"So.... how does it feel?"

Randy sat on the edge of the bed, the IC belt still cradled in his hands. As he spoke, he ran his fingers across the cool, gleaming surface. "I don't know," he answered quietly, still in awe of what he was holding.

"I've imagined it for so long....you know, my first WWE title...that it almost doesn't seem real."

If he had looked up just then he would have seen something quite rare. A genuine smile of happiness on Hunter's face. "You worked damn hard for that," he told him. "And you went through a lot. You should be proud. You earned it."

Randy glanced up and smiled shyly at the pride he saw in Hunter's eyes. "So what you're telling me is all those broken bones and re-hab sessions were worth it?"

"You're holding the result right in your hands," Hunter reminded him. "You tell me."

Lifting the belt higher to get a closer look, Randy enjoyed feeling the weight of it in his hands. It made it seem more concrete......more his.

"You must be tired," Hunter offered quietly. "I know I am. It's been a while since I had to work that hard."

Randy laughed along with him, sharing in the joke. But never once did his eyes leave the long sought after prize he still held in his hands.

Torn ligaments, dislocations, broken bones... all faded away as he stared at something he thought would forever be a dream. Over and over his father had reminded him that his name alone wouldn't be enough. Hard work...sacrifice...learning from the veterans. These were the lessons that had been burned into his brain for as long as he could remember.

The injuries had been a rude wake up call though. A not so subtle reminder that even the most careful plans and storied pedigrees didn't guarantee success.

Running his fingers one last time over the glossy surface, he laid the belt on top of his bag, right next to the one that held Hunter's world title. It seemed fitting somehow. At last they had something they could share. Something in common. They were both champions.

"Why don't you get ready for bed? I'll be out in a sec."

Randy nodded as Hunter disappeared into the bathroom.

It really had been an emotional night. And it was only now that it was all beginning to catch up with him. The adrenaline rush that had been fueling his activity all evening was now rapidly dissipating. Stripping off what was left of his clothing, he gratefully crawled under the sheets and laid back, propping one arm casually beneath his head.

A smile played at the corners of his mouth as he imagined what it would feel like the next night on RAW. Strutting down the ramp and brandishing his own title. Not walking a step behind the champion, but holding his head high and proudly displaying the rewards of his own hard work.

"I hope that smile is for me."

He blinked and turned to the source of the comment. Hunter stood at the end of the bed, smiling back at him.

"Of course it is," he said, not at all bothered by the white lie. He then pushed the corner of the sheet back so that his lover could settle in next to him. Sighing with contentment, Hunter stretched out next to his long, lean form. Their eyes met and another smile was shared. Using a single, gentle finger, Hunter reached up to trace the intricate pattern tattooed on Randy's arm.

"This is only the beginning you know. You have a great career ahead of you."

"I sure hope so," Randy responded softly. "But it's nice to know that at least a couple of other people think so."

Hunter's finger continued it's playful journey. "A couple of people? Who else has been stroking your ego?"

He was grinning as he asked...and he was forever thankful that he was.

"Rocky said something to me the other night."

The mention of his name...and coming from those lips....momentarily stopped Hunter's heart. His hand paused for second before resuming it's sensual trip. The smile never left his face....but there was no humor in it now. "Rocky?" he echoed with forced nonchalance. "I didn't know you spoke to him."

"Well that's the thing," Randy mused. "I knew he was in the building...and I knew they were going to use him in that thing with Mick. But he came looking for me. Kinda shocked me to tell you the truth. I didn't think he'd be interested in a nobody like me. But everything I heard about him is true. He really is a hell of a guy."

"Yeah.....he is," Hunter replied...although with much less enthusiasm. "A hell of a guy."

Working for a small company had it's advantages. You knew everyone. It was more like a family than a business. On the other hand, you couldn't sneeze without everyone knowing about it. He knew it wouldn't take long for Randy to find out about his past relationship with Rocky, so he had taken it on himself to tell him.

He had been very vague for the most part. Making it seem like simply a passing fling. He saw no reason to give his new lover the painful details. There really wasn't any point in letting Randy know that it had been Rocky who ended it. Or that there were still days when the pain of that moment could catch him off guard.

What he didn't know was that Randy had made it a point of finding out the details for himself. Months of getting closer to Hunter had done many things for him. One of which was hone his ability to get people to tell him things without much prodding at all. A simple innocent smile...a casually tossed off question...and he was inundated with information.

Information that opened his eyes a bit more and answered some questions that had long been nagging away at him. He was fairly sure Hunter had convinced himself that he had covered his emotions easily at the mention of Rocky's name.

But Randy had seen it. The momentary flinch. The pause of his hand and the tiny intake of breath. The feelings were still there. Oh, they were buried far beneath the surface. Hidden under carefully placed smiles and the cloak of a new relationship. But as young and inexperienced as Randy was, even he knew how little it would take to strip those layers away and reveal the truth underneath.

He wasn't nearly as naive as his lover wanted to believe. It had taken a while, but he had finally figured out how Hunter had manipulated his relationship with Dave. Randy felt badly about that. Dave was a decent guy and deserved better. They were at least cordial to one another now. The fact that they all had to work together so closely made that a must. But he knew they would never be friends again. And that would forever be something he regretted.

"He even mentioned the possibility of the two of us working a program together."

Gone was any effort on Hunter's part to hide his surprise. "You and Rock? That's the first I heard of it."

"I don't think he's mentioned it to anyone else," Randy offered with a shrug. "But after he brought it up, I realized that it would definitely work right into the whole "legend killer" thing."

Confusion, jealousy and anger all battled for dominance in Hunter's mind. He remembered exactly how his heart had leapt that night. Sitting in his trailer and watching in stunned disbelief as Rocky made yet another grand and glorious return. It figured that it would happen on a night he wasn't even there. He had actually hit the mute button on the TV's remote when the crowd reaction became even too much for him to bear. But he hadn't been able to last very long. There was still a part of him that wanted to hear that voice again.

He knew his return was inevitable. But he also believed that he'd be able to handle it. He was the champ again and he was deeply involved with someone new. But none of that mattered now.

Randy had a far away smile on his face. Almost as if he could envision the weeks to come.

"I suppose we'll have to see how Vince feels about it," Hunter said. All the while making a mental note to talk to his boss first thing in the morning.

"Yeah...I suppose," Randy sighed. "There's plenty of time to figure things out. Like you said.....my whole career is ahead of me."

His eyes once more locked with Hunter's and he pulled him into a gentle embrace. "I think that's enough shop talk for tonight."

Hunter began to relax at the feel of a warm pair of hands traveling the length of his well muscled back. But he might not have been nearly so at ease had he seen the sparkle in Randy's eyes or the knowing smile on his lips.

One year earlier Randy had been doubtful that his career would ever get off the ground. Now he was a champion. He had been given the opportunity to work with the best in the business and his future seemed limitless.

Right before Hunter raised his head to capture his mouth in a long, slow kiss, Randy took one more look at the two bags resting on the floor. And just as he closed his eyes and gave in to the moment of passion, he envisioned his name inscribed on the belt currently held by his lover.

And in an odd way he actually believed that Hunter would be proud that his lessons had been learned so well.

Read Story #8 A Distant Fire in the Game Plan Series