Title: Just Another Day

Part 3

Author: Angel Eterno

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Characters don't belong to me. They belong to WWF and Titan Sports. No copyright infringement intended.
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"Chris?" the blond's voice was pathetic and pleading; his half-closed eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Oh fuck, Jericho, he admonished himself: think, think think...!

"Christian," he began awkwardly "I don't think you're sure what you're saying ... you're upset and you're drunk - you're Edge's boyfriend - I'm one of your friends, and Edge's ...."

Jericho got no further. Christian flung the leather jacket back on and dropped onto his feet with a plop and stagger, the petulant expression accusatory.

"Don't bother!" he snarled for the second time that evening. "Nobody bothers with me anyway. Nobody likes me even - nobody has given me a card nor wished me so much as a Happy Birthday even! I'm going!"

That said he tossed back his flowing, golden hair and flounced rapidly toward the door. Chris nearly fell off his stool; as it was the damn thing crashed to the wooden floor in his hurry to leave it. The resounding "Oi!" of the bartender echoed in his ears as he hurried out in Christian's wake.

Outside it was cold: the November air held that definite chill and promise of lesser degrees to come. He could see his breath floating on the air as he swivelled his head to see which way Christian had gone. He looked in both directions and could see nothing. Oh shit! He'd be in for it now - Edge would surely kill him ...

Then he glanced behind him and downwards: there on the step sat the forlorn figure - head in hands. Exhaling his relief he knelt in front of Christian, putting both hands on his shoulders.

"Christian! Don't be so stupid, dude!" he admonished.

"It's all my fault!" Christian sobbed. "There's something about me people just don't like - not even Edge - and I thought he loved me ..."

"I'm sure he does - why don't we take you home and you'll see Edge ..."

"But he doesn't want me!" Christian's voice rose to a wail, eliciting curious looks from a passing elderly couple. "and what's more I'm so sick and sad I tried it on with you..." The elderly couple stood stock-still in their tracks for a second on overhearing this, then hurried on tut-tutting between themselves.

Jericho was about to enfold Christian in his arms, then changed his mind: in his state maybe that wouldn't be appropriate. Just as he was figuring out what to do his cell phone rang. Quickly he answered, keeping his words short and unrevealing.

"Yes - yes I have - it'll be OK - won't be long - no - can't say - just a bit - OK, bye."

Through his tears Christian looked at him curiously. Time to act, thought Jericho.

"OK - look, Christian - come with me - we really need to get you home ..."

"I told you he doesn't want me home!"

"Will you just shut the hell up and do as I tell you?" demanded Y2J. A peevish Christian just looked at him meekly, and decided - thankfully - to do as he was bid.

Walking side by side in the now completely dark streets, Christian figured it must be nearly 10pm. What a fun day, he sighed to himself, and what a way to spend his birthday! Once inside - he might just as well go to bed - probably get to the house and find it dark and empty anyway - Edge might have gone out for the evening with his friends. Pain stabbed his heart at his loneliness - as he envisioned going home to a dark, abandoned house and spending the rest of his birthday having an early night. But as they drew closer to the house - his eyes widened - it wasn't dark - and it certainly didn't seem abandoned. There was a luminous multi-colored glow emanating from the rear of the house which lit the sky above; and he could hear voices - happy excited voices - and, oddly, strange squishing sounds.

He barely registered Chris Jericho's guiding hand on his arm as he was lead toward the front door of his and Edge's house. He was so curious as to what was happening here that he didn't find it weird that Chris possessed a key to the door and had unlocked it, pushing Christian inside. The interior of the house was dark - not a light on anywhere - but he could still perceive the luminescent glow emanating from the rear. Gently he was guided through the corridor toward the back of the house, into the room that overlooked their large garden. And it was stood in front of the open patio doors that his mouth fell agape in astonishment - for there on the grass was a huge, glistening bouncy castle - the biggest he'd ever seen. It was surrounded by probably a dozen tall glowing heat-lamps with hundreds of different colored fairy lights strung between them illuminating the sky; and off to one side was a table laid out with food and bottles of champagne. People were gathered round this table, and beyond that he could see yet another table - piled high with multi-shaped and multi-colored packages.

Something caught his eye and he glanced upwards: for flying from one of the turrets to the bouncing bottom was a shirtless, streak of rainbow colored human curling in the air before landing on his naked back and slithering into the corner, shrieking all the way. And on the opposite turret was an equally shirtless squatting figure with a high ponytail preparing for take-off: Christian stared in awe as the figure flew through the air horizontally before landing with a five-star frogsplash right on top of the recently fallen figure of Jeff Hardy, precipitating them both in a high-speed slide across the castle's glistening bottom until they whooshed as one right off the edge and onto the grass in a laughing heap. Christian blinked his astonishment - realizing the bouncy castle's floor was glistening because it was liberally sprinkled with baby oil. And either upon it or around it were clustered nearly the entire roster - most of whom were equally shimmering with oil after using the castle. So absorbed had he been in the sight before him he hadn't noticed someone else sneak up behind him until he felt two arms go round his waist, pulling him back into their owner's embrace. He turned his head, looking upwards into the amused eyes of his lover and partner.

"Edge!"

"Yup - you decided to come back then?"

Christian looked sheepish.

"I thought you'd forgotten ..."

Edge gently turned him round to face him.

"As if! There's one thing you had forgotten though ... your actual birth time isn't until 11:53 to be precise ... so no, I hadn't forgotten."

Christian could scarcely contain his joy.

"Oh Edge!" he squealed.

"Oh Christian!" Edge mimicked.

"You organized all this for me, and all I could do was shout at you and sulk - then wind up in a bar thinking you didn't care ..."

"Yup!" Edge grinned. "With a little help from our friends ..."

Christian gazed around, his heart overflowing with emotion as he took in each and every one of their dear friends, his throat constricted so he couldn't speak.

"So are you happy now?" Edge was still grinning, from ear to ear, his teeth gleaming whitely.

Christian laughed and flung his arms around his lover's neck, pulling him close, much to the delight of the gathered crowd - who all cheered and yelled "Happy Birthday!"

"I am - very - but there's just one thing ..."

Edge looked concerned. "Yes, Sweetheart?" What could he have forgotten?

"I hope you haven't used up all the baby oil ..."