Closing his eyes he felt the other man moving in and out of him. The sweat rolled off of both their bodies and his hands clenched the sheets as his legs tightened around the other man's waist wanting to feel him deeper inside of him. He knew that they were both close. His hand moved over his own cock quickly and he tried to hold off until his lover had found his release, but didn't have the power. "I'm gonna come," he warned arching his back as his seed shot out of him covering his hand and his lover's chest. As if that was the final element his lover had been waiting for he felt the man shudder before pounding into him a couple more times hard then let his head fall back and he recognized his name coming from his lover's lips. "Scotty!" Stevie cried and Scott trembled on the bed at the familiar sound.

"Stephen," he whispered drawing Stevie's head up so that their eyes might connect. Smiling lopsided Scott marveled at the emotion still present there after all the years that they had been together. They had survived fans and foes and promoters and separation and most amazingly themselves. Their relationship was chronicled by the whisperings of the people that knew them and the fan fic writers who sometimes were so far from the truth that it was laughable and sometimes so close to the truth that it was scary. But somehow through it all they had remained together. Of all the mistakes that Scott had made in his life Stevie was not one of them. "I love you," he said softly earning a raised eyebrow from Stevie as he washed them both off with the towel he had near by. "The L word," Stevie said with fake shock. "What have I done to earn such a word?"

Scott wrinkled his nose setting up as Stevie moved about the room straitening their clothes that they had thrown about in their haste to be with one another again after their long separation. "You are a jackass sometimes you know it? Why do I have to have a reason? You were gone on that damned tour forever and I missed you. Is that not reason enough?" Stevie chuckled again turning his head to look at his long time lover before reaching up to remove a sock from the top of the TV cabinet. "It you were one of those mushy type people yes." Looking at Scott again he laughed louder. "Ahh if your fans only knew the truth. You're such a fake Scott mister big and bad pain freak with the romantic streak. Thank you for the roses in Germany by the way. They were lovely."

Scott blushed watching Stevie's ass as he moved to put their gathered clothes in one pile. "What did you tell the guys?" Stevie laughed again shaking his head at his lover so worried about his image afraid someone might find out he isn't a total bastard all the time. "I told them it was from my mother." Scott nodded and patted the bed happy when Stevie came over and settled down next to him putting his head on his shoulder. "I missed you and it made me wonder something." Scott placed a kiss on Stevie's head as he reached over and shut off the light throwing them into darkness. "What's that baby?"

Stevie bit his lip trying to find a good way how to start the conversation. He knew his lover would object, but he had come to a startling realization during the tour and was not going to be talked out of it. "I wonder if it is really worth it." Scott sighed stroking Stevie's hair trying to find a good answer. "I know that your career has not turned out the way you had hoped Stephen, but you have a good spot there better than I could ever get you in TNA. You deserve your own spotlight." Stevie straightened and in the darkness looked at his lover. "What if I don't want my own spotlight Scotty? What if wanting more that being a jobber on Heat doesn't mean belts for me? What if what I want from the rest of my career is to be with you by your site watching your back being your shadow? What if that's all I have ever wanted?" Stevie could see Scott opening his mouth in the darkness to respond and carefully put a hand over his mouth.

"Please Scotty just listen. I know that there was a time when I screamed and shouted and ranted and raved that I was tired of being nothing more than your shadow of being Raven's lackey, but as I was in another god forsaken city by myself wrestling some idiot and getting my ass pinned it occurred to me that the happiest time in my entire fucking career was then. I miss us being together onscreen. Damnit Scotty we were a match that no one could touch! I just… I just want to be with you instead of alone so Goddamn much. And I realize now that when I made that statement and demanded my own spotlight that frankly I was nothing more than a fucking fool."

Scott watched Stevie in the darkness and wondered what to say. Inside there was an intense battle going on between the forces of right and wrong. His heart told him that Stevie deserved to be more than his lackey, but his soul missed those times as much as Stevie did. He also knew that when Stevie made up his mind that there was no changing it. He could be one of the most damned stubborn men he knew, which he quietly supposed was a good thing since he was known to be slightly stubborn himself. "I should argue with you, but the truth is that I have missed you being by my side since the second you demanded your independence and I set you free."

Stevie leaned forward stealing a kiss as he bounced happily and Scott couldn't help but laugh happily. "I already told JR and Vince I wasn't gonna renew at the end of my contract. Vince wasn't happy, but JR said he understood. He told me later after the meeting that he was surprised that I had lasted this long. Said that he'd known a lot of couples in his career, but none of them had what we did." Scott nodded sinking his hands into Stevie's hair and pulled him back in for another kiss. "I think he's right. I love you Michael Manna more than anything. Jarrett better watch out 'cause I think he's headed for something he can't quite handle."

The End