Title: Just Another Day
Part 2
Author: Angel Eterno
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Characters don't belong to me. They belong to WWF and Titan Sports. No copyright infringement intended.
__________________
Christian felt totally dejected. All the years he and Edge had been together - all through their childhood, all through adulthood, and never before had he ever forgotten. He walked along the darkening street, staring glumly downward, heedless of the rising moon and the few odd stars heralding the coming night. He was convinced he could stay out all night and Edge wouldn't miss him; he sure hadn't been too worried about him going - never even tried to stop him. Maybe he was tired of him - and couldn't quite bring himself to admit it, couldn't bring himself to hurt him. He knew if it was the end, he would be devastated, life just wouldn't be quite the same again. Conscious of tears pricking his eyes, he sniffed loudly and forced them back inside. He wasn't going to let this get to him. He stopped outside the door of the bar - he didn't really feel like drinking and being with other people - but he couldn't very well just walk the streets the next hour or so. Maybe if he just had one beer he might feel a little better.
He ordered his beer at the counter. Wordlessly the bar-tender shoved the beer toward him and stood awaiting his cash expectantly. Christian felt in no mood for any confrontations with surly bartenders, but stared down at the smaller man challengingly anyway.
"Put it on the check - I'll pay for it all at the end."
Before the bartender could start protesting a hand reached over and deposited a bill in his hand.
"It's on me - and I'll have another too."
From his seated position on the bar-stool Christian looked up startled, straight into the clear, sparkling blue eyes of Chris Jericho.
"Thanks!" he began, "But I could have paid for it myself - just that this dickweed here" he indicated the departed bartender "was being pissy."
Jericho grinned.
"S'OK - consider it a birthday treat!"
Christian almost choked on his beer.
"You knew it was my birthday?"
"Yeah - I think I heard it or saw it somewhere - maybe on a website..." Chris's voice trailed off as Christian slumped even more dejectedly on his seat. "Is there something wrong?"
Christian nodded sadly.
"Edge forgot."
"Forgot? Edge? I can't believe that!"
"Well, he did. You know, Chris, you're the first person to even mention it to me today."
"Aw..." Jericho put a comforting arm round Christian's slumped shoulders. "Perhaps you ought to have another drink ..."
Three beers later and Christian had all but confided his life story plus all his hopes and fears for his current relationship with Edge. Throughout it all Jericho sat and nodded sagely, assuring him he understood, and surely Edge would kick himself when he realized - but maybe everything would turn out well once he got back home.
Christian shook his head vehemently.
"Don't wanna go home - serve him right if I didn't ever go back home. What's my future if my boyfriend can't even remember my birthday! Next I know he'll have given out all his Christmas cards to all and sundry including the janitor and have forgotten one for me!"
Christian pouted: he seemed to be doing a lot of that today. The alcohol had taken its toll on his mind and soon he was trying to dam up the threatening tears. He almost bawled out loud when he felt Chris's consolatory hand squeeze his leg. His eyes flew wide open then - was Jericho trying it on? Part of him scuttled away from the thought, but another toyed with the idea that here was someone who maybe cared a little bit about him and his feelings. He tried to ascertain Jericho's motives as he stared into those cerulean eyes. But he couldn't sense any ulterior motive or spot any hint of underlying desire; part of him was disappointed. So not even a drunken man found him desirable! What was it about him that seemed to turn guys off? That was it - this was a challenge: one way or another - he had to elicit some emotion apart from pity from Y2J.
Knowing deep-down this was merely a reaction - and definitely not the right thing to do - he did it anyway. Moving in his chair he leant in closer to Jericho, resting his head on his shoulder while placing his own hand on top of Chris's which was still on his knee. He could feel the sudden jerking movement as Jericho tried to edge his body away. Fuck! He knew he'd done wrong. Y2J seemed to have as little desire for him as his own partner! But he couldn't help himself on his path to destruction as he peered up into Jericho's eyes pleadingly.
"Don't you find me attractive, Chris?" the blond's eyes were smoldering.
Jericho jumped up from his chair as if scalded: realizing too late his mistake of placing his consolatory hand on Christian's knee. Shit! He'd come here for a specific purpose - and that wasn't to try it on with Edge's boyfriend! And now here he was, with aforementioned boyfriend sending him eloquent sex messages with every burning look of his eyes. Now for the dilemma: he had to play this a certain way - there seemed to him only two ways of playing it - and both could lead to disaster. He could (1) encourage Christian and end up feeling guilty and awkward in about half an hour; or (2) discourage Christian and have him run out on him. There had to be another choice: and if it didn't jump up and bite him within seconds he was done for.
End Part 2