Cody looked away trying hard not to think about the emotions that threatened to surface, he had no right to feel jealous or angry. Randy didn't owe him anything.

"Hey Ted, I'll catch up with you later." Cody muttered. Walking briskly away before Ted could reply. It was only when he was standing waiting for an elevator going up that he realised he left his key card on the bar counter. He went back to get it. Luckily it was still laying there, he grabbed the key and pocketed it and walked back towards to the elevators when he spotted the blonde, now alone with Randy nowhere to be seen. He didn't even think about, he just approached her.

"Hi." He said with his most winning smile. At the sound of his voice she glanced at him then smiled.

"Hi," she replied back.

"I'm Cody."

"I already kinda know that, I'm Sharna."

Cody stepped a little closer to her, "Well Sharna, I just wanted to ensure you were having a good time."

Her smile widened, "Well I am now."

**

And that's how Cody found himself in a hotel elevator making out with Sharna. She pressed herself against him, Cody closed his eyes wondering if there were any cameras in the elevator, he decided he didn't actually care, and pushed her against the wall, lifting her leg around him, grinding himself against her. She moaned and he knew he had her. Cody wondered if Randy would do it like this, kiss random women in elevators, not caring if there were security cameras. Cody decided Randy wouldn't care about trivial matters like that; he would go after what he wanted. And right now Cody wanted to fuck Sharna. He kissed her, his lips more urgent against hers.

The elevator was coming to a standstill but Cody knew they weren't on his floor yet. The doors opened, he didn't stop kissing Sharna, not caring who was outside the door, Sharna didn't care either, moaning loudly as he began to kiss her neck, while fondling her breast through the thin material of her dress. Cody heard a female voice mutter 'get a room' and another 'some people have no decency' as the doors closed. He didn't care, and he would bet everything he had that Randy wouldn't care either. Maybe having an audience would turn him on more.

They arrived on his floor and he continued to kiss her while he opened the door to his room. Once they were inside he felt Sharna reach for his belt and he pulled her hands away. He picked her up and placed her on the bed, reached for dress pulling it up over her tanned legs, she wasn't wearing any underwear. He unzipped his pants, pulled his cock out, Sharna reached for him, jerking him off while he fumbled for a condom in the drawer, and then he pulled it on, pushing himself into her enveloping wetness fucking her in a frantic pace. Using a free hand to press against her clit, rubbing it in a slow rhythmic pace. Soon he felt her coming, he came too, following after her.

"Oh my God." Sharna said as Cody disposed of the condom, "You're really good."

Cody didn't pay any attention to what she was saying; now that the process had occurred he hadn't been able to exorcise Randy from his mind. He just wanted her to leave.

"How about a second round?" She said while posing in a manner Cody believed she considered sexy on the bed.

"How about you pack your stuff and leave?" Cody said sounding harsher than he intended.

"God, you're a jerk." Sharna said

"That's not what you were saying a few moments ago." Cody sneered. Randy would definitely sneer, he wouldn't allow some chick he just met to talk to him like that.

Cody picked up her bag, grabbed her arm and frogmarched her to the door. He made a gesture for her go through it; she took her handbag and mumbled 'asshole' while leaving.

He finished undressing, still smelling Sharna on him, this encounter with this girl hadn't achieved what he hoped. He had picked Sharna up, hoping to have some fun, maybe be Randy for one night, because God knows how hard he tried to be. Cody knows that people call him Baby Viper and RKO Clone behind his back, he doesn't care-that's their damage. Being with Sharna hadn't been fun, instead it left him in desperate need for a (long) shower and it left him cold. Fucking groupies always did that to him. Yet he still picked them up. Ever since he was signed up to the WWE girls have been throwing themselves at him at every turn. They would show up at hotel rooms, slip him their numbers with seductive smiles. He of course, like that rest of the Superstars had taken some of the girls up on their offers-it was expected of him. Even a few up and coming actresses had called his agent hoping to date him, Cody never let the attention go to his head; he knew what they wanted from him and what he wanted in exchange. These e
ncounters were pure simple business transactions. A part of him envied Ted whose life seemed to be so steady and solid. Cody sighed, he couldn't go on the way he was going.

He decided to take a shower. Afterwards he ordered a bottle of champagne from room service, which he drank 'til he passed out.

**

The next morning, Cody awoke with a throbbing headache; he showered, ordered breakfast and dragged himself to the gym where he had agreed to meet Ted and Randy. Ted was already there looking together and fresh, not like Cody, who felt like last night's stale dinner being served for breakfast. Randy was there, on the floor stretching his hamstring.

Ted smiled when he saw Cody, "So you managed to tear yourself away from the arms of an adoring fan?"

Cody dropped his gym bag to the floor, "What are you talking about?"

"Cody, don't act all innocent, everyone is talking about you getting it on with a certain blonde in the elevator last night."

Cody didn't respond, choosing to climb onto a treadmill and he started to jog in steady pace. Ted patted him on the back while saying 'Way to go'. After warming up Cody sat on the stretching mat, opposite Randy and began to stretch. Randy hadn't said anything to him, yet. In a low voice Cody said to Randy, "I don't know why you turned Sharna down last night, she really was something."

Randy looked at him, glanced around the gym, no one was around, Ted had left to do some boxing, John Morrison was running on a treadmill about a couple of feet away from them with headphones on.

"Who says I turned her down?"

"If I'm not mistaken I was the one fucking her last night."

Randy shifted closer to Cody, their legs almost touching. In a slow deliberate voice Randy said, "I guess Sharna didn't pause to tell you where she lost her underwear earlier that evening?"

Cody froze, he couldn't believe what he was hearing, "You fucked her?"

Randy placed his hands on Cody's knees, "You couldn't resist, could you? Going after my sloppy leftovers?"

Cody leaned yet even closer, "Randy, I couldn't care less who you sleep with."

"Something makes me want to beg to differ." Randy's tone sotto voce, his hand on Cody's knees inched higher, "Something tells me that you want-"

"Randy, the only thing I want is your hand off my thigh." This surprised Randy, seriously, what did he expect, Cody to just surrender, to give him the upper hand once again? That wasn't going to happen. Randy raised his hands in mock surrender; Cody got up and started lifting weights. He spent the rest of his gym session deliberately ignoring Randy. Finishing his last set he placed the weights on the rack and headed to the locker room. It was empty, Cody had just started to undress taking his sweaty gym vest off, when the door opened and Randy walked in and placed his gym back on the bench next to Cody's bag.

Without a word Randy pulled his t-shirt off. Cody eyed him, wondering what new game he was playing. Randy stepped closer, standing right in front of Cody. Whatever it was, he meant serious business. Cody undid the drawstrings of his sweatpants then paused to kick off his shoes and pulled the sweatpants off. Randy threw off his tracksuit pants, taking his shoes and socks with them. They were both in their underwear. Randy backed Cody against the locker. He placed his arms against the metal doors on either side of Cody, trapping him.

"Cody, all you have to do is ask." He said slowly.

Cody closed his eyes, he had never been good at asking for anything, it was much easier to take whatever he wanted. He opened his eyes and looked at him. Randy thought he had him all figured out. He pushed Randy back, turned around so he was the one who was backing Randy against the locker.

"You know, Randy, it works both ways." Cody began, pushing their chests together, close enough to know he wasn't the only one who was close to the edge. "If you could ask, I could," Cody lowered his voice to whisper, "indulge you by..."

Cody licked his lips, and then placed them on Randy's neck, just below his jugular, he licked the skin there, tasting the salt, and he thrust his hard cock against Randy and began the suck on the soft skin of Randy neck, knowing he was going to leave a mark. Randy's breathing got laboured and Cody continued his assault of Randy's throat. Randy moved his hands and placed them over Cody's hands and stilled their exploration of his stomach.

"Now Cody, what makes you think I'll be the one to ask?" He let go of Cody's hands, placing his on Cody's ass, using quite a lot of force he pushed Cody up against him. "When I can make you beg?"

He pushed Cody away from him and lowered Cody onto the bench, shoving their bags onto the floor. Cody lifted his leg, Randy ran his hands down and sneaked them up the inside of Cody's underwear, just inches away from where Cody's dick tented the white fabric.

"What do you say, Cody?" Randy bent down and placed a kiss on Cody's stomach, Cody felt his tongue trace across his navel. He began thinking maybe giving in wasn't the worst thing. It wasn't as if he was the only on who wanted it.

"What do you say?" Randy asked again.

God, the way he kept repeating that line. It was as if Chris Jericho was nearby saying, 'Ask him. Ask him.' All Cody had to say was he wanted it, that he wanted Randy, he opened his mouth ready to say the words when they both heard the sound of someone opening the door. They were obstructed by the lockers so the person that had just walked in couldn't see them, but if he walked a few feet around he would. Randy got up and opened his locker and pretended to rummage through it. Cody got off the bench and reached for a towel to tie around his waist.

"You guys are still here?" It was John Morrison, "I thought I was the biggest exercise fanatic here."

"I don't think I could manage four hours a day, every day like you." Cody said hoping that his erection wasn't visible through the towel. He knew his face was flushed but then again he had just finished working out, hadn't he? Apparently good old JoMo didn't notice anything amiss and he walked over to his own locker. Cody wiped his face with the towel, he began to pull his clothes on. There was no way he could shower-not in the state he was in. Randy was also pulling his jeans on. Cody pulled on a t-shirt, packed his dirty gym clothes into the gym bag, grabbed it and walked out of the locker room. Once he was outside he heard Randy behind him.

"Hey Cody, wait up." Randy said. Cody stopped and turned around.

"You dropped your sock." Randy held it out. The look of smugness on his face irritated Cody. He grabbed the sock and began to walk away.

"Cody, one more thing…" Cody just knew it, Randy just wouldn't let him leave in peace.

"Now what?"

Randy moved closer, causing Cody to look around to ascertain no one was close enough to see whatever Randy had in mind. "I still remember the sound you made when you came."

Cody felt like he had the air sucked from out his lungs.

But Randy wasn't done yet. "It was sort of a whimper, and the look on your face. God, the look you had, an expression of want and need. Like the levees had broken. I can make that happen again. I can make you break again."

Cody took a shuddering breath, turned and walked away.

Chapter V

The next couple of weeks Cody stayed away from Randy. He needed to clear his head, to think. Back in the old gym when Randy had been tutoring him in the school of pain and discipline had Randy planned all along to isolate him and seduce him? It didn't make sense, there was no way Randy could have been aware of how their matches were affecting him. But no matter how much Cody thought about it he still couldn't get a clear idea in his mind. He told himself it didn't matter anyway, whatever game Randy was playing, he could play it by himself. Cody didn't need him, and if he really focused and tried harder, he could fight this desire, this animalistic lust that he felt for Randy.

Two weeks passed way too fast and soon Cody had to leave North Carolina and fly to Mexico where they would be having house shows in the upcoming month, to kick start Summer Slam. They had done two shows in Raleigh already, which had been nice since he got to have dinner with his family during the time. He had even stayed home, in his old room the night before they had to leave.

The next morning he packed his suitcase, his mom drove him to the airport, barely minutes after she dropped him off, he saw Randy with his security personnel standing next to the checkout terminal. Cody got his luggage to the baggage counter and went to look for Fred, the guy who usually took care of their transport issues.

He put on his sunglasses and walked passed Randy and his bodyguards. He briefly wondered why the WWE never got him any security but then rationalised that there were probably a lot of people who had 'Randy Orton Must Die' posters in their rooms out there in the world. Right now, the way he felt, he probably would join whatever online Randy Orton hate club there was. He saw Fred and quickly approached him.

"Hey, Fred. How's it going?" Cody said.

"Good. Ready to hit Mexico?" Fred asked

"Yeah, Sure. I just wanted to ask about the seating arrangements-" Cody began only to be cut off by Fred.

"Randy already specified that you and him want to be seated together to strategise your manoeuvres," Fred said, "You don't have to worry about that."

Cody stood momentarily his mouth agape, "But, I don't want to-"

"You better head to the terminal the flight will be boarding soon." And with a friendly pat on Cody's back Fred was gone.

Once through customs, Cody checked in for his flight, got onto the plane and made his way to the first class section. For some reason he hadn't seen any of the other Raw guys. Mike had a fear of flying so he usually arrived first to claim a seat which he believed would grant him a better chance of surviving a plane crash. He even read these gory, morbid books about people who had survived catastrophic events such as floods, earthquakes and yes-plane crashes. Cody liked to believe his life wasn't so exciting that it would end in a plane crash.

Having been seated for five minutes he found it strange that no one else was there. He glanced at his watch, the plane would be leaving in twenty minutes. A pretty flight attendant approached and asked him if he needed anything he smiled and replied that he was good. Cody didn't see anyone else for a further thirteen minutes until Randy got in the plane and sat next to him.

"Hi, Cody," he said as he made himself comfortable. The air was suddenly filled with the scent of the cologne Randy wore.

"Hey Randy, you know in comic books when someone has a body odour there's usually an illustration with green waves trailing behind that person," Cody said, "So would you. Could you reek anymore of that cologne?"

Randy smiled, "It's Paco Rabbanne."

"It's giving me headache," Cody replied.

"We both know it gives you a whole lot more then that."

Whatever retort Cody was about to make was cut off by the pilot announcing that they needed to buckle in as the plane was about to take off. Cody followed his instructions, and when the plane was in the air he reached for his bag and pulled out a comic book and started to read it. He didn't need to look up to know that Randy was staring at him. When he found he couldn't concentrate on what he was reading he finally looked at Randy

"What?" Cody asked.

"Aren't you wondering where everyone is?" Randy asked.

Cody didn't answer. He'd been wondering that from the instant he sat down and didn't see anyone else. They could be flying couch, but they were big enough divas to demand flying first class. If the company was making budget cuts he would have found out already. Besides, he couldn't be in the wrong flight since Randy was here

"If you don't want to know…"

"Okay, I'll bite. Where's everyone?" Cody asked.

Randy leaned out of his seat and in a monotonous, creepy voice he said, "I killed them all."

Cody couldn't help it, he laughed. "Seriously, where is everyone?"

"In LA for the official launch party." Randy said.

"But I received an email saying the party would be in Mexico City tomorrow." Cody said, "They couldn't have changed it without notifying me."

"Cody, about that email…" Randy said, smiling. And Cody knew right then, Randy had sent that email, he had some how prevented Cody from finding out about the LA party and now he was headed to Mexico with him. It was all part of his great plan. So when Randy finally said, "I sent it." It was less of a surprise to Cody.

Cody rolled his eyes. He was such an idiot. Why hadn't he checked with Ted about the travel arrangements? He answered the question himself, because of Fred that's why. Fred had verified the flight heading to Mexico today. Now Cody was alone with Randy for the duration of the flight to discuss 'strategic manoeuvres'.Fuck.

"Cody, don't look so upset," Randy said, still smiling-the bastard-, "I'm sure we can come up with ways to make this flight a very, very pleasurable experience."

Cody needed to get away from him, he got up and made his way to the restroom, Randy's chuckle following him all the way there. He locked the door behind him and paced the small space. Randy had come up with this Machiavellian scheme to isolate than what- seduce him? What was he suppose to do in Mexico for whole entire three days before the rest of WWE crew arrived? And why was he more turned on than upset by Randy's actions? Okay, the last question was a no-brainer. He wanted to fuck Randy, so his dick could be held accountable for the treacherous thoughts like exploring every inch of Randy's body with his tongue.

He paused to look at himself in the mirror, "You need to get it together man." He said to his reflection. Cody splashed some cold water on his face and opened the door-

-Randy was on the other side, he pushed Cody back into the bathroom, locking the door after him.

Chapter VI

Cody could remember a lot of firsts in his life. The first time he hit a home run in his Little League game. The first time he kissed a girl; her name was Elle Sigler and she was his first official girlfriend. They had been ten, alone in the janitor's closet and he still remembers how nervous he was. She had worn this strawberry tasting lip gloss and her lips had been so soft. He could remember the first time he had sex; it was with Veronica Parker, at his house. Their parents were away for the weekend. They had planned it, they had been going out for an entire six months, something that felt like a decade at fifteen. Her breasts had been warm when he touched them, and he even remembered the song that had been playing earlier that day when he bought condoms from the drug store. It had been N'Sync, which strangely enough, was Veronica's favourite band; he had bought the album for her birthday earlier that year.

He could remember the first time he realised that other guys turned him on. He was seventeen, in the junior wrestling division and he and Alex Philips had been detained together for arriving late for practice. Their punishment was lifting weights after school until their arms felt like they could fall out of their freaking sockets. The last part was the Coach's own word choice - he liked to say 'freaking' a lot. Cody figured it was his way of indicating that he was cool and could be 'down' with the 'youth'. Coach Taylor had really been difficult on Cody, reminding him all the time how his brother Dustin had been the school's best wrestler and to this day Dustin's record was unbroken. Not anymore, Cody thought. He had shattered his brother's record the following year. As for Coach Taylor, when Cody and Alex had arrived at the gym twenty minutes late, he decided to make an example out of them.

It was then, with Alex's shirtless weightlifting, Cody spotting him, that he had first felt it. He watched the muscles in Alex's arms flex, the veins made more prominent by exertion. Alex had taken his shirt off about three sets back and Cody had an unobstructed view of his chest, which was pretty well defined for a seventeen year old. Cody had watched as sweat beaded on Alex's collar bone, the contour of his stomach, and his eyes had been drawn to the fine hair that started at his belly, going down and disappearing into his shorts….

Cody had muttered something about needing to leave and left before he did something he would regret.

When he got home he convinced himself that he wasn't into guys, he just admired Alex's physique-that was all. He told himself that he could just ignore those feelings, that he could take them roll them up into a ball and shove them into the back of his mind.

He never allowed himself to think about other men, never allowed himself to fantasize about what it would be like to kiss or touch them. He never did, not until two months ago when Randy had pinned him and the floodgates had been thrown wide open and the avalanche of feelings and eight years worth of yearning isolation had escaped. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't banish the feelings away like he had before.

And all of his firsts- Elle in the janitor's closet, Veronica with her soft breasts, wearing his Letterman jacket, Alex's tan chest, glistening with sweat, muscles flexing as he pushed weights, Cody standing over him, realising that he was getting hard because of another boy - crossed his mind as Randy pushed him against the basin. He realized that his library of firsts would get extended and there was still new territory to be explored, that old desire that he had buried years ago was free again. Like an old ghost they had haunted his mind and his heart. He couldn't exorcise himself of them, and unlike before, he didn't want to.

He didn't need to.

Randy's lips closed over his and he moaned. He could taste a hint of the cigarette Randy had smoked earlier but instead of turning him off, it made him step up to his tip toes to meet his lips more eagerly. Randy pushed himself against Cody, causing his ass to dig into the basin. He reached up placing his hands on either side of Randy's face looking at him. Randy was looking back, his blue eyes glinting in the fluorescent lit room, and Cody had no idea what he was looking for in those pristine blue eyes. But when he looked into Randy's eyes he knew he would let this happen.

He didn't take his eyes off Randy as he reached for Randy's belt, unbuckling it with slightly unsteady hands. Randy reached for Cody's hands, stilling them. Randy leaned in for a kiss, brushing his lips slowly against Cody's. Randy let go of Cody's hands, reaching over to unzip Cody's jeans. He reached for Cody's cock through Cody's underwear and Cody moaned against his lips, overcome by sudden need to feel Randy's cock. He reached past the material of Randy's underwear, to the warmth of Randy's hard cock. Running his hand up and down the length, he wanted to see it, to watch his hand jerk Randy off but he didn't want to stop kissing Randy. God, he was so turned on, he got up higher on his toes, wanting to get closer to Randy. They now had their hands wrapped around the each other's cocks, their arms forming an X between their bodies. Cody jerked Randy in a fast pace, wishing Randy would do the same for him. The slow, steady pace was driving him crazy, he was burning like a bridge for Randy's body. He pulled
back from the kiss, needing to watch, he looked down, at his hand on Randy's cock, Randy's more tan hand on his cock, and as he also looked down, his stubble grazing Cody's cheek.

"Faster, Randy." His voice was gruff and he felt embarrassed at the obvious effect Randy had on him. Randy complied, jerking Cody off faster, his hand gliding up and down the length of him, pausing every now and then to squeeze the head of Cody's cock. Cody also increased the pace of his own hand on Randy's cock. And soon he felt himself going over the edge, moaning and coming. Randy didn't slow down his hand, continuing to jerk him off as come jutted onto his palm. Soon Cody felt Randy come in his own hand, the hot come spurting and Randy exhaling hard near his ear.

Moments passed as he leaned into Cody and whispered, "Next time I want you naked."

"There isn't going to be a next time," he replied sharply.

They stood like that for a moment staring each other down until they heard the pilot announce that all passengers had to be seated as they were expecting turbulence.

Turbulence or no turbulence Cody would never forget the first time he kissed Randy Orton.

**

When they arrived at Mexico City Airport, the WWE security detail was waiting for them. As usual, they wasted no time surrounding Randy, looking around as if they expected crazies to jump out of nowhere and attack him at any moment. They were big guys, one even taller than Randy, wearing black suits and matching black sunglasses. Cody wondered if they were failed wrestlers the WWE had hired to bodyguard its superstars. When they were past customs, Cody was very glad that they had security when four women began screaming loudly as they saw the group of merry men approach.

"John Cena pavo" was all Cody heard. The security guards circled them, to keep at bay what had been previously sane women but now they had turned into a shrieking mob, snapping photos with cell phones. Randy ignored all the pandemonium and continued to stride behind the burly security guards.

Cody was glad when they finally reached the black SUV that would take them to the hotel. He sat next to Randy in back. It was so strange, Randy wasn't usually so quiet. It had started after their bathroom encounter on the plane; they had returned to their seats and the rest of the trip had been uneventful.

He gazed out of the SUV's window looking at the different people they drove past. It was always so strange to leave the US and arrive in a different country, to observe the different customs, meet new people. He liked to travel and was happy that he had a job that allowed him to step outside of his playpen and look beyond his own backyard. The ride wasn't long, and in no time they pulled up at the hotel. Cody didn't pay attention to its name, in the time he had been with the WWE he had stayed in so many places he could hardly remember them now.

The hotel staff had been informed of their arrival and the bellboys took their luggage and guided them to their rooms, or rather, room as he would soon find out. They had the penthouse suite which overlooked the city, fully equipped with a mini bar and a Jacuzzi. Cody went to the window and looked out at the view while Randy spoke to the bellboy. He might have tipped him but Cody didn't know; he was too busy simmering at the idea of Randy booking the penthouse suite in advance. It was clear that Randy thought it was going to be very easy to get Cody to jump into bed with him, and didn't go through the process of having a contingency plan just in case he didn't. Randy must have figured that getting Cody to submit would be a sure thing; just a matter of a kiss here and a whisper there. But he was wrong.

When Randy was done and was closing the door behind him Cody turned and faced him.

"You really planned this entire thing out," Cody said, his arms folded defensively over his chest. "Well I won't be jumping into the sack with you today or any other day."

"Cody, the suite has two separate bedrooms," Randy said, "I'm not expecting anything from you."

"Well you shouldn't." Cody hated the way his voice sounded saying that, slightly shrill like a petulant little brat. He gathered his bags and dragged them to the other room in which he would be sleeping. He heard Randy calling after him, but he chose to ignore him as he shut the door.

Chapter VII

Randy was jerking off again. Try as he might, Cody couldn't shut out the sound of Randy beating off in the next room. He knew that Randy was doing it deliberately jus to taunt him, to spur him to action. But Cody promised himself that he would be strong and there wasn't anything that Randy could do to make him change his mind.

It had started the day they arrived, Cody got bored of in his en suite room and he decided to watch TV in the penthouse suite's den area. He opened the door to his room, looking around trying to locate Randy but there had been no sign of him. He had figured Randy must be in his own room.

After making himself a drink, he sat down on the luxurious leather seats and watched a football game. It was during this time he had lowered his guard while enjoying the game that Randy had walked in. He was shirtless, wearing jeans that were unbuttoned and partially unzipped so that Cody could see the top of his underwear. So what, he had thought. He and millions of people saw Randy in much less on any given Monday.

Randy went to the mini bar and made himself a drink. Cody tried to keep his composure and actual attention to the game on screen. But it was futile, his heart had started racing the instant he saw Randy. There was no way he could leave the room without looking like a coward. So he decided to stay, watch the game and ignore Randy.

Randy took a seat on the chair on the other side of him, placing his bare foot on the glass table. Cody could hear the ice cubes clink inside the glass he held. From the corner of his eye he could see Randy bringing the glass to his mouth and taking a sip.

Randy released a sigh. "There's nothing like a stiff drink to ease the tension," he said.

Cody wondered if the emphasis on stiff was deliberate, judging by the velvet-and-lace-tone of Randy's voice; it probably was. Cody didn't reply.

Randy took another drink, emptying the glass. From the corner of his eye Cody could make out Randy taking an ice cube and running it over his stomach. He knew that Randy wanted him to watch so he tried not to fulfil Randy's wishes by keeping his eyes on the game, that had become way less interesting than the show that was occurring right next to him.

"God, that feels good." Randy groaned rubbing the ice cube down his flat stomach, the melting ice leaving a trail of moisture that Cody would love to get on knees and lick off, but he wouldn't. Randy was now lifted the ice cube to his lips, darting a tongue out and licking the ice. He resumed rubbing the ice cube over his abs, down just above the white cotton of his underwear, and then back up. Cody's breathing was getting laboured, he was hard, he wanted to go over to Randy and join in. But the stubborn part of him didn't want to give him the satisfaction, even if it meant foregoing his own.

Randy placed a hand over his crotch, rubbing his dick through his jeans. He released a fake moan. Cody pretended to be really interested with what was happening on TV despite the fact that they had cut to an ad break and a commercial for Quaker Oats was on. Anything was better than the exhibition happening less than four feet away from him. He couldn't look at Randy, not directly anyway. So Cody sneaked a peep from the corner of his eye once again.

Randy had his jeans fully unzipped, and he had his cock out, it was hard and Cody now couldn't stop looking. Randy raised his lust hazed eyes and looked at Cody, while running his hands over his cock. He squeezed the head, and began to jerk off in a smooth and easy motion. Cody got up and practically ran to his room, the sound of Randy's soft laughter following him all the way to there.

The next morning he went to the en suite bathroom and found Randy already in there naked, wet and hard.

"You need to use the bathroom?" He asked. Cody replied that he could wait. He returned to his room leaving Randy to jerk off.

And jerk off he did, moaning loudly. Cody couldn't help but hear, the sound of a hand on slick, hard cock filling the room. He had wanted to jerk off too, but he didn't. The thought of Randy feeling smug with the knowledge of how he affected him was too great-so great that Cody didn't give in to his most basic, primal urge.

And when he returned from sightseeing that day he shouldn't had been surprised to find Randy at it again-but he was. Randy didn't bother to close the door this time. He continued to taunt Cody with his behaviour "Look at me. Look at my hot body," was the message. He wondered if Randy was more turned on by the exhibition rather than the teasing.

Having had enough he went into Randy's room and announced, "I have a proposition."

Randy opened his eyes. The hand on his cock didn't stop stroking, "I'm listening."

"I've had enough of this charade so I suggest we play a different type of game," he said walking to the foot of the bed. He began to remove his t-shirt, his movement slow and deliberate, pulling the t-shirt from the bottom hem, exposing his stomach, then pecs. He threw the shirt at Randy. "In this game we try to get the other to come first."

Randy caught the t-shirt, "So whoever comes first loses?"

"Yes." He started to unzip his jeans. "Whoever gets the other to come first can do whatever he wants with the loser."

There was flare in Randy's eyes, Cody stepped out of jeans. He wasn't wearing any underwear and he stood at the foot of the bed his hard-on jutting out in front him.

"So…" Cody climbed into bed with Randy. "Do you…"he placed a kiss on Randy's neck, "…want" His hand eased over Randy's stomach to grasped Randy's cock, "…to play?"

Randy raised Cody's chin to look at him. "Yes."

**

The instant Randy flipped him over onto his stomach, Cody thought that maybe he was in over his head. He was face down on the bed, the sheets still warm from Randy's body, his scent lingering on the pillow, the pillow brushing his face when he turned to the side, his cock digging into the bed. Randy's tongue darted into his ear, the heat of his body radiating so achingly close. Cody gripped the sheets hard, resisting the instinct to drive his cock into the bed and fuck the sheets. This was one game that he wanted to win. Randy was now tracing patterns on the back of his neck. He shivered when he blew onto his skin; his breath cool on Cody's fevered flesh. Randy started to lick and nibble on the skin between Cody's shoulder blades. He could feel Randy's cock brush against his leg. If he was going to win this game he had to get a grip, so to speak. Cody rolled over on to his back which turned out to not be the best idea when Randy grinned down at him.

Randy lowered himself over Cody, his lips brushing past Cody's mouth. He raised Cody's hands above his head, trapping them with one hand. He resumed his attack on Cody, this time nicking the skin on his chest with his teeth.

Cody struggled against the restraint of Randy's hand. When he managed to pry himself free from Randy's grip, he started to wiggle beneath Randy. This did more harm than good with Cody's cock brushing up against Randy in the most delicious manner. Randy groaned and the sound incited Cody to thrust up against him, harder, feeling the slickness of his pre come glide against his skin.

Randy pressed down on him stilling Cody's thrusts with his own body. Cody was now trapped between Randy and the bed, unable to move as there was no space between them, nothing to stop him from feeling the tautness of Randy's body, the heat of Randy's hard cock against him. He was afraid to move now, afraid to breathe, as any slight friction could push him over and make him come.

They were like that for a moment. He could feel Randy's heart thud next to his own and the pool of perspiration forming between their hot bodies making the space between them even more slick. He gathered all his strength and pushed Randy off him, with Randy on his back Cody preceded to climb astride him, his knees on either side of Randy he moved until his cock brushed against Randy's stomach. Randy looked up at him through half closed defiant eyes.

Cody leaned forward, licking the sweat off the top of Randy's lips before kissing him sucking gently on Randy's tongue. He started to tip his hips forward, grinding up and down. He kissed his way down Randy's neck, down Randy's taut stomach, his stomach contracted when Cody reached for his cock. Cody ran his tongue across the length of it before drawing it into his mouth. He heard Randy hiss as he sucked on Randy's cock, massaging the base with his hands, occasionally reaching to squeeze Randy's balls. Randy was so still, leading Cody to believe he didn't want to move in case he came. Which is exactly what Cody wanted, he wanted to Randy to come in his mouth. He wanted to taste Randy's hot, white come, feel it hit the back of his throat; he could already taste the tangy salty pre-come that collected on the tip of Randy's cock, now-

Cody was interrupted from his thoughts by Randy who reaching for him, pulling him off his cock. Cody tried to resist which lead to Randy tackling him; they fell onto the floor along with the sheets. Cody landed on his back, Randy immediately climbing over him and he felt Randy's mouth on his dick. It was too much, Randy's tongue doing wicked things to his cock, fingers brushing against his perineum. The rugged carpet on his back, too many sensations, all at once-

"Randy…" he moaned, pushing back into the tongue that was teasing him too orgasm, while holding his breath. Cody once read in a book that if you hold your breath during sex this keeps you from coming and delays your orgasm a bit longer-

Cody came.

Obviously that person didn't know what they were talking about.

**

Once his orgasm had subsided and he could think coherently, Cody's first thought was, "fuck". He wondered what Randy would do to him, what he had in mind. He gripped the bed and got up, his legs feeling unsteady beneath him, and then he collapsed onto the bed. He glanced at Randy noting the come that had splashed on his chin. Randy looked at him, wiping the come off his chin with his index finger then licking it off. Cody was glad he was on the bed because the sight of that would have made him become all spastic and collapse onto the floor. His eyes fell onto Randy's cock; it was red and harder than Cody had ever seen it before.

Randy got up off the floor and settled on the bed next to him, he leaned in to kiss him. Cody could taste himself on his tongue.

"Anything I want?" Randy murmured against his lips.

Cody nodded. Randy could do anything he liked, anything he wanted with him. He wondered if a part of him had wanted to lose, allowing Randy to take charge. Anything that happened now was out his hands; Cody could claim that he wasn't accountable, that Randy made him do it. Maybe he had wanted to waive all responsibility and leave Randy in control, in the driver's seat. Maybe he just wanted to come along for the ride.


Cody lay with his legs splayed on the bed, contemplating what Randy had in mind. Maybe Randy wanted to fuck him, to turn him over face down, ass up and drive his cock into his ass. Cody couldn't say he hadn't fantasised about what it would be like. He'd never been with a guy before but he'd seen clips of guys together every now and then. He'd watch bisexual porn once, telling himself the reason he was so turned on by two guys and one girl was because the girl in this particular video was hotter than the two blondes combined in the other videos. Cody remembered feeling like he had been punched in the chest when the two guys began to kiss, when the blond guy started to fuck the brunet; the girl might as well not have been there. He came hard, watching the two guys fuck. He had immediately deleted the clip and he never went to the Three Pillows website ever again. Now he was imagining what it would be like to be fucked by Randy.

"Cody." The sound of Randy's voice brought him back to reality. "I'm ready to tell you what I want."

He felt his stomach flutter. This was it, this was the moment. He wondered if it would hurt. Probably. What was it that Randy had said to him? Anything worth having involves a little pain.

"I want you to stop running from me," Randy said. Cody's head jerked. He hadn't expected to hear this, "I want you to move to this room."

Randy leaned over Cody and kissed him. "I want your hands on me," he whispered. Cody closed his eyes and reached for Randy's cock, stroking him gently in his hands. They continued to kiss as Cody jerked Randy's cock, mimicking the grip Randy used when getting himself off. Randy moaned and came in Cody's hand.
He brought his hand up and licked it clean of Randy's come. Then exhausted they collapsed on the bed.

**

Cody must have been either really tired or Randy's come had drugging capabilities because he didn't wake up until midday the following day. Randy walked into the room wearing only track pants only. The curtains were open and ray of sunlight cascaded into the room, blinding Cody. Squinting he turned around, watching Randy climbed into bed with him. He must have already showered because he smelt like soap and toothpaste. He hadn't shaved yet and his stubble raked Cody's cheek, causing him to shiver. Randy's skin was cooler than his own. Instantly aroused, Cody dragged Randy into his arms.

"You smell like sex," he whispered in Cody's ear. Cody rolled onto him and started to kiss him. He settled on top of Randy's midsection studying Randy's tattoos.

"Did it hurt?" Cody asked.

"When I fell from the sky?" Randy replied, "Yes it did. But I got over it soon enough."

"Don't be cute," he said smiling, "I meant your tattoos."

I can't help being cute. I was born that way," Randy said. He laughed as Cody pretended to punch him, then looked down at his tattoos and started to speak. "It did hurt but it wasn't an unbearable pain. After a while I started to enjoy it, the smell of the sanitizing fluid, the drilling sound of the ink pen."


"Will you get any more tattoos in the future?"

"Yeah I might. What about you, Mr. Rhodes?" Randy asked, "Any plans of getting a mermaid on an anchor? Or a sailor?"

He shook his head, amused at the idea of himself with those tattoos. "I'm too clean cut for a tattoo."

"No you're not." Randy placed his hand behind Cody's neck and pulled him down for a kiss. As Cody was about to suggest that they have an encore of the previous night's activities, he heard a knock at the door.

"Do you think it's the maid?" Cody said as he pulled back.

"I'll go answer." Randy said and got up, "You stay here."

Cody settled into the bed, expecting Randy to come back quickly. He heard a male voice speaking with Randy. A very familiar male voice. After a moment he realized... it was Ted. Cody sprang out bed and started to look for his clothes. He found his jeans and pulled them on, but he couldn't find his shirt. It didn't matter, he thought. He'll just go his room through the adjoining door and rustle up the bed to make it look slept in. He quickly went to his room and had just finished messing up the bed when Ted walked in.

"Hey Cody," Ted said as he walked into the room. He approached Cody and gave him a hug. He pulled back grinning. "You got lucky last night? You have that just got fucked look and scent about you."

Cody shrugged. "You know how it goes."

Ted sat on the foot of the bed. "So where's the girl?"

"She's um, she-" Cody stammered.

"She's a Brazilian model and she had to leave to do a photo shoot," Randy said as he walked into the room. Cody glanced at him than at Ted who seemed to buy the story.

"We missed you guys at the launch party," Ted said. "It was really great, they had these DJs and lots of freebies." He held up his wrist. "I got this from Tageur. Apparently the company is considering picking a WWE superstar to be one of its spokesmen, joining Brad Pitt, Tiger Woods and Charlize Theron. Who knows, it might end up being yours truly."


"Yeah, who knows?" Cody said vaguely, feeling strangely exposed without a shirt on. Randy must have put one on before he answered the door, which was good. Cody didn't want Ted to walk in on him and Randy both partially dressed. He didn't want Ted to start suspecting that there was something going on.

"Everyone flew in today, you guys should have seen the fans at the airport. It was crazy, it took about twenty security guys to keep them off Cena." Ted said. "Have you had breakfast yet? I'm hungry."

"No, we haven't." Cody said. "Do you want to order in or go down to the restaurant?"

"Let's order in. Where are the menus?" Ted asked

"By the mini bar." Randy replied.

Ted paused at the door. "Oh, I almost forgot. They messed up room bookings. They didn't have a room for Chris and he made a big fuss and refuses to share. So I thought I could bunk with you guys. Do you mind?"

Cody glanced at Randy. "No, not at all."

"That's great, I'll go get my bags from the lobby." Ted said, and was out the door.

As soon as he left Cody turned to Randy. "I totally forgot that they were coming in today." Cody said. "Do you think he suspects anything?"

Randy shook his head. "No, but we have to be careful not to give him a reason to."

**

Keeping Ted in the dark would prove easier said than done. First of all, when Ted returned he declared he was jet lagged and wouldn't be able to sleep on a couch, so Randy or Cody would have to give up their room for him. Cody obliged and said he would sleep on the couch. Then Randy intervened, saying he wouldn't mind sharing the room with Cody. After much flustered protesting from Cody it was decided that he and Randy would share a room.

Secondly, later on that night, after Cody had played PS3 until he was sick of it, he eventually had to make his way into Randy's bed. Randy had made it clear that just because Ted was in the room it didn't mean that he and Cody couldn't fool around. Cody told him that he wouldn't risk Ted finding out about them. So even before Cody slipped into bed next to Randy he was already nervous and somewhat aroused. He could barely make out Randy's face in the dark so he couldn't tell if Randy was asleep or not. Cody closed his own eyes and tried to fall asleep, telling himself that he had to be prepared for his match tomorrow. If he didn't sleep he would be dead tired for the house show. As his breathing got slower and he was drifting to sleep, he felt Randy shift and a leg brush against his. Cody's entire body went tense as he waited for Randy's next move and any semblance of falling asleep shattered by the frisson of concupiscent thrill that run up through him like a run away lightning.

He didn't have to wait long. In the dark he felt Randy's hand reach out and caress his bare chest. Cody lied as still as he could. Randy ran his hand up and down Cody's chest. They started to move down, over Cody's stomach, pausing just above his briefs.

"Randy," Cody whispered. "We can't do this. Not with Ted in the other room."

"I'm not doing anything," Randy whispered back. Cody took a pillow and placed it between him and Randy.

"Keep your hands to yourself," Cody said. "And stay on your side of the bed."

Randy whispered an agreement and moved away, Cody closed his eyes, a part of him anticipating Randy to continue to touch him. But Randy kept his words and didn't attempt to grope him for the rest of the night.

Chapter VIII

They completed their tour of Mexico the following week and soon flew to Ohio. Nothing much occurred during that week apart from a few stolen kisses when Ted was in the shower and few gropes here and there. Cody always half afraid that Ted would walk in on them but he never did.

In Ohio the company booked them each their own rooms. After going through the laborious process of checking in Cody finally got to drag his bags to his room. He had long ago forgotten about expecting concierges to help him to his room, not when there were Divas batting their lashes at them. Cody had seen some of those girls bench-press more than hundred pounds in the gym but suddenly they couldn't drag a thirty pound carrier bag to their rooms. When he got to his room he put his bag in the closet and was about to go to Randy's room when Ted knocked on his door.

"Cody, what are you doing to kill time before the show?" he asked when Cody opened the door.

"Not much." Cody replied.

Ted nodded, "There isn't really much to do."

Cody shifted on his feet; he needed to see Randy and maybe get some alone time with him. He hadn't gotten off in a week and he was getting desperate. He wanted Ted to just leave and go call his wife or do something that didn't involve him being the cock block he currently was.

"Do want to do some sight seeing?" Ted asked, obviously not hearing the subliminal messages that Cody was sending to him.

"I'm feeling tired so I think I'll take a power nap," he said, now just irritated by Ted who seemed to finally get the message. He bid Cody a farewell and went back to his room. Cody closed the door and counted silently to twenty then opened it and glanced around, Ted was nowhere to be seen.

Cody walked down the hall quickly and knocked on Randy's door. Randy opened the door with a smile, pushing Cody against the closed door and pressed his body against Cody, kissing him slowly. Cody thrust his groin against Randy, fucking him through his clothes. He could feel the heat emitted by Randy's body, could smell him, the same scent that made his brain turn to mush and his cock hard. They stumbled their way to the bed while Randy removed Cody's t-shirt, dropping it to the floor. Cody felt his feet hit the bed and he fell backwards onto it.

He looked up at Randy who was standing over him, unbuckling his belt, dropping the denim around his ankles. He stepped out of his jeans. Randy's body was sculpted perfection. Cody leaned back on the bed, watching.

"Enjoying the show?" Randy said smugly.

"Yeah," he said, He knew how much Randy liked being watched.

Randy dropped to his knees to remove Cody's sneakers, throwing them mindlessly over his shoulders. He tugged at Cody jeans next. Cody reclined on the bed in nothing but his underwear. Naked, Randy climbed onto the bed, straddling him, while rubbing Cody's cock through the cotton boxers. Randy leaned down to kiss him languidly, his cock pressing against Cody's midriff. Cody knew then what was going to happen. He had fantasised about this. Since that day he came, beneath Randy on a gym floor, he had imagined what it would feel like to be fucked by Randy Orton. Now it was going to happen.

Randy kissed a trail from Cody's neck to his cock. He pulled down on the waistband of Cody's boxers, freeing his aching cock from its constraints. Randy began to suck on it, inciting a moan from Cody.

Cody gripped down on Randy's head; he could feel the fine spiky bristles of his hair. "Fuck that feels good…" he cursed, watching his cock disappearing between Randy's lips. He spread his knees wider apart.

It was an invitation.

Randy paused, looking up at him. "Cody…?" he whispered. His eyes were dark with lust, his lips wet and swollen.

Cody nodded without hesitating.

Randy dragged the boxers pass Cody's ankles, tossing them onto the floor. "You are going to have to say it out loud…" he said while reaching into a drawer next to the bed for something. It was when he pulled his hands back that Cody saw what he had. Condoms. And a tube of something.

Randy had planned this; he had expected Cody here, like this. "Randy, I-" he started. He wasn't going to lose this one.

"Yes…?"

"I want you," Cody said.

"Cody, you can do much better than that. I want to hear you say it."

Cody closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. "I want you to-" he stopped, not sure if he could say the words.

"Yes?" Randy said again sounding as patient as an old college professor being harassed by a student who wouldn't stop asking questions.

"I want you to fuck me." Cody opened his eyes.

Randy's eyes were ablaze. "Say it again. Louder."

"I want you to fuck me!" Cody practically shouted.

Randy smiled and placed his free hand over Cody's head patting it gently. Then he ran his hand down tracing the contours of Cody's face. He lowered his head and kissed him, intertwining their tongues.

"Cody," Randy said once more and he pulled away. Cody barely heard him, so lost was he in the sexual heat of desire and lust. Opening his eyes, he watched Randy who was entranced by his own hand over Cody's jaw. There was a look of possessiveness in Randy's eyes that frightened and turned Cody on at the same time. An ambivalent need to fight or flee took over Cody. Fuck or flee. Cody didn't want to run away. He was done with running away.

Randy gripped his hands then Cody suddenly felt himself being flipped onto to his stomach, his hard on digging into the bed below him, his back exposed to Randy's wandering hands. But it wasn't his back that Randy was interested in.

Cody closed his eyes as he felt Randy place his hands on his ass. They were warm but Cody felt his flesh break out in goosebumps. He felt Randy grip his ass, then give it a squeeze before placing his lips on his lower back. Cody gripped the sheets, closing his eyes tightly. He felt Randy's blunt fingernails scrape across his back, Cody bit his lips. It burnt where Randy had scraped him. He wondered if it would leave a mark but he decided he didn't care. He moaned, arching his back, digging his cock a little harder to the bed, needing the friction, the slight appeasing grind to somehow lessen the desire he felt. Why was Randy taking so long? He needed it now. He needed Randy now.

"Randy," more of a moan than an actual spoken word. But it wasn't any word, it was Randy's name and a description of how he felt right now.

"Shhh," Randy said, his fingers now on Cody's ass, running them between the cheeks, finding the spot that he sought. The one that made Cody suddenly still as he gripped the sheets a bit harder. Then Randy's fingers were gone and Cody heard a something click. A lid? Then cool liquid was squirted onto him where Randy's fingers had been. Cody yelped; the liquid was cold. Randy's finger returned running up and down and soon the coolness of the liquid was replaced by the heat of Randy's fingers.

Cody felt Randy crook a finger and begin to ease it into him. It felt... different. Not unpleasant or particularly good....just different. The finger began to move in and out of him, slowly. Cody closed his eyes and pressed down onto the bed, rubbing his cock against it, meeting the finger when he arched back. He wanted to wrap his hand around his dick, to move up and get a hand between the bed and his body but he didn't want Randy to stop what he was doing. Not when it was suddenly starting to feel so good.

"How does that feel Cody?" Randy asked, his voice gruff.

"Good." Cody's reply was slightly garbled by the pillow he was face down on.

Randy eased another finger in and began to fuck Cody with two fingers, crooking his fingers occasionally, causing Cody to gasp and curl his toes each time.

"Oh God, Randy, just fuck me." Cody said into the pillow. He needed this now, not tomorrow or whenever Randy was planning to let it happen. He needed to feel Randy inside of him now. He needed to feel the weight of Randy's body pushing down on him, fucking him.

He expected Randy to make him wait or to return to his earlier game and have Cody beg. But he didn't. Cody felt Randy remove his fingers and move off the bed, he heard the sound of the condom foil breaking and it was so loaded it might have been a gun going off. He wanted to look, to watch Randy put the condom on himself, but he didn't; he lowered his face onto the pillow and breathed in. Telling himself to relax as the scent of fabric detergent hit his nostrils. Then Randy was back on the bed and Cody could feel him place tiny kisses on the back of his neck, his ear.

"I'm going to fuck you now," Randy whispered wetly before licking his ear. Cody shivered. Randy placed a hand on Cody's hip, and soon he felt his cock slowly enter. It hurt, but Randy was going in slowly and God the feel of him, the sensation of being pinned down, trapped between the bed and Randy's body, it felt good. Cody released an open mouthed breath and gripped the sheets so hard he feared he might tear them and then Randy was still, so still and the only sound he could hear was the sound of his own heart beating, beating in his chest, fluttering like a caged animal as the blood coursed through his body, from his brain straight to his throbbing cock. Randy was so still and Cody held his breath, hearing nothing but the thud in his head of blood. Red, hot and sweet. God, Randy move, Cody thought. Move, I can take it. Move, move, move. He repeated like a mantra in his head and soon he felt Randy drive his cock deeper into him, he felt the heat of it, felt himself being filled and it felt so g
ood.

"Cody, you're so tight…" he whispered, "Fuck, you're so tight."

"Randy," Cody said. He couldn't keep it in, it felt so good. Randy kissed the back of his neck, thrusting a little bit harder. "Randy…"

Cody felt like he was blubbering but he wanted to reach between the sheets and jerk his cock. He wanted to run his fingers over the head of it, then stroke downwards and match the speed at which Randy was fucking him. He wanted to. But he couldn't. Randy pushed his body down, causing Cody to rub up the sheets a bit harder.

Randy was back near his ear, whispering things. Things that made him bite his lips harder, buck his back to meet Randy's thrusts and curl his toes some more. They were hot, those things that Randy said, sexy, dirty but oh so hot. They made Cody's head feel light and he dropped it onto the pillow, while he thrust against the sheets, needing release, needing to come so badly and Randy licked his ear once more, biting the lobe gently while tightening his grip on Cody hips, his chest brushing up against Cody's back. Cody thrust against the bed more actively; he closed his eyes as he saw white and came, gasping loudly for air that felt like it was being drained from his lungs.

This orgasm was different from all the other orgasm he had ever had in his life; it surfaced from the inside, going out. It was so intense it left him gasping and trembling beneath Randy.

Randy thrust more then he bit on Cody's shoulder while coming inside him. Cody closed his eyes, feeling Randy's body spasm above him, wanting to look at Randy while he came, to see Randy's face but he was too exhausted to move. So instead he laid his head against the bed as Randy's spasms subsided then Randy kissed his shoulder.

He felt Randy move off him and he rolled off his stomach, watching Randy dispose of the condom before he got back onto the bed to lie next to him. Randy leaned in to kiss him.

Cody closed his eyes. As he drifted off to sleep he thought he heard Randy whisper something to him.

**
They were in New York and the city was jovial as it was Thanksgiving and most of the guys-including Ted-were watching a football game in the hotel's bar.

They were alone in Randy's suite and Randy wanted to play a game. The rules of were simple. It was a game of general knowledge; Cody would ask Randy a general question usually about the WWE's history and Randy would ask him a question in return. Whoever got the most answers wrong would have to be the other's slave. Cody was currently in the lead and after a few questions such as 'When was Ricky the Dragon Steamboat inducted into the Hall of Fame?' or 'When did Chris Jericho debut onto the WWE?' he won.

"You get to be my slave," Cody said as he went to Randy's side. "That means you have to do whatever I want."

"So what do you have in mind?" Randy asked as he faked a grimace. Cody smiled his best evil smile and pretended to think.

"Strip." Cody said.

Randy sighed as if he had expected this all along. He got to his feet and pulled the sweater he was wearing, then the vest, and then he unzipped his jeans and the underwear he wore beneath until he was standing naked before Cody. He was hard and Cody told himself silently that he had to focus on the important issue of making Randy lose control and beg to come. He wanted to make Randy reach a breaking point that he frequently experienced himself and he wouldn't allow himself to be distracted.

Cody got up and opened Randy's suitcase, rummaging around until he found what he was looking for: Randy's ties. Cody took the four ties and tied them together into two makeshift ropes. He was aware of Randy eyeing him curiously from the other side of the room. Cody smiled and walked to Randy and tied a rope around Randy's wrist then another on the other hand. He then tugged at the ropes and led Randy to the hotel bed.

"Get on the bed," Cody said.

"What if I refuse?" Randy asked, idly tugging at his make shift binds. Cody was fairly certain he had tied the ropes tightly and he didn't expect Randy to be able to free himself.

"You don't get to have a say in this," Cody said, trying to sound menacing. "You're my slave, remember?" Randy grudgingly got on the bed. Cody shoved him onto his back and then tied his hands to the headboard. Randy was now spread out on the bed and Cody looked at him.

"You've been dying to do this all along," Randy said. Cody sat astride Randy, still fully clothed, rubbing himself against Randy's hard cock.

"Randy, I've been dying to do a lot of things," he said, "And believe me when I say I'm going to do most of them to you tonight."

Randy's eyes narrowed and he yanked at his restraints. Cody laughed, "You can struggle all you like but you aren't getting away from me that easily."

Cody began to unbutton his shirt watching Randy as he did so. A part of him felt like backing off and not completing what he had started, but another part of him wanted to see how far he could push Randy. With his shirt unbuttoned Cody left hanging open, his chest exposed. He ran his hands up and down Randy's stomach.

"I've always been curious, Randy," Cody said. "So we are going to have a simple Q&A session right now." He leaned in and placed a kiss on Randy's neck. "I want you to tell me if you've ever had a sexual encounter with another guy before me."

Randy shifted side to side. Cody sat firmly on him, locking him in place. "Yes." Randy finally replied.

"Tell me about it," Cody said.

"I was in the Marines. I was horny. He was there. End of story." Randy said.

Cody was now a breath away from Randy's lips and spoke onto them. "There has to be more than that," he licked Randy's bottom lip. "Tell me how you approached him. Or did he approach you?"

"Nobody approached anyone, it just happened."

"How did it happen, that's what I want to know," Cody asked. "Were you in your bunks and he offered a helping hand? Or were you in the hot, steamy showers covered in soapsuds?"

"You've watched too much porn," Randy said.

"You're not answering my question, Mr. Orton." Cody replied, "Inquiring minds want to know."

Randy closed his eyes, "Earlier that day we were fighting. As punishment we were sent to clean the rec room." Cody nodded encouragingly for him to go on. "So we're in the rec room polishing brass and Jared asks me if I know why we could never get along. I didn't care that we didn't get on but I played along and said to him, 'Why can't we ever get along?' I remember he placed the polishing cloth aside and stepped up to me. He was tall, about my height so he and I were eye to eye, and he said, 'Because we're too much alike' and he kissed me…" Randy stopped speaking,

"Go on," Cody said, nudging Randy lightly. "What did you do when he kissed you?"

"I punched him," Randy's voice softened as if he was recounting something he regretted. "Then he punched me back and it was as if all my frustrations and fury for being where I was suddenly surfaced so I shoved him against the wall and placed my elbow beneath his chin, cutting off his air supply. Jared looked at me, his eyes half closed, nothing but slits really, not backing down. I pressed my body against his and I could tell he was hard by then, and so was I. We stood momentarily like that and I finally lowered my arm but I kept him pressed against the wall and I kissed him back, I remember how weird it felt, his chin grazing mine, I could feel his stubble. But it also felt good, he was solid, muscular and I could release all the aggression and anger that I felt without worrying about hurting him."

Intrigued, Cody ran his hands up and down Randy's chest. "Did you fuck?"

Randy shook his head. "Not then, it was too risky. Anyone could have walked in. I jerked him off and he went down on me." He opened his eyes and looked at Cody. "Satisfied now?"

Cody smiled. "Not quite yet." He leaned in to whisper in Randy's ear. "Now tell me about the time you and Jared first fucked." Randy shook his head. Cody trailed his hands off Randy's chest and placed them around Randy's neck. "I'm not asking you. So you don't get to shake your head." He squeezed his hands around Randy's neck, "So I'll say it again. Tell me about the first time you and Jared fucked."

"There's nothing to tell," Randy said while trying to shake Cody's hands off. Cody removed his hands and began to place kisses along Randy's chest, he licked Randy's right nipple, then bit it gently. Randy twitched. Cody raked his teeth against Randy's skin. He moved to the left and licked the other nipple, giving it the same treatment as the right one.

"Tell…" bite, lick, blow of cool breath, "me…" hands roaming down, gripping Randy's cock, "about you and Jared."

Randy's breathing became laboured, "We were stationed on field during an exercise. No one else was there but us, we had to hike to a station six miles from where we dropped off. This was supposed to teach us survival skills when we were finally dispatched to duty. Anyway, Jared and I had been hiking for half an hour when he said we should take a break. There was this clearing with trees and a stream where we sat down to eat the food we had brought along with us." Cody started to jerk Randy off slowly. Randy thrust his hips towards Cody's hand and in a low voice continued to speak. "Jared leaned in and kissed me, and like before, we soon unzipped our pants and had our cocks out." Randy moaned when Cody squeezed the head of his cock. "This time we were frenzied and Jared pushed me on my back onto the grass. He got on top of me and started to kiss me while thrusting his cock against me, I couldn't even breath I was so turned on. I was nineteen, scared out of my mind at the thought of being dispatched to combat,
horny all the time with no outlet except my hand, angry that I couldn't choose a better career than being a jarhead. All these emotions built up in me and seemed to culminate when Jared turned me over onto my stomach. I didn't say no or try to get out of it. I didn't want to be in control, I didn't want to think, I didn't want to be myself anymore, and when he spat onto his hands all I could hear was the thunder of blood in my ears. And all that noise stopped the part of me that wanted to retreat and say no." Cody's hand on Randy's cock stilled. Randy sighed then spoke again. "It hurt when he started to fuck me, it hurt so much I had tears in my eyes. A part of me wanted to feel the pain, that somehow I deserved to be hurt. He wasn't gentle and I didn't want him to be, he fucked me and when he came I could feel his come inside me. I jerked off after he got off me. He just smoked a cigarette and watched me."

"What happened next?" Cody asked.

Randy sighed. "We packed our bags and made our way to the base. A few months later I got kicked out and decided to give wrestling a try."

"Did you guys keep contact after you left the military?"

"We never got together after that time if that's what you're asking." Randy said. "Jared stayed, went up the ladder and he was dispatched to Baghdad a year later. He died four years ago from a suicide bomber attack in Kashmir."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Cody said.

"So was I, but I never really knew him." Randy said, "Apart from those brief encounters I never actually got to know the person he was."

The mood became sombre. Cody leaned forward to untie Randy and when he finally threw the ties to the floor he rolled Randy onto him and whispered, "Fuck me."

Randy complied.

Chapter IX

It was a few days before Christmas and everywhere Cody looked he saw bells and mistletoe and everyone was so annoyingly happy. They were on Christmas break and the WWE was holding a charity ball. Cody received his invitation in the mail and reading how it was an invitation for him and his plus one. He didn't have a plus one. It sucked enough he had to attend all those functions in the first place but now he was obligated to bring a date.

He briefly considered who to bring. There was Sharna, his last one night stand; she had been recently recruited as a Diva. It seems someone had managed to get their hands on their elevator romp and they had been impressed by her… talent. He had bumped into her backstage once and she had blabbered on about how grateful she was to him for putting in a good word for her. Cody stared at her flabbergasted at how she could think that he helped get her into the WWE. He noticed that she recently had her boobs augmented and her hair was blonder. The last he heard she was in Florida being trained for her on screen debut. Nah. Sharna was too annoying. Cody sighed and resigned to the fact that he would be probably attending the Christmas charity ball solo. It would be probably for the best.

There was a new development in Cody's life. Ever since New York, Randy was different. It was as if he had exposed a part of himself to Cody that he hadn't ever shown anyone and because of that he now was very possessive of Cody and the secret that they shared. They would be at work, Cody would be speaking to some guys and suddenly he would feel the skin on the back of his neck bristle and he would glance to the other side of the room and Randy would be there, staring at him. A part of Cody enjoyed it; the allure of knowing Randy wanted him all to himself that he didn't want to share him with other people. The knowledge of Randy's possessiveness sometimes pushed Cody to flirt with girls or be a little bit more attentive when some guy was speaking to him. He liked feeling that Randy was probably watching and seething with fury. Those nights when he pushed Randy's buttons the sex would be quick and intense, he knew that Randy was trying to banish any thoughts of infidelity on his part.

Ted noticed the change between Randy and Cody. When did he start to suspect something was going on? Cody had no idea. But one day he and Ted were playing Xbox he suddenly asked Cody point blank if there was something going on between him and Randy. Cody denied it.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Cody said.

"Are you guys fucking?" Ted said, "Is that clear enough for you?"

Cody shook his head. "Randy and I aren't fucking."

He knew Ted didn't believe him. He was a bad liar and he probably screwed it up the instant he got flustered. Ted didn't say anything for a while.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Ted said eventually. "Randy's married, with a child. I'm not sure where your head is at, Cody."

Cody sighed. "I'm not expecting him to leave his wife or anything."

"Well he probably won't," Ted said, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"About Randy and me?" Cody said, trying to focus on the game. He didn't want to look at Ted; he didn't want to see the judgement on Ted's face. He felt bad enough already; he didn't need to have another person disappointed in him.

"That you're into guys." Ted said. "I mean, one day you're banging Russians twins at the same time. Partying with girls and now you're… doing it with another guy."

He glanced at Ted. "There was nothing to tell."

"My brother's gay so I'm not judging you," Ted said. Cody had had enough so he threw his remote to the floor. Ted continued to speak, "It doesn't change us or how I-"

"I'm going off to get some fresh air," Cody interrupted him, and left. Ted never brought the topic up again but sometimes when Cody and Randy were speaking, in hushed tones, Randy's hand on Cody's shoulder, his lips next to Cody's ear, Cody would look over at Ted and see him looking at them, his eyes glinting darkly. Cody could never tell what Ted felt at those times. Fury? Betrayal? Hatred? Or worse, disgust? But whatever it was Cody allowed it to wash past him like the waves of a tide.

Yet the strongest currents, given time, can carve rivers through mountains.

**
The party was just as boring as Cody had anticipated. Boringer, if there was such a word. He was standing looking over at the men and women dressed to the nines, garnished like Thanksgiving turkeys, laughing and talking amongst themselves. The average age of the partygoers was probably forty. Cody wondered where Mike, John and Jack were, it was almost as if they had made a pact to abscond from the stuffy end of the year 'do'. They had been right; it was more of the end of the year 'don't'.

Don't accept invitations personally signed by Vince McMahon. Don't wear a tux since it makes you look like a penguin. Don't keep glancing (anxiously) at the door waiting for Randy to show up and remind you of the reason why you are even here at this 'do'. Cody listed the items off in his head while he sipped at his champagne. A group of middle aged men were animatedly talking a few feet from him. One vaguely familiar looking man was gesticulating crazily, probably reminiscing about a golden oldie match that probably occurred before Cody was even born. He'd seen his dad doing the same thing once too often. Talking about the good old days of wrestling, back when it was an actual sport with blood and real athletes. Not a mass produced, global, teeny bopper pleasing, money grabbing machine. Whatever.

Cody drained his drink, looking around for a waiter. The only way he was going to make it through this bore-fest is if he was utterly and completely wasted. Unfortunately the only waiters around were carrying trays of sour looking hors d'oeuvres so Cody made his way through the sea of bodies. Unlike the Red Sea it didn't part, he had to weave his way around waves of peroxide blond hair and shiny bald scalps. He spotted a waiter just a few feet ahead of him, carrying a tray with two glasses. Cody hurried a bit but just as he was about to reach out to take a glass someone beat him to the punch. The waiter moved away leaving Cody free to see the face of his champagne stealing adversary, Evan Bourne.

"It's nice to see someone who was born after nineteen-eighty," Cody said.

Evan held out a glass to him. "I guess you must have love for me."

Cody raised a brow while he took the much needed drink. "Huh?"

"You know, the song, 'I've got love for you if you were born in the eighties,'" Evan smiled. Cody's confusion must have been written on his face because Evan said, "Never mind," and sipped his drink.

Cody eyed Evan, not sure how to carry forward. He had seen Evan around at work but hardly ever spoke to him at length but here he was stuck with him. After all, Evan was the only other person at this function he could speak to. The middle aged ex-wrestlers and their Botoxed wives weren't appealing.

Evan looked at him. "You're wondering what to say to me."

Cody shrugged, "I'm wondering why I even bothered to attend this." That was a complete and utter lie. He knew exactly why he had attended. His reason was six feet five and half, blue eyed and capable of giving Cody toe curling, cranial exploding, sheet tearing orgasms.

"Me too." Evan glanced around. "I should have guessed when they said that it was a benefit that no one would bother to attend except," he gestured with his hand to an obese, balding too tanned man who had a twenty something year old Katie Price doppelganger draped over him, "them."

"Well at least the booze is free," Cody stated looking around, catching his breath when he saw Randy walk in. He was dressed in a dark suit and a white shirt which with the first few buttons left tantalising undone, giving anyone who cared to look a view of his tan chest. He wasn't alone; Cody's eyes fell to the figure being lead by hand into the room by Randy. It was Samantha, Randy's wife. Cody looked away and focused on whatever Evan was saying.

"…sold for twenty thousand which was raised by the foundation." Evan said. Cody nodded and tried to look interested in what he was saying. Randy was making his way across the room, Samantha now abandoned to the wives and girlfriends section. Cody leaned forward and gave his entire focus to Evan who was still speaking. He wanted it to look like he was hanging to every earnest word that dripped from Evan's tongue.

"Uh-huh," Cody muttered at the appropriate pause and Evan went on. Randy was now a few feet from them. Someone stopped him and he was now speaking to that person. Randy glanced at Cody while whoever it was rattled on about something. Cody raised an eyebrow, focused on Evan who was now explaining why he could never ever work in marketing despite having degree in it.

"Which college did you attend?" Cody asked, trying to keep up appearances. Randy now done with Whoever No. 1 and was now striding towards him only to be paused by Whoever No. 2. Evan, obviously pleased by Cody's (supposed) interest was now talking colleges. Randy brushed past Whoever No. 2 and walked up to Cody, grabbed his arm, mumbled an 'excuse me' to Evan and walked off with Cody.

Cody allowed himself to be dragged off by Randy, feeling momentarily bad for Evan who was left standing with his mouth slightly agape. A few ladies offered Randy a smile as he made his way past them with Cody in tow, but Randy paid them no attention. They turned a corner to a less populated area. There was a couple making out against the wall, they walked passed the couple. Randy opened a door, glanced inside then dragged Cody by the arm inside. He grabbed the champagne glass out of Cody's hand and placed it haphazardly on a counter; it didn't make it and shattered on the floor. They didn't pay attention to it as Randy pushed Cody against the wall and started to kiss him.

"I've been thinking about this all day," Randy whispered as he licked Cody's ear. "I was so hard I could barely stand it."

Cody shivered, arching his body against Randy's. He cleared his throat. "Have you?"

Randy reached for Cody's hands and raised them above his head. He pressed his entire body against Cody's, "I'll leave you to be the judge of that." He thrust his body against Cody then spoke again. "I've got a gift for you."

Cody stepped up to his tip toes to press his lips against Randy. "I guess I've been a good boy."

"We both know you've been very, very bad." Randy said monotonously, mimicking the awful bad 'acting' in porn films. Resuming his normal voice Randy said, "Meet me in the fourth wing, room 356 in ten minutes." He gripped Cody's arms hard while leaning in to run his tongue on Cody's bottom lip. Then he was gone, leaving Cody to lean against the wall for support as there was no way his legs could hold him up. Cody closed his eyes, resting his head against the wall and after gathering his strength he adjusted himself through his pants and made his way to room 356.

**
Cody hadn't been waiting long in the badly decorated room when Randy opened the door, letting himself in and locking it behind. The room was lit by red lamps giving it a sultry atmosphere. It may be about to hail and snow outside but inside, in this room, Cody was almost steaming up the walls. He had been so turned on he unzipped his pants and masturbated while watching the door, hoping that Randy would open it and walk in, not some couple looking for a room to fuck. Now that would have been embarrassing.

Randy paused at the door to watch Cody stroke his hard dick through the gap of his pants. Cody liked it when Randy watched him, especially now when he was so hard he felt he could spontaneously combust from the hazy heat of his horniness. Randy carried a wrapped gift that he placed on a cabinet next to the bed as he took off his jacket and unbuttoned the rest of his shirt. Cody watched him, still jerking himself off. Randy, shirt completely unbuttoned, moved next to the bed and reached for Cody's shoes, taking them off. He reached for Cody's arms, removing his dinner jacket. Randy undid Cody's bow tie, throwing it on the growing heap on the floor. He unbuttoned Cody's shirt and pulled it off. Cody looked at the studied concentration on Randy's face feeling like a child being undressed by a parent. Randy yanked at Cody's pants and pulled them down along with his underwear leaving Cody wearing nothing except his cologne.

"Are ready for your Christmas present?" He asked.

Cody nodded, bemused. Randy handed Cody the gift and sat at the edge of the bed watching as he opened it. Cody took his time, wondering idly what Randy had purchased for him unwrapping it he found a black box about the size of a shoe box. He paused to look at Randy who gestured impatiently for Cody to open the gift. Cody raised the black lid and removed the paper inside to reveal a dildo. It was flesh coloured, with realistic looking veins bulging up it. Confused Cody held it up for Randy to see.

"You bought me a dildo?" Cody asked.

"I want you to use it. Now." Randy said. "In front of me."

Cody laughed then placed it back in its black box. "I rather get fucked by your dick."

Randy grabbed the box from Cody's hands and took it out then threw the box aside. "I said I want you to fuck yourself with this in front of me."

Cody was taken aback. "Randy I'm not going to doing that."

Randy clenched his jaw. "Cody, I'm really surprised by your behaviour. For someone who likes to get fucked as much as you do I thought you would be more appreciative of my gift."

"Maybe I'm not turned on by latex," Cody replied.

"Think of it as dick on demand," Randy said. "Now I'm going to ask you one last time. I want you to fuck yourself with this."

Cody stared at Randy defiantly, Randy stared back his free hand clenched tightly in a first, half of his face bathed in the horrible red light, obscuring his features. This was too fucked up for words. Neither of them was backing down. Yielding, Cody placed his palm out to Randy who placed it in his hands. Locking his eyes on Randy, Cody raised it and licked it. Randy narrowed his eyes. Cody ran his tongue on the ridge of the plastic cock and closed his mouth over the head moaning like Jemma Jameson while giving the dildo a very salivary blow job. He wrapped his other hand around his cock, jerking himself off while sucking on the it. Randy got off the bed and sat on an armchair that was in front of a standing lamp in the corner of the room. Randy's stomach flexed as he took a deep breath as he watched Cody suck on the hard, plastic flesh of the dildo.

Cody spat on it to moisten it more, and then sucked on it again. Making sure to hollow out his cheeks and moaned as he glanced at Randy who now had a hand shoved down his pants. Cody got on his back, removed it from his mouth and replaced it with two fingers which he sucked on with as much vigour and enthusiasm as he had sucked on the dildo. He was really turned on now and his hand was smearing the pre cum that leaked from the head of his cock all over the length of his dick. The sounds of Cody sucking on his fingers and the familiar charged sound of a hand sliding up and down a hard, throbbing cock as well as his and Randy's hard, laboured breathing were filling up the room. Cody took his fingers out of his mouth, raised his legs further apart so Randy could have an uncensored, pornographic, hardcore look at what as he was doing. He ran the fingers around his hole, teasing himself, teasing Randy, whose hand had stilled and for one seemingly unending second Cody was still and so was the room.

Then he started to fuck himself with one finger, then two. Randy resumed masturbating, black pants now shoved down his thighs, brazen in his actions. Cody fucked himself in a hard, steady motion, raised then it to his lips, sucked it again giving it as much moisture as possible then he withdrew his fingers then replaced them with the dildo.

He took his time, entering the thick head slowly into his hole, only moving it when he felt he had adjusted to its size. Then he spat on his hand and ran them up against the girth of the rest of the dildo. He looked straight at Randy and started to fuck himself. Randy's hand was jerking up and down his cock, he moaned when Cody started to jerk off with his free hand while keeping the pace of the dildo. Cody licked his lips, panting, sweat beading on his forehead. He could feel his orgasm building up, he didn't fight it and like a rogue avalanche it took over him and he groaned when he felt the first jet of hot come hit his stomach. He kept fucking himself until his orgasm subsided. Randy was also coming, in the corner of the room, hot white light cascading over him, his black pants shoved down around his thighs, his head leaning back, eyes emanating heat fixated on Cody.

Randy got up, stumbling on his pants, like a drunk. He collapsed next to Cody, placing his right hand on Cody's lips, smearing them with his come. Cody licked Randy's palm, sucking on his fingers. Randy stroked Cody's hair with his left hand. He pulled Cody's head backward by his hair, exposing Cody's neck which he bit then he licked the sting away. Randy licked the sweat covering Cody's chest, the come splattered over his flat stomach. Exhausted, he laid his head on Cody's stomach. Cody ran his hand over Randy's scalp as his breathing slowly returned to normal.

**
Tis the season to be jolly. Or not. After the Christmas Ball incident Cody didn't see Randy until Christmas Eve, when he was invited to Randy's Christmas Eve party. The invitation was signed by Randy and Sam and the sight of it made Cody slightly queasy. It was also addressed to Cody and date. The last thing Cody needed right now was to run around like an idiot looking for a plus one. So he didn't, opting to attend the party stag, once again.

Driving up at Randy's house he saw all the Christmas lights sparkling on the exterior along with the hollow on the door. There was some guy they had hired to park Cody's rental for him and after Cody handed him his car keys he made his way past security into the house. All around him there were men and women drinking cocktails and talking amongst one another. Taking a drink from a passing waiter he spotted Ted and Kirsten and walked over to them.

"Merry Christmas," Cody said as he kissed Kirsten on the cheek. He smiled at Ted who gave him a frosty smile but at least he accepted Cody's outreached hand and gave it a shake.

"Cody, where's your date?" Kirsten asked looking around.

"I'm flying solo tonight. No date," Cody replied.

"Ahhh, but its Christmas," Kirsten said, while hooking her arm over Ted's. "You can't be alone during Christmas. Know what? Ted and I will be your date, right honey?"

Ted grunted something. Cody intervened on his behalf, "That's really sweet Kirsten, but there's really no need."

"You heard him, Kiki," Ted said, "He's just fine by himself."

"He's just saying that," Kirsten said, "If you look around, you'll see that there are only couples. I don't want Cody to feel like the odd man out when everyone goes off in pairs."

She was right. Cody felt like he was the only person who was dateless. Spotting Evan on the other side of the room studying a painting Cody felt some relief wash over him. Push comes to shove he could always hang out with Air Bourne. He excused himself from Ted and Kirsten and walked over to Evan.

"Hey, Evan." he said.

Evan looked at him, "Hi, Cody. So you survived."

"Huh?"

"Randy was rather forceful with you the other night. I thought he would rip your head off. You survived whatever diatribe he spewed at you."

"Randy that… other night. I see." Cody looked around, "God I hate when couples get so couple-ly. The festive season is the worst time during the year to be single."

"It's flat out depressing. So you're also going stag?" Evan asked.

"Yeah. But I wished I stayed home and played Xbox…"

"While eating pizza." Evan added, "That sounds like a plan."

Cody spotted Randy and Samantha entering the room with their daughter, Alana. They walked over to Ted and Kirsten and stood as a group while Kirsten oohhed and ahhed over Alana. Cody had to get out of here.

"I have to leave," Cody said. "Sorry, man." He walked as quickly as he could out the room. The valet who took his car keys was nowhere to be seen.

"Can you give me a lift?" It was Evan behind him. "I arrived with a cab."

Cody nodded, still too distracted by his search for his car keys. The guy materialised and Cody got into his car with Evan in tow.

"Where to man?" Cody asked him.

"To the moon. Anywhere but here, God I'm sick and tired of people." Evan glanced at Cody. "You probably think I'm weird."

"No, not at all. I'm sick and tired of it all. I just need to get as far away from R…people as I possibly can." Cody said, "Somewhere where no one can find me. Just for a while."

"My family has this holiday home up in the woods with nobody around for miles. I sometimes go there when I feel that things are getting too hectic." Evan said. "If I wasn't afraid of getting snowed in during Christmas I would go there right now."

Cody was intrigued. "Nobody around for miles?"

"It feels like a sanctuary when I'm there and I get to think and reflect over what's happening in my life." Evan said.

Cody could relate to that. He really needed space and time to think over this Randy situation.

"My parents are on holiday overseas, my brother is patching things up with his ex-wife, all my friends are either abroad or spending the holidays with their families. I'm all alone." Cody said. While Randy was busy playing the family man, he was all by himself. "Evan, do you think I could go to your family's holiday home? I could use some time to think."

"I don't think anyone's using it but I'll check with my parents. They have the key," Evan said, "In fact you could drop me off at their house now. It's not really that far from where we are and I'll get the key for you as well give you directions."

Cody nodded and Evan directed him to his parents' house. They pulled up to a nicely decorated house and Cody followed Evan to front door. It was starting to snow more heavily than before. Cody had to rub his hands to keep them warm. Evan led him inside where they could hear chatter coming from the nice smelling kitchen.

"Evan's here!" Some woman who looked like Evan shrieked. She ran to them and gave Evan a hug. "I thought you said you were attending a party."

"It was boring." Evan said. The woman noticed Cody and she smiled at him while brushing her fluffy brown hair back.

"Now who is this?" she asked smiling.

"Mom this is Cody, Cody this is my mom Barbara." Evan said.

"Nice to meet you." Cody said.

Evan's mom smiled broadly, "Evan, you didn't say you had gotten yourself someone new. I thought after Tyler you said you were off men for good."

Cody raised a brow and glanced at Evan whose cheeks had turned pink, "Mom, Cody's not my-"

"John! John come here. Evan's got a new boyfriend," Barbara said cutting Evan off. "A very nice looking young man, if I do say so myself."

A man wearing a knitted Christmas sweater with Rudolph on it walked into the room. "Evan, good to see you son." He hugged Evan and looked at Cody. "This is unexpected."

"This is Cody," Evan's mom said, still smiling broadly. "He's with Evan."

"Nice to meet you." Cody said shaking John's hand.

"Will you be joining us for dinner?" Barbara asked.

"Mom, we need the keys for the cabin. Cody wants to go up there-"

"I'll go get them for you," she said and left the room.

"You look familiar," John said, "you're also a wrestler?"

"Yes, sir." Cody said, "I work with Evan." He glanced at Evan who seemed embarrassed by all of this.

Barbara came back with the key and gave it to Evan. "I keep it well stocked for times like these. And, if you run low on stuff," she winked, "look in the bathroom cabinet."

"Thanks, mom." Evan said, "We should get going. Tell Katie I wish her a Merry Christmas."

He kissed his mom on the cheek and shook his dad's hand. Cody bid them farewell and a merry Christmas and they walked back to his rental car.

"Don't say a word, Rhodes." Evan said as he took his seat.

"I wasn't going to. Look man, you don't have to worry about anything from me." Cody started the car. "I'm thinking of heading up to the cabin right now but I probably should get some clothes and supplies from the guest house I'm staying at."

"As my mom said we keep the place fully stocked. There should be my clothes as well as my dad's, they should fit you. So you're really going off to spend Christmas all by yourself in the middle of nowhere?"

"Yeah," Cody said, "You must think I'm crazy."

"I must be crazy as well because I'm thinking of joining you."

Chapter X

They drove for over four hours with Evan instructing Cody on which turn to take and how much further they had to drive. The snow stopped and when they made it to the cabin, Cody was tired.

"This may go into the books as one of the craziest things I've ever done," Cody said as they made their way up the snow covered gravel to the door. Evan opened it and reached for the switch.

"It's not much but I have a lot of fond memories of this place growing up," Evan went to another room. "I'm turning on the heater or we'll freeze."

Cody sat on sofa and stared at the unlit fireplace Evan returned and sat beside him.

"'T'was the night before Christmas..." he said with a chuckle.

"How did you first know that you were gay?" Cody asked.

Evan shrugged, "I just liked guys more than girls. I guess I always knew it; wasn't like one day I awoke and it suddenly occurred to me that I was attracted to other guys."

Cody was quiet. Evan got up and started the fire. "Do you want something to eat? I can grab something out of the freezer and heat it up."

"No, thanks I'm fine." Cody hung his head, covering his face with his hands. "God, I'm so fucking stupid."

Evan rushed to his side. "Cody?"

"I feel like an idiot." Cody said raising his head. "It's just I want to…" This was all about Randy. He had wanted to believe that he could do this, be Randy's back up plan, go the party, watch Randy with his family and not feel so hurt and betrayed over it. He didn't want to feel the burn of anger and jealousy when Randy kissed his wife, or the despondent longing he felt when Randy brushed his daughter's hair with the same hands he once caressed Cody's body with.

"You want to what?" Evan asked.

"I needed to-" Cody stopped abruptly. He didn't want to reveal too much to Evan. So instead of completing his sentence he just shrugged. It didn't matter what he needed, not anymore. Maybe it never had.

They stared at the fire for a while. Cody found Evan's presence rather comforting. He felt like he didn't need to speak to break the silence. He could stay like this for as long as he wanted and Evan wouldn't demand anything from him.

"Do you ever want to go back in the past and change something, maybe do it differently or not at all?" Cody asked.

Evan glanced at him, "The past is set in stone. You can't go back, no matter how much you want to."

"When I was in high school I always thought that twenty-four by the time I was twenty-four I would have it all figured out, my career, my life. But instead of having answers I find myself with more questions. I question my choices." Cody sighed and rubbed his eyes. He looked at Evan. "What I like about you is that you seem to have it all figured out. You're confident about who you are."

"Not as much as I like to be. Cody, you're a great guy. Whatever it is that has you in pieces, it's probably not worth the angst." Evan reached out his hand and placed it on Cody's cheek.

Cody closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of Evan's palm against his face. He should probably step back, put up some boundaries, and stop what was happening. But why should he? Randy was probably out there fucking his wife. If not her, some girl he picked up at the party. If not a girl, some guy because to Randy it was all the same. Why should he be the one who lurks outside, grasping at the scraps that Randy throws at him? Why should he be the one alone at Christmas? Cody opened his eyes, looking at Evan.

Evan looked back at him, he leaned in and kissed Cody before pulling back. He was waiting for Cody's consent, some sort of sign to indicate that he wanted to participate in this.

Cody blinked and kept still, gazing into Evan's brown eyes. Eyes that could never in a million years be icy, so unlike a certain pair of blue eyes that frosted over and sometimes looked like they harboured some contempt for him, or maybe for the world. When Evan kissed him again Cody responded, opening his mouth to allow Evan's tongue in, parting his legs to let Evan get closer. He kissed Evan hard, taking the control away from him. Cody pushed Evan against the sofa and climbed on top of him. Evan ran his hands underneath Cody's shirt, up and down on the bare skin of Cody's back.

"I want to…" Cody said.

"Its okay, shhh." Evan said brushing the side of Cody's face with his hand.

"Do you have any condoms?"

"They're in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom," Evan kissed Cody once again. "I'll go get them."

He watched Evan get up and used the interlude to pull his tie off and unbutton his shirt waiting for Evan to come back. He took the rug off the couch laying it on the floor.

When Evan came back he got onto the floor next to him, and they kissed again. He couldn't help but think about how different it was to kiss Evan compared to Randy. They feel of Evan, against his body, the way he lightly placed his hand on the side of Cody's face, it was all so new. Evan even tasted different. Cody had thought once that he would never kiss another man, never know another man besides Randy. But here he was, his tongue in Evan's mouth, Evan moaning against his lips. It was different, but at the same time it was also the same. A bit like an orgasm when he was fucking to an orgasm where he was the one being fucked. Coming with one, coming from the inside with the other. A contraction of muscles, a gasping of breath, a release of energy.

Evan started to place light kisses on the bare skin he exposed on Cody's collar bone, his sternum, his stomach. Cody closed his eyes, enjoying the brush of Evan's lips against him. He helped Evan pull his shirt off his shoulders, unbuttoned his shirt, kissing him while exploring Evan's chest with his hands. Marvelling all the while at how different it was doing this with Evan than it was with Randy. Now shirtless, Cody worked on getting Evan's pants off, unzipping them and putting his hands in them, groping him. He lowered Evan to the carpet, pulled his pants to his knees, pulled down Evan's underwear and started to suck on Evan's cock.

Evan placed his hand on Cody's head, not encouraging but not stopping him either. He just touched his hair. Cody licked his way down, engulfing the head with his mouth, sucking gently, inciting more moans from Evan. He could have gone on a bit longer sucking on Evan's cock but Evan gripped his hands around Cody's head and pulled him upwards. He kissed Cody then promptly flipped him onto his back before lowering himself down to suck on Cody's cock.

Cody closed his eyes, Evan was good at this. He enjoyed it for a moment, Evan's lips on him but after a while he opened his eyes to watch Evan suck him off. It was so hot; Evan slightly flushed, lips red and wet, closing over his dick, his hands gripping him at the base. Cody could come simply from watching. But he didn't want him to come, not yet. Not before he fucked Evan.

"Evan," Cody said. Evan looked up at him, his mouth still closed over Cody's cock. He gave it one last lick before moving up to place a kiss on Cody's lips. Cody pulled his hands up, gripping Evan's head, holding him still as he kissed him back, snaking his tongue out to lick the side of Evan's mouth, enjoying his own taste that lingered there.

He rolled their bodies over until he was on top, moving his body against Evan. His saliva slick cock grinding against Evan's. He pulled back to look at Evan, who slowly opened his eyes.

"I'm going to fuck you," Cody murmured, thrusting his cock against Evan's as he spoke.

Evan parted his lips but didn't say anything. Is this what Randy saw when he had him on a bed like this? Stupefied by lust, just lounging back waiting to be possessed? Did Randy feel what he was feeling now? The need to drive himself as deeply as he could into Evan, to push and push until Evan could really feel it, usurp any memories of past lovers, leave a mark for any future lovers. To possess, to own, to brand. To make Evan his and only his. He wanted Evan to want him more than he had ever wanted anybody else in his life.

"Do you want me?" Cody asked, stroking Evan's stomach with his fingers, trailing them lower.

Evan licked his lips, "Yes."

Cody wrapped his hands around Evan's cock and jerked him off. Evan bucked his hips up to meet his hands. Cody wanted him to say say it, he wanted to make Evan say it. To ask Evan to say that he had never wanted anyone more than him. But Cody didn't, for now it was enough to have Evan like this, knees spread, boneless, yearning, burning for his body. Aching for every brush of his flesh, wanting more, needing more.

Cody picked the condom up, tore open the wrapper then put it on. Evan had his eyes closed, his hands still gripped the carpet, white knuckled from the exertion. Cody squirted the lube onto himself, placed a generous amount onto his fingers before brushing them up against Evan. It was the first time that he was doing this, topping another guy, but he would do it right.

He eased one finger into Evan remembering how Randy had done it for him. He had been face down on the bed, but Cody wanted to look at Evan's face, he wanted to see the crescendo build up, the passion and the need and the lust. He needed to feed off it. But Evan still had his eyes closed, reaching a hand down to grip his cock. Cody brushed it away.

"No," he said.

This caused Evan to open his eyes and look at him. Cody shoved a second finger into him, causing him to hiss. Evan bit his lips and Cody reached for Evan's hand. He brought it to his lips and started to suck on Evan's finger. Feeling that Evan was fully prepped he gripped his own cock and lined up against Evan. With Evan's finger still in his mouth Cody slowly entered him, staring into his eyes the entire time. Evan didn't back down, just stared right back at him.

He started to move, in and out, in, out. Evan pulled his hands away to place them on Cody's ass, using them to pull Cody closer to him, to drive him deeper.

Cody, panting now, lowered his chest over Evan's, closing the gap between their bodies, feeling Evan's slick, hard cock against his lower abdomen as he kissed him. He fucked Evan, trying to banish the image of Randy away from his mind, wrapping his free hand around Evan's cock, jerking him off, not getting the grip he would like to but liking the control he has over Evan. If Evan wanted to come it would be because of Cody, on his terms. He would say when and how, but not yet. He wanted to stay inside Evan just little longer, to savour the sounds that Evan made, the little gasps of breath. Cody realised he was also moaning but he was able to stop himself. Thrusting wildly, he gripped Evan's dick harder until he felt the spurt of hot come on his hands and that feeling in his lower spine that signalled an orgasm and he couldn't stop it. He was coming and Evan was also coming, they were coming together.

Afterwards as he laid on Evan, feeling their hearts beat in unison. He felt himself slowly drift off to sleep but before he lost himself to the cobwebs he saw Randy's face.

**

The next morning he woke up to hear Evan whispering "Merry Christmas, sleepy head" in his ear. They were still on the floor, with a blanket over them. Cody opened his eyes slowly to meet Evan's brown ones.

"Morning," Cody said groggily.

Evan placed his arm over Cody, "You look so peaceful when you're asleep."

"It's the only time when I get to turn the internal critic off and just relax."

"It's snowing again," Evan said, "We better get more logs for the fire or we'll freeze to death."

Cody propped himself up by his elbows, "What's for breakfast?"

"You're not a morning person, are you?" Evan asked, smiling. Cody shook his head.

"We can't have that."

Evan got up, naked, and pulled the blanket away from Cody who tried to hold on to it but failed. Cody groaned.

"Get up, we're going to get dressed than chop some logs for the fire," Evan said sounding like he was enjoying this way too much.

"You're bossy."

"Believe me, I've been called worse. Now get moving."

Cody got to his feet, brushing at his side as the cold air bit into him. He followed Evan to a bedroom where Evan opened the closet and started pulling items of clothing.

"Here try this on." Evan held out a pair of jeans and t-shirt. Cody took it, pulling the jeans on. They were slightly tight but fit him well enough. Evan handed him a jersey and a jacket before pulling out clothes for himself and then getting dressed.

"Now we just have to get you some boots," Evan rummaged at the bottom of the drawer before pulling out a pair of boots. "Wear the socks you wore yesterday."

Cody went to the den to retrieve the socks from yesterday, sat down on the sofa and pulled them on then pulled on the boots. They were also a bit tight but since he wasn't expecting to have them on for long he didn't mind. Evan walked in, now fully dressed.

"Ready to go?" Evan asked.

Cody nodded. They went outside where Evan showed him where to pick up logs and chopped them in silence before finishing and heading back inside. By then Cody was freezing and his hands were red from the cold.

Evan feed the logs to the fire before heading to the kitchen to get breakfast started. Cody lingered at the fireplace, getting his hands warm before following him. The kitchen was small but very cosy. Evan was in a side room where he opened up the deep freezer pulling out frozen meat.

"Will bacon do? I don't think we have any eggs." Evan said.

"Bacon's good."

They ate their food in silence. Once they were done Evan ran a bath for them while Cody checked his phone for messages. There were some from his Mom and Dad wishing him a Merry Christmas, one from Dustin and his ex-wife, Kirsten and Ted, and five from Randy. There were also nine missed calls from Randy.

"Where are you?" The first message said. "Checked the guest house, you're not there. Call me." The second one said. The third and the fourth ones were all variations of the second. The firth message said, "Cody, call me right now." Cody had no intention of doing that, so he replied to his family and sent a group message to his friends and switched his phone off.

He went to the bathroom. Evan was in a towel, standing over the bubbly bath tub.

"Bubble bath? I can't remember the last one I had one." Cody said, pulling off his jersey and t-shirt which was clinging to him in the humidity of the room.

"It's Radox, it's suppose to heal your mind and body." Evan said, watching Cody while he stripped.

"Well in that case, I'm definitely in." Cody pulled his jeans down, kicking his shoes off, naked at last. He walked up to Evan, kissed him and pulled the towel off him. "So how are we gonna do this?" He whispered against Evan's lips.

"Do what?" Evan asked, slightly breathless.

"That bath is kind of small."

"Oh," Evan glanced at it. "I didn't really think of that."

Cody wrapped his hands around Evan's waist, pulling him close. "If you don't mind the tight fit, I guess we won't have a problem."

"I'll get in first," Evan said.

Cody let go of him, watching Evan's lithe physique, the sinewy movement of his muscles. Evan climbed into the tub and sat, leaning back.

"You can get in now," Evan said.

Cody got in and Evan widened his legs to make more room for him. There wasn't enough room for Cody to stretch his legs out fully, he raised his knees up. He leaned against Evan, feeling Evan's hard cock dig into his lower back.

"This feels nice," Evan said, running his hands up and down Cody's back.

"Wash my hair," Cody said.

"Okay," Evan cupped water in his hands and poured it over Cody's hair. Cody closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of Evan running his fingers through his hair. He could almost fall asleep, it was so relaxing. Evan kissed the back of his neck and Cody sighed.

"I want to fuck you," Evan whispered against his ear.

Cody opened his eyes. When he heard those words for some distant, vague reason the first thing he thought about was Randy. The only man he, until yesterday, had been with. He and Randy had never made any promises to each other; they had never said that they would be exclusive. Randy was with his wife and daughter, enjoying every aspect of being a family man and he was here, with Evan. If it wasn't for Evan he would have spent the night alone. That was not what he wanted. Ever since Mexico and Ohio and New York he had been with Randy and a distinct part of himself had thought those feelings of isolation that always accompanied travelling from one city to another, never staying in one place for too long, would fade. Cody never wanted to feel alone.

Cody leaned back against Evan, arching his back against Evan's cock, actively arousing him to full hardness. "Fuck me."

**

After the bath the bed sheets felt cold against Cody's heated flesh. He was still slightly wet, they had not bothered to towel off, so eager they were to make it to the bedroom. Evan was on top of him, wet and warm, making Cody shiver when he licked his bare chest.

He was still thinking about Randy. He shouldn't have been, but all things sex, about being fucked seemed to equate to Randy. Maybe after today it wouldn't be that way.

Evan made his way down Cody's body and he flung his arm over his face, trying to banish Randy from his mind. Those weren't Randy's hands on him, that wasn't Randy's mouth closing over his cock.

Evan started to suck on him and Cody thrust gently into his mouth. Evan paused, licked the underneath his cock, gently cupping Cody's balls exposing his perineum. Cody felt his legs being raised and Evan was parting his butt cheeks and licking him there. And God, that definitely wasn't Randy's tongue doing that to him.

Cody couldn't stand it anymore, "Evan."

Evan didn't stop, prodding his tongue deeper, Cody thrashed about, trying to escape the sudden sense of being invaded. It felt good, almost unbearably good. Evan pulled back and climbed up on top of him, kissing his way up Cody's body.

They were soon face to face and Cody felt a sense of shyness overcome him; he had never been fucked face to face before. Randy liked to fuck him face down. A part of Cody wanted to turn around.

Evan looked down at him, his eyes dropping down to Cody's lips, then back up again to meet his eyes. Maybe Evan could sense Cody's slight discomfort because that is the kind of person he is. Evan is sensitive to other people's feelings.

"Hi," Evan said with a gentle smile, brushing Cody's hair back with one hand.

Evan was giving him an opportunity to change his mind and stop. But Cody didn't want to stop.

"Hi." Cody smiled back.

They kissed. The kiss ended and Evan retreated, coming back with a condom which he put on. He threw the wrapper away and reached for the lubricant on the night stand, pouring some onto his palms. He eased some on his cock, and a generous amount on Cody.

Cody closed his eyes and braced himself. Evan gave him a quick kiss and raised his legs for better access. And then he was pushing himself into Cody.

"Oh God," Evan said.

Cody kept still, letting Evan take control. He lowered his hand, to wrap it around his dick, jerking himself off while Evan fucked him. It was different from Randy. Evan was different. He didn't know why he should feel surprised but he did. He tastes like you only sweeter. A throwaway line from some film.

Evan was picking up speed and-

Cody didn't feel he was going to last. "Yeah, fuck me." Cody said. He couldn't keep it in. Randy loved to incite him while he fucked him. Whispering dirty words in his ear, goading him to the edge. Now here he was, uttering those words for himself. "Oh God, Evan, you're going to make me come."

Evan fucked him harder.

"Oh my God, Randy, I'm coming," Cody came. Even in the throes of an orgasm he still knew something was wrong. The biggest indicator being the fact that Evan went still. "Evan?"

Cody opened his eyes. Evan was frowning down at him. He shook his heads and he pulled out.

"What's the matter?" Cody asked, puzzled.

"You called me Randy," Evan said softly, settling on the edge of the bed.

"I did? Look, I'm sorry, I don't know how that happened. Come here, let me help finish you off."

"I don't want to get off. Not anymore, especially not with you," Evan said, "This entire thing is about Randy."

"It's not like that," Cody lied.

"So how is it? Please tell me because I'm feeling pretty fucked over right now."

Cody was silent.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Evan got up and left the room.

Chapter XI

The rest of Christmas was pretty much miserable. Evan didn't want to talk to him and if it weren't for the heavy snowfall he probably would have demanded that they leave that very day. Each man retreated to his own corner of the house. Cody was in the living room, paging through old magazines. Evan was in the bedroom, doing God knows what.

They had dinner in silence. Early that next morning Evan told Cody that the snow had cleared out and they could make the drive back home. He also insisted to drive Cody's rental since he felt that he had more experience driving on icy roads. Cody felt he had to keep the peace as much as he could so he didn't argue. Instead he just handed the car keys to Evan.

Most of the drive back they didn't speak, choosing to listen to the radio. A few miles before they reached St. Louis Evan said that he would take the car since he lived much further off from where Cody was currently staying. It made much more sense for him to drop Cody off at the guest house and go home rather than Cody driving past the place and drive Evan home then driving back. Once again, Cody didn't argue. They agreed that Evan would return the car to Avis and that was it.

Evan drove up the driveway of the guest home. "This is you, right?"

Cody nodded, "Evan, I'm really sorry-"

"Don't apologise. I've had some time to think and I know you didn't mean for it to happen." He said turning off the engine. "To be completely honest Cody, I've wanted you ever since the first time I saw you and?"

"Look Evan?"

"Let me finish," Evan stared out the window. "I kept my distance… because I thought you were straight and I had heard all about your escapades…"

"Most of those were exaggerated." Cody said his eyes shifting. God, are all the mistakes he's made in the past few months going to keep returning back to haunt him?

"When I got signed to the company I was told that I had to keep my personal life or my 'lifestyle' as they like to refer to it, separate from my career," Evan paused before he continued. "I've," he pointed to his own chest, "failed to do that and that's all my fault."

"I'm sorry."

"I am insanely attracted to you so I was just pleased to be alone with you I didn't even pause to think why you wanted to go to the cabin in the first place. People don't do things like that unless they are going through something. So you and Orton…?" He glanced at Cody.

Suddenly maintaining eye contact with Evan became difficult. Trying to not waiver Cody said, "It's not like a thing."

"But you guys are…" Evan trailed off.

"Yes."

"I never stood a chance."

"That's not true." Cody found himself instinctively reaching out to Evan. He placed his hand over Evan's as he leaned over his seat to kiss him. He wanted Evan to stop talking because he couldn't bear to hear the hurt in his voice any longer.

Evan accepted the kiss with an equal ferocity, and then it was starting all over again. The hurt and pain of the previous day was almost extinguished in mere seconds.

Cody pulled back and murmured, "Evan..."

Evan opened his eyes, the warmth and clarity in those eyes burnt a hole in his soul. When Evan looked at him like that; it felt like everything was where it should be. He was where he should be and it was a scary thought.

"Let me get you off," Cody whispered, "I never got to…the second time." Sex was always the easy part in a relationship. It wasn't complicated and messy.

Evan nodded almost weakly against his forehead. As Cody's hands travelled down to his belt buckle he leaned back on his seat. Cody ran his hands down the front of his pants as he was pulling down the zip, Evan stilled his hands.

"Cody wait, wait."

"What wrong?" he asked looking up at Evan.

"I need you to tell me that this is going to mean something for you apart from it being just some hook-up."

"Evan…" Cody looked down. He could have said the words so easily but would they have been even true? Evan did mean something to him. But everything was complicated. Somewhere between want, desire and need was Randy. He was the centre of it all. How much of what he felt for Evan was real? What else was a hologram of his selfish reasons for not wanting to be alone? He had the need to feel needed. He wanted the desire to look into someone else's eyes and know that they wanted him almost (if not more) as much he wanted them.

He pulled back. "I can't. I'm sorry." His attempt at fixing things with Evan was making everything worst. Sex... the easy part in a relationship. His thoughts came back to him like a boomerang.

"Me too." Evan said. They sat in the car in silence for a moment. "Why him?" Evan finally asked.

"I don't know."

"Cody, you're a great guy. You deserve the best. I just don't think that Orton is the guy." He kissed Cody.

They shared that kiss, each seeking warmth and comfort in that moment.

Eventually Cody pulled away from him. "I should get going," he whispered. But he made no attempt to move. Was he a great guy? Did he deserve the best? He was uncertain. "Bye, Evan." He finally said as he got out of the car to collect his bag from the trunk.

He walked up the steps of the guest home, lost in thought. He shouldn't have gone off with Evan. Now look at the mess he had made of things. Getting onto the porch he pulled his key out. He immediately froze when he saw Randy standing by the door.

"Hi, Cody, I've been looking for you."

Cody ignored him, brushing past to open the door. Like expected Randy pushed his way into the house before Cody could close the door.

"Do you know how many calls I've made to you in the past 48 hours? Why have you been ignoring me?"

"I didn't feel like dealing with you," he replied.

Randy smiled coldly, "But you have no problem 'dealing' with Bourne. Was that him you were making out with a few minutes ago?"

Cody placed his bag on the floor. "Look, Randy. I'm tired. I just want to get a few hours sleep then get on a plane and go home. I do not want to do this right now."

Randy kicked the bag out of his way and charged forward, "Well you just have to. You were with Bourne, huh? What else have you been up to?"

He tried to walk away but Randy grabbed his arm and pushed him against the wall. "Don't you DARE walk away from me while I'm talking to you!"

"Randy, fuck off." Cody pried himself away from Randy before stalking out of the room.

Randy followed him. He shoved Cody against the wall, this time using his weight to hold Cody in place. "Did you fuck him?" Randy asked, his eyes blazing with unconcealed fury.

He averted his eyes. So what if he was with Evan? Randy didn't have a say on what he did. Finally meeting Randy's gaze he answered. "Yes."

Randy stared off into some distant spot above Cody's head; his voice was chillingly soft, "Cody I'm going to ask you something and I want you to think very very carefully before you answer." Then it went monotonous and flat. "Did he fuck you?" He asked.

Cody didn't waiver. "Yes, he fucked me. Is that what you want to know? How good it felt when he had his tongue in my ass. How much I loved it when he replaced it with his cock?"

"Shut up." Randy's voice was ice.

"No, you shut up. And get the fuck off me." Cody shoved Randy who wouldn't budge.

Randy grabbed the back of Cody's head and kissed him roughly pushing himself against him so Cody could feel his hard on through the jeans.

Cody struggled out of the kiss and head butted him. "Let go of me," he hissed.

Randy was a man possessed and if he heard Cody he didn't let on. He grabbed Cody's jacket and began to pull it off. It fell to the floor. Cody kicked him between the legs and Randy recoiled. He used the opportunity to run up the stairs to put some distance between them.

Randy recovered and was soon hot on his trail, managing to get his arm between the door frame as Cody was about to slam it shut.

"Stop this!"

The door gave out to Randy and he staggered in. Cody lunged at him, only to be intercepted by Randy who was quicker. He held Cody's arm behind his back and bent him over the dressing room counter. Cody tried to get out of the chicken arm hold and managed to bang his forehead at the edge of the counter, he saw black for a second and felt blood drip down the side of his face. The hit practically knocked him out and he was barely conscious when he felt Randy pull his jeans down. "Randy, stop," he said weakly. A part of him didn't believe what was going to happen.

Only when he heard Randy undo his zipper, he couldn't deny it any longer. He felt Randy's cock against him. He struggled, but after the bump he left like he had no strength left.

Randy spat on his open palm roughly coating his cock with the saliva and he used his free hand to brace himself placing it on Cody's hip. And Cody felt him shove himself inside him. He bit down on his lips to keep from screaming.

It hurt, there was no lube. And no condom. A first for them. He felt the breath in his lungs escape all at once and he would have fallen to the floor if it were not for Randy holding him in place. Randy thrust again, his balls hitting Cody's butt, making a fleshy clapping sound that accompanied the low growls that Randy made. Cody reached for the counter, blinded by blood dripping down his forehead, making his vision blur with a salty red. Or maybe the salt was from the tears that threatened to fall. He wanted to cry. He couldn't believe that this was happening and the worst part was his own arousal, his own hard cock that rubbed against the surface of the counter every time Randy thrust. They were both out of breath and gasping for air. Randy gripped his side harder, a sign that he was close to coming, he thrust a few more times and he came.

Cody was coming too, without having to touch his own dick and the tears he had been holding in started to fall. Randy let go of him and he fell onto the floor. A mess of come, blood and sweat. Cody raised his right arm that Randy had pinned and wiped at forehead, trying to get the bleeding to stop. Cody pulled his jeans up, twisting on his side, grimacing with pain. Randy stood there watching, lurking like a dark shadow in the corner of the room.

"Why are you still here?" He said gruffly while trying to get up.

Randy stared at him in silence his face a marsk, unreadable. He took a step towards Cody then like an afterthought; he stepped back and walked out.

Cody got up onto the bed, collapsing from the exertion before lying on his side, silent for a moment. Then the tears started.

**
He spent the rest of the day in bed. He was too exhausted to board the airplane and fly back home. Somewhere in the house, he heard his cell phone ringing, the sound trailed up the stairs and echoed like a ghost. Cody pulled the pillow over his ears and ignored it. He must have fallen asleep because the next time he opened his eyes it was dark out. His bladder was throbbing and he got up to pee. The trip was a tentative one, he was in pain and moving around made it worst.

He smelt like come and he needed a shower. Turning the bathroom light on, his reflection was the first thing he saw.

Fuck, was his first thought. The blood from the gash on the top of his head had dried and was now caking and peeling. The wound was blue and looked like he needed to get someone to take a look at it. His nose was bleeding slightly but that was not the worst of it. He turned to his side to get a better look at himself. There were bruises on his arms from when Randy had gripped him. Slight ever so faint, palm size bruises on his hips. If he raised his hands and placed them on the area, he could see where Randy had held him. Cody traced the outline of the bruise. It would be visible to the world when he wore his trunks to wrestle the next week. He didn't even know how he would explain it away.

Cody peed and turned the shower on, setting it on to a temperature he wanted. Warm, not too hot. He stepped in, closing his eyes while water beat down on him, washing away Rand. The water stung forcing him to get out of the shower much sooner than he would have liked.

Once out, he dried himself down and pulled on a robe. He had to take care of the cut on his face. But how? If he walked into any medical centre, the people there would ask questions. They would look at him and think he was one of those losers who get drunk during the festive season and got hurt. They would see a loser who got into a fight which he lost. There was also the chance that he could be recognised. He didn't want that, he didn't need other people judging him right now.

Cody looked at himself in the mirror. Regardless, he still needed medical attention. He could call Ted. Kirsten was a nurse, she was bound to have a First Aid kit and she would be able to stitch his forehead. The idea of facing them right now was too much but he had no other choice. He got dressed went downstairs and dialled the Dibiases. Ted picked up.

"Hello?" He said gruffly.

Cody cleared his throat, "Hi, Ted."

"Cody?"

"Yeah, it's me. I need a favour."

"What kind of favour?"

"Could you ask Kirsten to come over to the guest house I'm staying at right now? And please tell her to bring her First Aid kit."

Ted was instantly awake. "First Aid kit? Is someone injured?"

Cody closed his eyes, twisting the phone cord until it threatened to cut the circulation off from his fingers. "I can't explain over the phone."

"Cody-"

"Please, Ted, just do it." Cody hung up. He went to his bag, fished out his cell phone; there was a missed call from Evan. He switched his phone off.

He turned on the other lights in the house and went to kitchen to make some coffee. He realised suddenly that he was hungry. There were some pastries in the fridge from a couple of days ago and he had them with the coffee. He had just finished his meal when the door bell rang.

He wiped his mouth, put away the dishes and went to answer.

It was Kirsten. Lurking behind her was Ted.

"Hi, Cody," she said. "Ted said you needed some medical attention."

"Yeah, that's right." Cody gripped the door. "Come on in guys."

Ted and Kirsten entered the house. Cody followed after them walking slowly.

Kirsten turned around, "What happened to your face."

Cody waved his hand, "It's nothing. Just a little accident."

Ted looked unconvinced. "A little accident?"

"Yes," Cody said. He wished Ted would drop the whole entire interrogation. He knew Ted didn't approve of him and Randy (with good reason) but sometimes he wished that he could just have his friend back. Things just weren't the same when he didn't have Ted to confide in.

He walked over to them, forgetting to hide his limp. Kirsten looked at him sympathetically. She held out her hand to him.

"Sit down, Cody. I'll tend to you."

Cody sat down on the couch. Kirsten stood over him, opening her kit bag, pulling out antiseptic fluid. She applied some to cotton and dabbed it gently at his forehead. He winced.

"Shh, the pain will pass soon, honey." She said.

Ted stood with his arms folded, watching them. Kirsten bandaged his face and once she was done Ted immediately said that he wanted to speak to Cody alone.

Kirsten looked at Ted. "I'll wait in the car." She patted Cody's arm. "Take care."

"Thanks, Kirsten," he said.

She left, closing the front door quietly behind her.

"Do you want to tell me what really happened?" he said.

"There's nothing to tell, Ted."

"You have bruises around your wrists, a black eye, a bleeding noise, a gash on your forehead and you're limping. Try telling me again that there is nothing to tell."

"I told you. I had-"

"An accident." Ted cut him off. "I don't believe you."

"Ted, you should just leave this well enough alone because I can't tell you." he pressed his face into his palms and started to cry.

Ted was instantly by his side. "Cody, what's wrong, man. Tell me. It's me Ted."

"You don't want to know," he said with his face still in his hands.

"I do."

Cody pulled his head up and wiped his tears. He couldn't meet Ted's eyes. "I didn't have an accident. I got these bruises from Randy."

"Randy did this to you?"

"I…cheated on him with another guy and he sort of… blew up and Ted, you should have seen him. He was so angry. I could have gotten out of it but I was angry too and I goaded him on."

"Whatever you did, Cody, he had no right to hurt you."

Cody looked at him. "Don't talk to me like that."

Ted looked up incredulous. "Like what?"

"Like I'm some sort of victim, I'm not," he said coldly.

"What did I say, Cody? I only telling you the truth. I've never seen Randy crying from an injury that you caused."

He sighed. "The cut was an accident."

"Oh God! Cody I can't believe you are defending him. I saw the bruises on your arms. The gash on your face isn't the last of your injuries. What else happened?"

Cody didn't speak for the longest time. Before his sexual relationship with Randy he had never hidden anything from Ted, who was like his big brother. "He lost control and he forced himself on me," he finally said.

Ted got up. "What the fuck? That fucking bastard is going to fucking pay for this!"

Cody got up with him, Ted rarely cussed it was a bit of a shock to hear that kind language coming from him.

"It wasn't like he raped me; we had sex, violent unprotected sex. I asked him to stop but I never said no. Not once. I also…" Cody wasn't sure he could share this part with Ted who was looking at him with a look of concern in his eyes. "I was aroused and I came while Randy was…fucking me."

"That doesn't mean anything," he insisted.

"Randy would've stopped if I had said no."

"You don't know that." Ted placed his arm on Cody's shoulder, "Please tell me that you will not see him again."

He hesitated before saying, "I won't see him again."

Ted hugged him and before he left he said, "You should hate him for what he did."

The rest of the evening was a blur of television seen through tired eyes. Somewhere between some late night talk show and a weight loss infomercial, Cody fell asleep.

He didn't hate Randy, in fact he hated himself. He hated himself for letting Randy treat him the way he did and hated himself for allowing Randy to use him.

Chapter XII

Josie bit her lips and frowned. "I don't know if I can cover this up," she said.

"Can you at least try? I can't go out there like this," Cody insisted.

"How did this happen again?"

He recounted a farfetched tail of a quad biking accident that Josie obviously didn't believe.

When he finished, she nodded and said, "You could just ask Creative to write you out for the next couple of weeks until your face heals."

"I don't want a break, I want to work."

"I'm not sure that they'll allow you to go out looking the way you do with the PG watch dogs and all." Josie placed the sponge she had been holding back in her case. "I'm sorry, Cody."

He got up and left. He had had enough of people feeling sorry for him. Just because he looked like he just got off the set of Fight Club 2 didn't mean they had to gawk and stare and whisper.

Later that day he got summoned. The meeting was quick, the head manager expressed his concern and he told him, ever so subtlety, that he should take a leave of absence. He didn't disagree; maybe taking a leave wouldn't be that bad. The more he thought about it, the more he realised he could use the free time, to reflect and most importantly, think. Plus, the bonus of taking some time off was that he wouldn't have to see Randy.

Randy.

It had been six days since he last saw him. A retreating back, a hard echo of footsteps, and Randy had been gone. He wasn't sure what he would say or do when he finally saw Randy again.

**

One week at his house and he found it hard to believe that he spent so much time away from it. It's was warm, quiet and most importantly it was home. There weren't any screaming fans or invasive jerks from reelwrestling.com. It's ineffable that he had so much time and space to lounge around watching the calendar pages turn and turn. The days went by quickly, merging one after another. He became a recluse isolated in his domain, following an absent ritual of waking, eating, and working out. He didn't have a routine or a schedule but his lack of routine became a routine.

He was alone. Isolation, the one thing he had been running from, had finally caught up with him. It was so ironic. He lost contact with most of the people in his life. His mother called every now and again, inviting him to spend time at home, just for dinner but he declined. Ted emailed and called. Cody read the messages impassively and responded when he felt it was necessary. Most of the time he chose not to. He was reading another email when he was brought out of his walking coma by it. It isn't a particular interesting email, the only thing of interest being the line of it where Ted said he 'took care' of Randy. Cody re-read it again. Took care of? What did that mean?

The last time they spoke Ted had called him from London. They had stayed away from topic of Randy. That day Cody had been home, working out, when the phone rang. Putting down his weights he picked up a towel to wipe his brow as he went off to answer.

"Hello," he said he had identified the number as Ted's from the caller ID. Normally he never checked his caller ID before answering. But now he had a fear of answering a call to find that it was Randy. He didn't think he could handle speaking to him not when his emotions were still so raw. Every time he looked and found that it wasn't Randy an echo of hurt still passed through him. He wanted Randy to call just so that he could hang up on him.

"It's Ted." Ted said. The need for him to announce himself as Ted wasn't necessary.

"Hi, Ted." He replied.

"How have you been?"

"Good. How about you? You guys are in Europe, that should be fun."

"I'm keeping well. Europe's great. The people are nice."

An awkward beat. Silence.

"It's still cold here." Cody said, just speaking to make a sound and kill the silence. He hated how he and Ted weren't as jovial as they used to be. He missed the days when they could just hang out and talk about life, nonsense and everything in between. "But I'm sure it will get pretty warm soon."

"I have to get going." Ted said.

"Thanks for the call."

"Bye."

"Bye." He hung up, leaving Cody to listen to the sound of the dial.

Now Ted was emailing him with news of having 'taken care' of Randy. Cody read the email, again. He closed the page and switched his computer off.

**

He got his answer the following night. He was watching Raw live and Randy's theme came on. Randy appeared, walking slowly to the ring. Even before they cut to a close up Cody knew that something was wrong. Randy wasn't his usual predatorily self, the camera revealed the black eye and cut lip.

Once in the ring, Randy got a microphone and announced that he was recently jumped by a mob of deranged fans, who do not want to accept him as champion since they would rather have a poser like John Cena as champ.

Cody's phone rang.

"Are you watching?" Ted asked.

"Yeah, you beat him up?"

"He got what was coming to him."

"Thanks, I think," he said, muting the TV. "You do know that you didn't have to do this, right?"

"You're my best friend. I should have been there for you instead of being sanctimonious and judgemental."

"Ted, you've always been a great friend to me. And in case I haven't made it known or apparent by my actions in the past, I love you."

Ted chuckled, "You do know that I'm married? Besides I don't swing that way."

"I mean in a fraternal sense. You're like a brother to me."

"I know. Me too." Then quickly changing the subject he said, "We'll be heading back the day after tomorrow. I'll see you then."

"Bye." This time it was Cody who hung up first. He glanced at the television screen, Randy was still on screen holding the WWE Champion belt in the air.

He switched the TV off.

**
Like promise Ted came to visit him. They spend the day together and it was almost like the way it used to be. Cody's leave was nearly over and his return to the WWE loomed overhead like a storm cloud. He suddenly found himself apprehensive about going back. It had nothing to do with Randy. It was the idea of going back on the road, city after city, hotel after hotel, the span of foreign beds, each different yet the same from the last. Airport terminals, check ins and check outs. He had been away for a month and with everyone gearing up for the Royal Rumble, life had moved on without him. It felt like he is on the outside looking in, his face pressed against the glass. He was in between two states of apprehension and boredom. He didn't want to go back yet he a part of him was dying to jump back into action and focus on his career.

In such little time everything had changed. Even Ted looked different. He had a new hair cut, and his face looked slightly different. It He felt like he hadn't looked at Ted properly for quite some time. Looking at him now he noticed how the soft edges of his face had slowly given away. The easy manner which he possessed when he was younger had been replaced by a quiet reserve. Sometime, when Cody wasn't looking, Ted had grown up.

They were drinking beer and watching a lame DVD that was actually enjoyable due to its lameness and if Cody closed his eyes he could almost swear it was three years ago, 2006 before they ever debuted onto the WWE had he realised for the first time what his father had meant when he said that wrestling was the best job and the worst job in the world.

"I've missed times like these," he said taking a swing from his beer.

"It hasn't been like this for a long time." Ted replied.

"Why is that?"

Ted shrugged, "Things change. People change."

"You got married." It was supposed to be a statement but it sounded like an accusation.

Placing his beer on the table Ted turned to face Cody. "That's what people do. They grow up, get a job, fall in love and get married."

"Not everyone. I'm just saying since you got married I've felt like I was the last person on your priority list. First Kristen, then your family, then your job and somewhere below your pet dog and above your trainer there's me."

"Oh, come on Cody-"

"-One day I had friend then suddenly I didn't anymore. You say people change but that's not entirely true. Kristen forced you to change." Like clockwork, Ted's phone rang. Kristen and her invisible strings. "Can she go on an hour without calling you?"

Ted frowned, "She's my wife."

"She's clingy and needy."

"Cody, where is this coming from? Kristen has always been a good friend to you now suddenly you're bashing her. What's up with that?"

The phone was still ringing. "Just answer your phone, Ted." Cody got up, taking his beer with him, restless now.

Ted answered the phone, speaking in a low tone. He could hear Kristen on the other end. The call ended and Ted hung up.

"I have to leave."

"Of course."

"We can talk tomorrow. Okay?" Cody didn't answer. "Okay?" This time Ted is more insistent.

"Okay." he eventually answered.

Ted left.

Cody stopped the DVD and ejected it from the player before returning it to its case. He was picking up beer bottles when he heard a knock at the front door. Thinking it was Ted, he hurried to answer.

Standing at his front door, teary eyed and upset was Randy's wife.

Chapter XIII

"Sam," Cody said.

She looked at him. "May I come in?"

"Of course," He held out the door wider.

She walked in, holding her jacket tight around her. Cody followed after her.

"Please take a seat."

She looked at the disarray, Cody removed a pizza box from the couch and she tentatively sat down.

He looked at her. Beautiful, like always. Randy's wife. A person he didn't like to think of too much. She sat in his mind like a buried thought, only to be dug out in the direst of situations. In all the time he had been with Randy, they have never discussed her. Now and again Randy would get up from bed to call his wife or he would be telling an anecdote and mention her. All those times he always referred to her as 'my wife'. Never Samantha or Sam or even Sammy. She existed in Cody's mind like that, Randy's wife. Surely there was more to her, more to her existence than that.

Randy's wife was looking at him. "I don't know why I'm here, actually, to tell the truth," she said.

Cody had an idea. Just like the way they had never mentioned her in the many trysts they had, they never discussed their relationship or gave what they were doing a name. He wasn't even sure that Randy even considered that they were in a relationship.

"Is this about Randy?" He asked.

She nodded. "He's been acting strangely and I don't know who else to turn to except you." Her gaze was direct, Cody looked away, feeling guilty and half-afraid she could see right into him. "You are friends with him?"

"Yes." Friends. That's what Cody used to call their relationship. But it was a lie. He and Randy hadn't been friends in a long time. Not really.

"It started before Christmas. He was distant and I thought it would pass but it didn't. He spent of Christmas day going off to call some other person and later on the evening when his entire family were there he was short-tempered and got into a fight with his brother. The day after that, he left with no explanation and didn't come home. I was so worried I called his cell but it was off and when he did eventually come home he was drunk and passed out in the den. I've tried talking to him but he won't tell me what is wrong. He's even short with Al, he's always been so gentle with her. Something's bothering him and I don't know what it is." She was now quiet, looking at Cody with imploring eyes. "Cody, do you have any idea what it is?"

Trying to hold her gaze Cody said "No, not at all."

She nodded, "The other night I found him punching the wall, with his bare hands, so hard his knuckles were bleeding. I tried to shout at him to stop but he wouldn't. He didn't even know he was bleeding until I mentioned it to him."

He didn't know what to say so he kept silent. After another pause she continued to speak.

"Since he came back from Europe he's been a different person. He doesn't talk to me. He barely spends time with our daughter. I'm not sure what I have to do or say to make things go back to how they were." Her eyes were tearing up again. Cody didn't know what to do. Should he offer her a shoulder to cry on? Or should he get up and collect a box of Kleenex?

"I'm sure whatever it is, Randy will get back to normal." He finally said.

"Can you talk to him for me?"

"Me?"

"You said you were friends with him. Talk to him and try to find out what's bothering him."

Cody didn't have the heart to say no to her face so instead he said, "Okay. I'll talk to him."

Samantha hugged him. "Thank you so much." She wiped her eyes then stepped back, "Look at me. I'm a mess."

"Do you want some Kleenex?"

"I've got some in my purse." She opened her purse pulling out a gold compact case; she unclipped it and gazing at herself while wiping her eyes gently. Done, she put it away. Getting up she said, "Thanks again, Cody."

"I can't promise you?" Cody said while walking her to the door.

"I know whatever you do it will make a difference." She opened the front door, "Goodbye."

"Bye," Cody watched her leave before closing the door and leaning against it. Everything had become so monumentally fucked up.

Chapter XIV

On his first day back at work he didn't try to see Randy, neither did he try to avoid him. He saw Ted who went out of his way to act like everything was how it used to be. They didn't discuss Randy-though it was blatantly obvious to the two of them that he was never far from their minds.

When Cody went back into the ring and it wasn't as if he never left. But something was different. It's was not the venue or the screaming fans or even the new wrestlers. When he entered the ring, he did his usual foot wipe and went under the ropes all while watching his opponent opposite him. The uneasy tensions that use to linger beneath his spleen had disseminated and he found that his throat didn't tighten. He was no longer nervous. Between Randy and Christmas and Evan and New Year, in-between waking up in strange cities and falling asleep yet to wake again he had changed. He was not the same person he had been when he last stood in that spot.


In the midst of the roaring fans, he faced his opponent. The kid looked young and out of his midst in the ring. Cody wondered if he wore the same expression the first time he stepped into the ring (during his first televised match). Did he also have the same look of bewilderment with a strong faced exterior? Thinking back that far was like trying to peek through a mist. The images blurred and faded. And Randy, always Randy. Randy, smiling at him on his first day, Randy kissing him. "I knew you would taste like this," words Cody wanted to say but he didn't. He was suddenly back in that moment, in the plane to Mexico, trapped in that small space. He had wanted to say that and a whole lot more. But he didn't. Long before the idea of the two of them had become cognizant in his mind he had already been thinking it. He just never admitted it to himself.

The bell rang and the match began. It took him less than two minutes to win, just like he was supposed to. After the match he demanded a microphone and he went on to let everybody know that he was back and he was here to stay. Cody declared himself meaner and more determined than ever before. Smirking, he soaked up the thundering boos and thumb-downs that came from the unimpressed audience. He was doing his job and he was doing it right and that was all that matter.

**

Much later, after all the cries of the audience had died down and the sweat on his brows have dried. After the words he never spoke to Randy have stopped echoing in his ears (I knew you would taste like this), he sat on the floor in an empty locker room. His was back turned away from the wooden door.

He sat there thinking. This was his life. He couldn't run from it. But knowing all of that didn't make it any easier. What if he couldn't take other day or other year? He didn't know his own strength was enough or if he had lost it long ago when he let his career take over his life. But this life he led was expected of him. His father had it planned out for him from the very start. It was this similar history that he shared with Randy, both of them having dads who paved their paths long before they could even speak. They grew up knowing which way they would have to go. It was that paved path, a legacy, which had perhaps made it so difficult for him to even acknowledge the truth about himself.

Then was a knock on the door. Cody listened to the rap of knuckles; he felt the vibrations of the flowing down his back, flowing like little strata of waves.

"Cody," a voice said softly.

Cody froze. He didn't need to open the door because he knew who it was.


"I just want to talk." Randy said, so softly Cody had to strain his ears to hear him. Slowly, Cody got up from the bench leaning against the door momentarily before opening it. Randy looked at him with a slightly startled expression on his face. He seemed surprised that Cody had opened the door. He vaguely wondered if Randy had expected him not to. That Randy had just been going through the procedure of rapping his knuckles against the wooden door without any expectation of acknowledgement him.

They stared at each other for a moment.

"Yes?" Cody said.

Randy looked away, focusing on a spot somewhere over Cody's shoulder. "I believe my wife came to see you." He said.

"Yeah, she did."

Azure blue eyes met his for a moment before they returned to the distance over his shoulder. "What did she say to you?"

Cody could have laughed. After all of this time this was the only thing that Randy could say to him. What did she say to you? He started to close the door when Randy's hand shot out and caught it before it slammed in his face.

"Randy, you don't get to come to me and ask me questions that you should rather go and ask your own wife."

"Cody, please. I just need to…" Randy didn't complete his sentence.

"To what, Randy? Assert your ownership over me?"

A brief look passed through Randy's eyes. So quick and sudden Cody couldn't have been sure what it was. But it was so pure and so raw it entrenched into his soul and he felt he had just seen a glimpse of something just beyond a look shared between two people.

They stood in silence with the half closed door between them.

"She wants to know what's bothering you," He finally said. Randy nodded emphatically as if he expected Cody to say something like that. "So…how are you?"

The look returned. A tortured anguish combined with something else in Randy's eyes. He could feel his resolve loosen. Randy's eyes seemed to smolder with the heat of a thousand suns and sometimes Cody felt that he wasn't strong enough to withstand the glare. That he could melt like ice and all would remain of him would be a warm puddle of nothingness. The desire so strong it unhinged him. As he stood he felt the same desire but instead of unleashing it he chained it in. Desire had no place in this. It was an unwanted guest with nowhere to go. So it wandered like God's children who roamed the desert for forty years looking for the Promised Land. Maybe he had found his own promised land. Perhaps he had tasted Manna but it was not the nectar from the heavens as it was foretold. It was there in Randy's lips. Randy's skin, (I knew you would taste like this) and now that he had had it he didn't know if there would be anything else in his life that would ever taste as good.

But still all that remain was him and Randy and the half closed door between them. It was a symbol of all the things they were. A half fulfilled fantasy. It represented an almost affair.

His eyes were drawn to Randy's hand on the door frame. The very same hands that had been on his body all those times. He has always loved Randy's hands, the elegant fingers, the short nails with half moon cuticle whites. They were all too familiar to him. They brought back memories, like the smear of sweat on warm palms, gasped breaths through open mouths, slowly coming back into his body after leaving the fiery grips of a powerful orgasm.

"We both know what's bothering me." Randy said breaking the silence.

"Oh, do we?"

"I miss you." Randy replied.

It shouldn't have mattered. Three words shouldn't have the power to make him freeze on the spot with no clear mind of what to think or what to do, what to say. What to feel?

The door still half opened between them.

Cody dragged his eyes up to meet Randy's. "You don't get the right to miss me."

"It's not that simple. I wish there was an on and off switch for things like this where I could force myself to not be the person that I am. I can't say all the right things or do the right things so everyone is happy. I am the not best husband I can be. I am not the father I should be and certainly not the son or brother. I am selfish and unkind. I fucked up." Randy's voice hitched. "I hurt you, Cody. You have every right to hate me; I wish I never did what I did. Sometimes I get so mad I can't breathe. That day all I saw was you and Bourne together and I wanted to hurt you as much as you hurt me?"

"You succeeded." Cody murmured. He felt so drained. He had been angry for a very long time but now it seemed so pointless.

"I wanted to break you apart… because… I never thought that I would want more from you than sex."

Cody had gone beyond the point of breaking. He felt so discombobulated. Maybe he was waking up from a bad dream, where his blood and bones lay scattered all over the highway like the victim of a car crash. Maybe he was looking back to the wreckage that was life. Maybe all of that or maybe nothing at all. Maybe if he could change Randy could to. Spending his life running away was not an option. Ultimately fulfilment had a price; pain and the all-consuming, glaring agony of love. He needed to finally make a choice.

Cody let go of the door. Randy stepped in and closed the door behind them.