He wanted that win, but like so many others…the night did not belong to him. Did it make any difference the outpouring of fan and media reactions praising their performance since? He didn’t know. He rolled over in bed where Matt was still sound asleep. He too braved his own pain that night to make the return trip home with Jeremy. As promised the two had taken a bit of a break the past week after the ppv. Spending some much needed and wanted, time together. Some days they did mild workouts, some days they went out for long hikes, gamed together, and last weekend they made a trip up the coast to San Francisco for a tour of the city, Alcatraz and to see if their sushi scene rivaled that of Los Angeles. Matt was sleeping on his stomach, exposing bare his back rising and dipping in muscular peaks and valleys. Sunlight broke through the darkness of the room giving life to the barbwire gifts etched across his body. He was covered head to toe in them, but none worse than his upper body. The wounds had all been treated and closed, but the scars remained and would fade in time with proper skin care.
Head still on the pillow he looked at Matt, his gentle breaths the only movement his body made. When did he fall in love with him? He couldn’t remember. When he first came to the academy, he obviously found him attractive, but it was no more like looking at food on television and getting hungry…a fleeting feeling, same as with any other passerby. This had developed over time, over friendship, over the trials, triumph and tribulations of him breaking into the business at first mostly for the easy pay, but it had become more. The more he thought about it, the more he understood that months back when he struggled with the thought of leaving wrestling for his first passion of science…that was it…that was when he had fallen in love, but he didn’t realize it at the time…..Matt was the reason he couldn’t pull himself away. The things we know, but don’t tell ourselves, he thought. If Erica hadn’t opened her bitch ass mouth, would he ever had, had the courage to act on his own? Would Matt be laying here next to him discovering who he is himself?
It was time to start the day, to face the world, to finally get to work after his beloved solitude. He rose from bed, careful not to wake Matt which probably wouldn’t be a problem because he slept deeply. His feet padded on the floor as he left the room, took his morning piss, and went to the kitchen for a glass of water to take his morning supplements. The bruising on his own body was starting to diminish. Over the last week they’d gone from red to purple to greenish-yellow color and by the time Havoc rolled around they’d be a brown-orangish color if not gone altogether. He was grateful for this extra gap in-between shows, it was an opportunity for everyone to heal up, and for Jeremy himself…it was time to hit the reset button so to speak. They had both kept up with the goings on in HWA, but held to their promise of disconnecting an focusing on one another but it was at an end now, another city was on the horizon and it was time for them both to return to the ring in a matter of days. His phone rang and he quickly grabbed it to answer as not to wake Matt with the noise. He looked at the screen with a little smile.
(Jeremy): Hey pop!
(Jeremy’s Dad): Just making sure you’re alive.
Jeremy laughs a little.
(Jeremy): Yeah, I’m fine…you know me…just needed some down time after the show.
(Jeremy’s Dad): You’re about the most hermit of a boy I’ve ever seen, you didn’t get that from me…must be your mother’s side of the family.
(Jeremy): It’s not that, Matt stayed with me…just needed some down time like I said.
(Jeremy’s Dad): Speaking of which, Thanksgivings here, we’re expecting you up and bring Matt with you…we want to meet him.
Jeremy’s eyes go wide, and he moves further away from the bedroom to almost a whisper as if Matt could hear him in his sleep.
(Jeremy): Dad, I don’t know about that…I don’t know if Matt’s ready for all that. I don’t know if I’m ready.
(Jeremy’s Dad): Nonsense, I wasn’t ready when your bun popped out of your mothers oven, but you came anyway.
You can hear Jeremy’s mom in the background talking her voice amplifying as she gets close to the phone.
(Jeremy’s Mom): Tell him not to bring anything…don’t bring anything sweetheart, we’ve got it all covered. You’re father’s smoking one of the turkey’s, I’m making the dressing and sides, except whatever Linda brings, and your sister is bringing the deserts.
(Jeremy): You’re letting her bake?
(Jeremy’s Dad): Of course not, she’s going to pick up some pies from Costco like a normal person. I’m not eating that corn pudding mess again…I don’t even know what that was.
Jeremy laughs remembering last year’s dinner. His sister, who never boils water, decided that she was going to make a dessert and found a recipe for corn pudding. Corn was out of season so she used canned, it was actually supposed to be a savory dish and when she realized that she just added a bunch of sugar to it…it was “interesting” to say the least.
(Jeremy’s Mom): I moved some of your things to the guest house, you and Matt can stay there. You’re cousin will be in the guest room and the kids can have your old room.
(Jeremy’s Dad): Honey, they don’t want to stuck around here with all of us, John and Linda and those kids.
(Jeremy’s Mom): That’s ridiculous, it’s the same thing we do every year.
(Jeremy’s Dad): No…it isn’t, he’s never brought that boy for Thanksgiving. Oh…son…that reminds me. What does Matt like to drink? I’ve got some Scotch left, some whiskey, how about an Old Fashioned…does he like Old Fashion’s.
(Jeremy): I……I don’t know, I have to ask him. Look dad, I’m not sure…
(Jeremy’s Dad): Hold on son, I see that damn postman on the Ring, I’ve been meaning to have a word with him. Here’s your mother…
Jeremy sighs as he hears shuffling and his mom pick up the phone.
(Jeremy’s Mom): It’s 80 degrees here so don’t you boys come in a bunch of coats and sweaters and stuff, you know how it is here. Oh sweetheart, did you see the shower the other night?
(Jeremy): I did, had to go a bit out of the city but got an okay view.
(Jeremy’s Mom): Oh that’s lovely, well…you call us when you land. I’ve got to get going, there’s a lot of work to get done around here and your father is slow as molasses, he still hasn’t cleaned the pool you know.
(Jeremy): Okay Mom.
(Jeremy’s Mom): Love you!
(Jeremy): Love you too!
The phone disconnects and Jeremy stares at the screen a few moments until it dims, then goes black. Thanksgiving dinner at his parents! How in the hell was he going to ask Matt that? Suddenly there’s a kiss on his neck.
(Matt): Morning…what are we eating?
Matt appears behind him, throwing his chin over shoulder and scaring the shit out of him so much that he jumps a little.
(Jeremy): Huh…wh…what?
(Matt): Breakfast…what are we eating?
His heart was racing, for a moment he thought Matt was talking about Thanksgiving dinner. Thank God….he’d have to deal with that later on when he got his thoughts together.
(Jeremy): Ummm…I don’t know. Maybe just some smoothies first…we’ll grab something after.
Matt just nods as he puts his glass down of water he just chugged and disappears back into the bedroom area. They had planned a full-on workout today and were heading to the Academy in a bit. He suddenly felt like he had dodged a bullet. He would talk to Matt about Thanksgiving after their workout. He wasn’t even American, he probably wouldn’t even want to go anyway. Matt was adorable as fuk though, and he’s love to rub it in his cousin Linda’s face with her John this, and John that, and the kids this and the kids that. He knew that behind her classic suburban Christian white woman mask was a miserable person. If she wasn’t she wouldn’t spend so much time putting others down. Who cared John was a successful lawyer, her kids were a nightmare and she acted like she was so important and busy saving the world with her little volunteer projects and her snooty little voice, and snobby little comments.
“I…made sure we had enough clothes in the drive for those families in Maui, Sidney didn’t get enough so I just went myself and I bought enough to meet the quota.” “I’m so lucky, John is just a wiz at all that business stuff…who needs a calculator when you have a husband with a brain like a computer processer.” “I’m just so proud of Jared and Jenny, did you know they’re the first in out family to go to nationals?” I, I, I, I,…it’s all he ever heard. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to bring Matt to dinner. He wanted to show off his gorgeous man, outshine her condescending ass and shut her up once and for all. He let out a little laugh thinking about it. He’d save that for later, now it was back to business. He threw on a shirt, and fired up his HWA app for brief message.
(Jeremy): HWA Fanverse, I know it’s been a minute but life goes on outside the ring. Better late than never, but I want to officially congratulate Sean on his win. You pushed me in that ring, and I hope I pushed you as well. It was good to be back in there with you again, but in front of a crowd. Kind of like old times, but definitely new times as well. I’ve got a lot more thoughts on the ppv, but I’ve only got a few minutes here so I want to skip that for now and jump ahead to Havoc.
Legion, its you and me big man. You got a bit of the lucky draw coming in. Had a lot of legacy behind you, skipped the entire academy experience and there you were. You brought a lot of baggage with you, the whole thing with Michelle and your piece. The split from Fallen, and you’re on your own road of redemption and second chances. I know a little something about that…I’m no stranger these days to getting in the ring with guys looking to make amends, but I promise you…you’re not going to make yours at my expense. I’ve got no beef with you, but I’m on a path of my own now and I’m not going to get put off course…not by you. You see, it’s not just the veterans here that I’ve got my eyes on…its guys like you…the up-and-commers. Guys like Maniac think the world owes them something and we should all fall in line to receive their wisdom and blessings, and guys like you…you’re just trying to make your way up. Me…Sean….Matt…we’re in-between. We’re facing off on both fronts because we’ve been here, holding down our spots and Matt and Sean have proven that…its time I do the same. It just so happens you’re name is next to mine. All the respect in the world to you, but this one is mine…sorry, not sorry!
Jeremy publishes the promo and goes to get dressed and ready for his workout with Matt, and to break the news of his dinner invite. It made him a little nervous, in a good way and he smiled to himself as the scene fades to black.
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