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Needful XIII:  Confrontations
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 Shane reached across the arm of the couch to grab another can of
beer and popped the tab with a happy sigh followed by a long drink.
It had been a long time since he had hung out alone with Joey, the other
man having always been somewhat uncomfortable, and he was having
a great time.  Shane had always been hurt by the other man's silent
rejection, and it felt good to be accepted with his friend again.

 Still, a part of him couldn't help but wonder how the night would
of turned out had he been able to spend it with Stone Cold.  Actually,
he didn't have to wonder at all.

 "Pass me a beer, man," Joey said, breaking into his musings.  "I
need to get drunk tonight."

 A cold can was passed and Shane shook his head, "You shouldn't
stress so much about this one loss, dude.  It happens."

 "But it never happened to be until I came to the WWF!" Joey cursed
and took an angry drink.  "I always thought I could make it here, but
now I'm thinking...What if it weren't for you Mac?  If you weren't my
buddy I'd probably never woulda even gotten in."  He let his blazing gaze
meet Shane's as if daring him to say otherwise.

 Shane shrugged easily, "You're probably right," Shane drawled, "But
Abbs, if I weren't me - do you really think I would made it either?  I got
my ass kicked every day of the week at first, but now I'd like to think
I'm pretty fucking good in the ring."

 There was silence for a moment, the television playing out the movie
at low volume.  "I just want to be good at it, ya know?" Abbs finally said,
his voice a sigh.  "If I can't succeed, then what the hell is the point of
even trying?"

 "Most people don't even make it this far, Joey," Shane pointed out.
"I say you just enjoy the ride.  If you fail, fine.  If you win - all the
better."  Shane smirked shamelessly.  "All you can do is try, man."

 Joey snickered, his bad mood seemingly melting away - momentarily
at least.  "We grew up in Greenwich Shane, since when did we have to
_try_ for anything?"

 "WWF's lot bigger then Greenwich, Joey," Shane smiled, and raised
his beer can in a toast.  "You'll do fine."  The movie went off and Shane
stood and stretched, glancing at his watch as he did so.  "Damn, it's
late."  Steve's probably asleep, he added silently.  "This was fun, Abbs,
but I'm beat, I think I'm gonna head back and get to sleep."

 Suddenly, a hand came out and grabbed the waist of his jeans and
pulled him back down roughly, causing him to sprawl back down onto the
couch.  "Fuck that," Joey said, his voice slurred but obviously in much
higher spirits.  "We use to stay up way longer then this.  'Sides, we
haven't even watched the second movie yet.  Stick around - you can crash
on the couch."

 Shane couldn't help but feel elated at the idea that one of his
oldest friends really _was_ okay with his personal life now, and gave in
without protest, bending over the VCR to insert the next movie.  "Okay,
but if I look like a raccoon at tomorrow's meeting, it'll be your fault,"
Shane joked.

 Steve Austin could wait for another night.




 He fingered the small, silver key he held in his hand, paused over
the threshold of the seemingly ordinary hotel room.  But it wasn't
ordinary, far from it.  This was Shane McMahon's hotel room.  And
he held the key.

 Going out to a bar, one goodnight kiss, groping in a hallway was one
thing, but...but this was the heavy shit.  Steve swallowed and reached
out to touch the gold colored doorknob.  He _was_ very attracted to
Shane, he even liked him.  A lot.  But was he ready for this?  What it
meant if he went through with it?

 Aw hell, what did he have to lose?  Steve shoved the key roughly into
the lock and pushed the door open.

 The room was dark, but not pitch black.  The soft, familiar glow of
candle light wafted down towards the door, and Steve closed the door
gently behind him, threw the key onto a nearby table.  The air smelt like
incense and burning wax.  Shane had really gone all out.

 Walking down the hall slowly, tugging a little nervously at the hem of
his shirt in an unconscious effort to straighten up his clothes, Steve
found the whole setting somewhat uncomfortable.  "Shane?"

 Following the candlelight, Steve found himself, perdictabley, in the
bedroom.  It held a King sized bed, but Shane was nowhere in sight.
"Shane?  You in here?"

 Instinctively, Steve felt the other man's presence when he stepped
up behind him.  By the same instinct, he knew that it wasn't Shane.

 A harsh whisper sounded in his ear, "Wrong room, Steve."




 "So, um...what's it like?"

 The second movie had finished two hours ago and now both men were
listening to Nine Inch Nails and AC/DC CD's in the bedroom.  Shane was
sprawled across the bed and Joey in a nearby arm chair.  Both were
pleasantly drunk and taking occasional sips from their beers.

 Shane's face was a question, and he pulled a pillow closer to
prop himself up on.  "What's what like?"

 Obviously uncomfortable, Joey shrugged, shifting in his seat,
"You know...making out with another guy."

 A light chuckle and Shane waggled his eyebrows, "You asking for a
demonstration, Abbs?"  He couldn't help but think that Joey was kinda
cute when he blushed, not that he would ever tell him that.  "Why do
you want to know?"

 The other man shrugged, looking down at the can in his hands as
he spoke, "Just curious.  When was the first time you...well, you know.
Come on, Mac, don't make this hard on me."

 Shane smiled and stretched on the bed, closing his eyes as he
thought back.  Remembering now, he _still_ had trouble believing it.  "I
don't know if you want to know," he teased, deliberately stringing along
his friend.  "I think this little tidbit of the past could fit into the
Too Much Information category."

 Sensing it was something juicy, Joey leaned forward eagerly.  "Now
you gotta tell me.  Come on, spill it Shane."

 "My first time..." Shane sighed and rolled over so that he was on
his back.  "Was with Pete."




 Steve jumped forward and away from the voice, spinning around to
find himself face to face with Hunter Hearst Helmsley.  He growled low
in his throat, wondering how the hell he had managed to get into Shane's
room.  "What the fuck are you doing here?  Where's Shane?"

 The blonde wrestler let out a mocking laugh and advanced slowly on
the other man, "News flash, Steve - this is my room.  Shane blew you off
so I thought I'd take advantage of the situation and take this opportunity
to warn you to stay away from him.  He's mine."

 Steve glared at the other man, not backing off an inch.  "Bullshit.  Last
time I checked there wasn't no 'Property of Jackass' sticker anywhere
on him.  He doesn't even seem to like _you_, Helmsley."

 "Shane has obviously failed to tell you about me," Hunter hissed, and
reaching out he grabbed a fistful of the other man's shirt and brought
his face within inches of his own.  "Me and Shane...we have something
you will _never_ even come close to touching."

 "Get your fucking hands off..." Austin started to struggle but stopped
when a hand clamped down hard on his neck, pinching some nerves
and causing pain to dart up and down it.  His fucking neck.  He wondered
if it was going to give him trouble for the rest of his damn life.  "What do
you want, Hun'er?  Not enough that I kicked your ass earlier tonight, you
want more?"

 Letting his gaze travel deliberately down Steve's body, Hunter's
expression was unreadable.  "This is a warning to you, you're only going
to get one.  Stay away from, Shane."

 "Like Hell."  Steve grinded his teeth and twisted harshly out of the hard
grip, grimacing in pain as he did so.  Then, moving back a few steps, he
rushed forward to tackle Hunter to the floor.  Straddling his waist, Steve
pinned Hunter's shoulders and grinned -- showing two rows of teeth.
"Shane seems to of made his choice, Greenwich Boy, and you ain't it.
If you ever pull something like this again, I'll make you regret it.
Deeply.  That's _your_ warning."  A vicious head butt stunned the other
man long enough for Austin to stand and walk out of the bedroom,
leaving Hunter lying on the hotel room floor.  Smiling.



 "SHIT!  Fuck, no way, Shane.  Pete?  Really?  Whoa.  I didn't
even know he was gay!"

 "He's not."  Shane smirked.  "It was way back in 12th grade, we
were stoned and talking about stuff.  Actually, we were wondering about
the same thing you just asked me.  What it was like to make out with
another guy.  If we weren't so high, it never would of happened, but we
were so we ended up doing some heavy necking in Pete's Lexus.  Nothing
too severe, but that was my first experience.  We both learned something
from it."  At Joey's expectant look, Shane continued, "Pete learned that
he's as heterosexual as they come, and I learned...well, you know how
that turned out.  I believe Pete's exact words were:  'Mac-Daddy, if I
can't get a woody from screwin' around with you, then no man will ever
do it for me.'"  Shane smiled fondly, "It was a nice thing to say."

 Joey scratched his head, and blinked, eyes wide.  "Wow.  Does Rodney
know?"

 "Nah," Shane shook his head.  "At least, I don't think he does, he
hasn't mentioned it to me anyway.  It's no big secret, Pete's not ashamed
of it, because - well, he's _Pete_, and I don't care.  But you know how
these things are, up to a week ago I never would of even thought of telling
you this story."  Shane grinned and stiffled a yawn against his fist, "But
you've really been great about this whole thing, Abbs, thanks.  I know the
deal with Hunter made you uncomfortable as Hell."

 "I was just worried about you," Joey said softly, looking down at his
lap.  "You kinda have a habit of doing that."

 "I can take care of myself," Shane kindly reminded, lying back on the
bed as his eyes drifted shut.  "I'm a big boy."

 Not looking up, and feeling decidedly loose tongued from all the beer
he had consumed that night, Joey shrugged.  "You're my buddy, I'm
suppose to watch you're back.  I guess I always sorta felt guilty for how
you got burned with that jerk, Helmsley.  It wasn't so much of you being bi
as it was about that, I guess.  That and I - " A light snore and Joey looked
up to see Shane head tilted slightly to the side on the pillow, his eyes
closed and his breathing slow and deep.  He was out like a light.

 Joey sighed and smiled faintly, moved somewhat shakily over to the bed
to throw a blanket over his friend before stumbling into the living room to
crash on the couch.  Maybe he'd tell him tomorrow.