Title: The Liberator
Part 14
Author: Angel Eterno
Rating: NC-17 - slash
Content: Slash, Romance, Abuse
Disclaimer: Characters don't belong to me. They belong to WWF and Titan Sports. No copyright infringement intended.
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Chris Kanyon lurched drunkenly along the corridor. Screwing up his eyes against the dimness, he tried to make out the dark shape slumped in the corner, where the corridor made a right turn to the rooms further along the next corridor. Looked like somebody had dumped their clothing there - hell, some of these guys just didn't give a shit where they divested of their apparel before scooting into someone else's room for quick fuck! As he drew closer he realized from the rounded shape that the dumped clothing also contained a body ... he drew up short with a gasp of horror when he saw the smudging pool of blood that had seeped beneath it - rapidly drying to a brownish hue. The body had evidently been there a while ...
He held his breath as he knelt down, gingerly testing the motionless form with one hand, while resting his other against the wall for support. He could discern strands of golden hair matted redly against a face discolored by bruising. Cautiously and with infinite care he drew back some of the individual strands to reveal the puffed up, swollen face. He blanched when he realized it was someone he knew.
"Christian!" he breathed; it was a relief to exhale, but his heart was thudding in his chest as he placed two fingers against Christian's neck, to feel for a pulse. Thank God! He was breathing! Relief flooded Kanyon as he gathered the inert body easily in his arms, carrying the E+C tag team member effortlessly to his room. Once there he laid him carefully down onto the bed, not knowing what to say when Christian murmured fitfully at the re-positioning of his injured body. Like Rob Van Dam had done on a previous occasion, he went to the bathroom, dampened a flannel and gently smoothed the blood from Christian's face and body. Unlike Rob Van Dam - he didn't sleep on the floor, but sat in the only easy chair in the motel room and observed the sleeping angel. Always he had found Christian both fascinating and endearing, in need of protection - not that he had ever dared do anything about it - wouldn't even admit it to himself - he just wasn't into guys...
It was a long night, and Kanyon kept checking that his unanticipated room-mate was still alive - but the night passed, and when he awoke in the morning, he had expected Christian's presence to have been nought but a passing dream to have vanished with the first rays of sunlight - but to his surprise - in the morning he was still there, and still asleep.
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With great effort Christian forced himself awake - his head was pounding and every limb was aching as though he'd just spent an entire day in the gym. Groggily he remembered the previous night - and Edge's assault - one of the most vicious yet. Vaguely he wondered where he was - whose room he was in - he couldn't remember going off with anyone. He also wondered if anything had happened. As if through a dazed fog he heard the water running in the bathroom. He kept his eyes on the door - the identity of whoever was in there would soon be revealed. One thing, he thought with a tinge of regret, it wouldn't likely be Rob Van Dam - he was now with Chris Jericho. And in his mind he re-lived the scene of Rob and Chris practically devouring each other in the corridor - Edge's sneering words - and Rob's response. Why the hell did he have to call himself Mr All Fuckin Night? It was obvious Edge was going to take it the wrong way, and he had, believing Rob was boasting of a conquest of Christian. His brooding thoughts threatened to overwhelm him, casting out everything else, when they were suddenly interrupted by a figure standing in the doorway, apologetically holding a glass of water. Kanyon! Christian was startled at his room-mate's identity, how in hell had that happened? And exactly what had happened? Kanyon was hardly his type, and in any case, so far as he knew, he was straight. All that Lita chasing stuff - that was more truth than fiction anyway; the whole roster knew he had the hots for her, despite a few forays in Trish's and Ivory's direction.
"So you're awake," Chris Kanyon nodded as if to affirm this to himself. Christian pulled the sheet up over his body, though he was still dressed.
"Yeah - guess I am. Is that for me?" he gestured at the glass of water. His throat hurt bad - along with the rest of him. Kanyon blinked down at the forgotten glass.
"Uh, yes, it is ... here you go."
"Don't suppose you got any painkillers to go with it?" Christian screwed his face up in pain as a fresh twinge shot through his already abused body.
"Uhm - yes - I'll just go get some."
And Kanyon trotted across the room to his bag, delving deeply inside until he re-surfaced with a packet of pills. Carefully he extruded two and held them out to the battered and bruised blonde reclining in his bed. Christian took the proffered tablets, gulping them down with the water. He held the glass out for Kanyon to hold as he flopped back down on the bed, the effort exhausting him. He gazed up at the ceiling, aware that the other man was still standing there, watching him silently. He drew in a deep breath, although it hurt him to do so. He winced again.
"You brought me here." It was a statement, not a question.
"Yes."
Christian turned his head tiredly to look in Kanyon's direction. The big man just stood there, still holding the empty glass, not knowing what he should say.
"Why did you bring me here?"
"You were in the corridor - I thought you were dead - at first ..."
"Don't you know it's dangerous to bring me to your room?" Christian asked him quietly.
"Dangerous? Why would that be?" Finally he was getting more than just a yes, no or direct answer to a question.
"Because Edge doesn't like me messing with other guys."
Kanyon frowned at this.
"I didn't mess with you - I'm not into that kinda thing."
"But Edge doesn't know that."
Kanyon's expression was stern.
"That's up to him then, it's not my problem."
"It would be if he came looking for you ..." Christian insisted. Why was he trying to wind Kanyon up? To try and get him to show a bit more than fleeting emotion? If so, it seemed he was succeeding now, as he was starting to look more than a little annoyed.
"He can come all he wants - but if he starts messing with me he'll regret it!"
Chris put the glass down now, turning to focus all his attention on the man in the bed.
"So is that what happened to you then? Edge beat you up for fucking around with someone else? Fuck! I swear all you WWF guys are either psycho, loco, suicidal or damn fags!"
Christian was startled at Kanyon's sudden outburst. Was he angered at the thought of Edge wanting to beat him up? Or was he just homophobic? Whichever, Christian was starting to feel somewhat uneasy in the big man's presence.
Gingerly he pulled down the sheet and eased his legs over the side of the bed. Carefully he forced himself to his feet: that wasn't so bad - now to walk over to the bathroom ... his legs and stomach (and everything else) hurt from his beating ... but all he had to do was put one foot in front of the other - one, two ... oh shit! His legs buckled under him as he headed for the floor. He didn't quite fall - Kanyon managed to dart across the room and save him, catching him in his arms as the blond clung on to his large frame. Easily he lifted the smaller man up in his arms, the strangest feeling creeping over him as he felt Christian's arms go round his neck for support.
Christian smiled wanly up into his face "I didn't manage that too well, did I?"
Kanyon returned a half-smile as he deposited the blonde quickly on the bed.
"No, you didn't really. Maybe you should rest for longer. Maybe you need food, too - I'll go out and get us something ..."
"No!" Christian's eyes were filled with alarm - "No, no ... don't go ... can't we just get something sent up?"
Kanyon's eyes narrowed at the blond's obvious terror at being left alone.
"I don't think they do food here - it's just a motel. If we want to eat - we have to go out."
"I'm not hungry!" Christian shot back.
"Well I am." Kanyon countered firmly. "Look - I'll lock you in and take the card-key with me - you'll be quite safe. But even so, nobody knows you're here - there was nobody about when I picked you up last night."
Christian visibly sagged with his acquiescence.
"OK. You're right. I'll be OK - I think there's a Macdonalds down the road. And I am hungry..."
Chris Kanyon almost smiled, put out a hand to stroke Christian's straying hair from his face, thought the better of it and withdrew it again. If he wasn't careful - Christian would start thinking he was gay, and nothing could be further from the truth. Quickly he got up, grabbed some cash and headed out the door, locking the blond securely inside.
End Part 14