[HBCarter]

This would go on record as having to be the hardest decision that he had ever come to making. Harder than even the inevitable break up with his abusive ex-boyfriend Lazarus, which given the circumstances, wasn’t even that hard of a decision to make. You put your hands on a man’s beloved Grandmother and there just was no getting past such a sickening act. But this…?

When Carter was basically left homeless after the breakup, two people stepped forward with the offer of a place to stay until he could get back on his feet again with a place to call his own; his BFF - Ariana Angelos, and a young man that he had grown incredibly fond of over the past several months - Miles Kasey. Of course, his family in Seattle would never have turned him away, but for Carter, leaving Las Vegas during the height of his wrestling career was simply out of the question. And while Ariana would have loved to have returned the favor from a time her bestie gave her a roof over her head after her parents’ disownment, Carter’s heart steered him in the other direction. The one that led to Miles’ doorstep. At least temporarily. And since then, the two men had slowly begun to grow closer. Closer than even Carter suspected, but not so much that it was lost on those around them.

Which was what led him to make such a difficult decision, and the hope that Miles would understand.

11:23 PM - Las Vegas

The door to the spare bedroom slowly opened up without so much as a sound, and Carter slipped out into the hallway with his luggage in hand. He cast a glance across the hall to the closed bedroom door, of which on the other side Miles would be fast asleep. The rest of the condo was both dark at this late hour, and blissfully quiet. As quickly and as silently as he could muster, Carter picked up the two luggage cases in hand and crept along the hall and out into the front living room space. He set the two sets of luggage down and fished around in his jacket pocket until he removed a slip of paper, the note he had taken so much time to painstakingly write, explaining to Miles why he was doing this. He had to have thrown away so many copies, only to be rewritten.

He felt a sour knot in the pit of his stomach as he stared at the paper in his hand with his ‘chicken scratch’ handwriting, and he then crossed the foyer to where the small kitchen was; his intention to leave the note pinned to the fridge where Miles was certain to see it first thing come morning. He passed the kitchen bar island when…

“Going somewhere?”

The soft, questioning voice came from out of the shadows, startling Carter and causing him to spin around and almost fall back heavily against the wall.

“Jesus…!” Carter exclaimed but in the dim light, he felt a fool for not having noticed Miles sitting there at the island, cloaked in shadow with what was the biggest bowl of Rocky Road ice cream that Carter ever laid eyes on. Carter reached over numbly, blindly searching for the light switch and once he found it, a slight flick of the wrist and Miles was basked in the soft, golden yellow of the light above.

“What are you doing up so late?” Carter asked, but Miles simply watched him, shoveling another spoonful of the sweet treat between his lips and Carter momentarily lost focus, then shook himself free of what were some very impure thoughts of Miles, the ice cream and how to bring the two together.

MIles just answered, “You’re not the only one who likes a late snack now and then. But don’t change the subject. Where are you going?”

“Nowhere.” Carter answered numbly, to which Miles’s eyes shifted past him and toward the luggage he had watched Carter emerge from the hallway carrying. Miles then turned his attention back to Carter and managed a perfectly arched eyebrow in questioning.

“Looks to me like you’re sneaking out.” Miles casually observed, although the sting was well hidden. MIles was fun. He was loveable in every sense of the word and wore his heart on his sleeve as the saying went. But he had also been discovering new feelings himself as of late, and exploring those feelings had been growing increasingly difficult given recent events. He continued, asking, “You’re leaving?”

“I-I have to.” Carter answered, but even he didn’t believe it. And he certainly wasn’t prepared for when Miles followed up by asking him, “Why?”

Carter simply fell silent, not answering the simple question. He just stood there, leaning against the wall of the kitchen, his upper body wrapped in his own arms and looking everywhere but at the man he had grown so fond of. He felt like a school child that was about to be dragged in front of the class and reprimanded for some minor indiscretion. Only this … this was much, much more. Miles pushed the half-full bowl aside and stood up, walking across the foyer and he had a seat on the lightly tan, plush sofa. It was here Carter finally noticed Miles was clad simply in his sleepwear of a pair of loose fitting pajama pants and nothing else.

This was certainly not helping Carter to focus!

Miles looked up at him and patted the sofa cushion at his right, saying, “Sit down.” To which Carter almost reluctantly did as he was told. Slowly he crossed the threshold of the condo and had a seat to Miles’s right, close enough he could smell the lingering remnants of both his cologne as well as the scented body soap that he had used during his evening shower. Carter’s heart was beating so fast that he was afraid it was going to just erupt through his chest, his nerves putting him on the teetering edge of a ‘fight or flight’ response.

He almost flinched when the hand sat down gently on his leg and Miles looked at him in concern and he asked, “Did I do something to upset you?”

“What?” Carter finally looked up, frowning in disbelief that Miles could believe he’d have done anything - ANYTHING - that might upset him enough to want to leave. He shook his head and answered, “No-no! Of course not!”

“Then what is going on, Carter?” Miles asked simply. “Why are you sneaking off like a thief in the middle of the night?”

“I-I have to go.”

“Why?”

Carter huffed, looking down into his clasped hands, practically buried in his lap but he noticed Miles’s hand never strayed from where it rested on his thigh. He turned his head to give Miles an upward glance and he said, “You’re not making this easy.” To which Miles answered, “You’re not giving me much of a reason to.”

Forcing Carter to look away and acknowledge the truth, nodding his head and he said simply in a pained voice, “I know. It’s just – that after everything that’s been happening…” He sighed and finally admitted to both Miles as well as himself, “I just think you’ll be better off without me hanging around.”

Miles glanced away from Carter, almost smiling - almost - before he looked back into his eyes and asked, “Is this about Malachi and Fenris?” Carter just kept his eyes down and his slim shoulders almost sagged in defeat, until he lifted them in a simple but silent shrug.

“Carter, forget them - and their stupid betting pool.” Miles said, finally removing his hand from his leg and he leaned back against the cushions. “You know, one of the things I like about you is your ability to not care what others think. You’re you, you’re Carter.” he shook his head. “Don’t let those bastards get to you.”

“I’m not.” Carter smiled, but his words were filled with pain. “I learned a long time ago not to let what others think of me affect who I am and who I want to be.” These words brought a genuine smile to the face of Miles, as it was this trait among others that he had grown fond of. Carter then turned his head aside to look at him and he admitted, shaking his head, “But it’s not just about me any more. I can take whatever they say about me, but it’s different when they bring someone I care about into it. The things they’ve been saying… it hurts, Miles. It. Hurts!”

“Why?” Mlles asked again. Carter again turned his head away from him but this time Miles reached over and cupped his chin in his fingers and made him look him in the eye. He asked again, “Why?”

“Don’t make me say it.” Carter’s voice was a pained but gentle whisper. He cast a slight glance up but at nothing and no one in particular as he shook his head and said with simplicity, “It’s hardly a secret how I feel. It’s probably the worst kept secret in the locker room. But…” He turned then to face Miles and he said, “It’s one of the reasons why Lazarus and I didn’t work…”

Miles interrupted, “Lazarus was an abusive asshole…”

“Lazars was an angry - abusive asshole.” Carter corrected him, then turned away. “And he had reason to be angry. I was his boyfriend, and look at how I acted. I was always flirting on social media. Sometimes with Jack… mainly with you…” He shook his head and his shoulders slumped as he found himself admitting, “Like it or not, I was part of the problem in that relationship. My heart just wasn’t in it.”

“Then where was it?” Miles attempted to prod out of him but Carter seemingly did not hear him, or pretended that he didn’t. Carter went on to say, “But when it was just about me, I could handle it. But when you were dragged into it, I…” But whatever else Carter was about to say as he turned his head toward Miles was silenced as he found Miles' lips suddenly pressed against his own in a swift and hungry kiss! A kiss that lingered for seemingly forever, until finally Miles drew back and stared warmly into Carter’s own confused visage.

Carter blinked, his heart now thudding hard against his breast. His eyes darted to and fro until he finally found the brilliance to ask, “What w-was that?” To which Miles tucked his head and shook it, softly chuckling more so to himself than at Carter’s expense.

Miles looked up and smiled brilliantly, asking, “Do I really have to go buy you an Etch-A-Sketch for a visual aid? Or hire one of those courtroom artists?"

But Carter was at a loss for words; it was almost as if Miles kissing him rendered him catatonic. He stared wide-eyed at the man, his mouth working but no voice coming forth. In more ways than one, he was resembling a hooked trout.

Carter shook his head with little to no comprehension on what was happening, prompting Miles to hold his eyes and explain, "Come on, Carter! Do I really have to spell it out for you!?"

Leaning towards him again, Miles gripped him with a hand behind the nape of his neck and said with gentle affection, "I like you Carter. I mean, I really like you."

At Carter's stare, Miles sighed and found himself asking, "Is it really so hard for you to believe that I could feel the same way about you that you do about me?"

Carter's answer came in the silent form of him pinching his thumb and forefinger close together. Miles asked simply "Why?"

"Look at my track record, Miles!" He answered with heated embarrassment. "I don't exactly have the best record when it comes to boyfriends! Up until Lazarus, it just seemed that no guy I was ever interested in was ever interested in me! Nine times out of ten, any guy I was interested in, Fenris got to first. David.. Ty West.. Kris Ryans… "

By now Carter looked absolutely miserable as he poured his heart out in all its vulnerability. He went on, "Jack… well at least he has an excuse. He's married. Then there's…" Carter again felt silent, turning his head to look at Miles who finished his thought for him.

"Me?" Miles asked, to which Carter could just nod. Giving him a reassuring grip on the shoulder, and allowing his hand to slide down his arm and rest on his thigh once again, Miles smiled, "Well, you can't say that any more."

Carter just looked down at the hand that was resting on his leg swallowing hard, trying to force himself not to believe or get his hopes up.

"Carter, come on!" Miles exclaimed. "What do I need to do to get it through your head that I am interested!? I've already strutted past you naked! Do you think that was a coincidence!? Do you seriously believe for one moment that I did it because I forgot that you were even there!?"

Miles leaned in for emphasis, "I did it because I knew you'd be out there to see the show! I did it because I knew that you would be out there with your usual midnight snack!"

"What did you think was going to happen?" Carter asked without thinking. "That I'd jump right on you and ride you like a bucking bronco?"

To which Miles answered with the shrug of his shoulders and a smile on his face, "Would have been nice."

"Because I don't know about you but I…wait what!?" Carter stammered, caught off guard by Miles's flirtatious honesty. Carter stared until he turned his head slightly but maintained eye contact. "Y-You're serious."

"Very." Miles smiled, feeling a strong sense of relief that Carter was finally beginning to understand. "I felt this way for some time. Ever since we found you at the loft that day and I had to reset your nose. I looked up into your eyes and I…" Miles shook his head and chuckled, "Well let's just say realization hit me like a ton of bricks."

"Why didn't you say anything before now?" Carter asked in disbelief .

"Because you've been going through hell the last few months." Miles answered honestly. "I didn't want to move in too soon after the way you've been hurt. I also didn't want to fall into the rebound trap. Plus…" Miles drew in his own shaky breath, now experiencing his own proverbial butterflies.

"...I had to be sure of my own feelings. I've had a pretty bad track record with myself, in case you didn't realize. I didn't want to fuck something else up and hurt you all over again. I think .. no. I know - that spending Christmas with you and your family was what convinced me. I wasn't kidding when I said that was the best Christmas I've ever had. And you have no idea how badly I wanted to stay in Seattle."

Carter was in a state of disbelief,

Miles went on, "I just needed to get my own head on straight and make sure I wasn't just feeling overprotective. If it was, then protecting you would be the only thing I want."

"And…what do you want?"

Miles briefly looked upwards in contemplative thought, the corners of his lips turning upward in a sly smile. Perhaps wondering if he should be perfectly honest, but then he realized he had gone this far and thought .. fuck if. He looked back toward his ardent admirer with such a smoldering look that left Carter feeling likely to melt into a puddle.

"What I want," Miles finally said, leaning in so close that his hot breath washed across Carter's already overheated flesh. "Is to take you into my bedroom, close the door and not leave until we're thrown out by the board of health."

Carter just… stared. Wide eyed. He swallowed hard reflexively and said in a coarse whisper, "If I was a woman, this would be the part where my ovaries exploded."

To that, Miles smiled. He stood up from the sofa, bringing Carter to his feet along with him. Then, taking Carter's hand in his own, Miles escorted him back down the hall where he started to open his bedroom door, but before he did so, Miles paused and turned to him. He said, “Carter, I know you’ve been through a lot so if you’re not ready-” But Carter practically pounced on him, giving back as good as he got from the earlier kiss, knocking Miles back against the bedroom door, sending it wide open with a loud clatter and both hit the floor…!

Krystal Wolfe Voice Over: Greetings SCW Universe! In just a matter of days we will see a battle of the generations! A match where a ring veteran who has seen better days and has been working the better part of the past few years trying to convince the world that he is a man in his late thirties when it’s painfully obvious he’s in his lower to mid fifties at best… (I may be getting ahead of myself here), finds himself going up against a once in a generation talent, a young man who with less than three years experience has already won four major championships in Sin City Underground - including becoming the youngest Underground Champion in the history of the promotion! Yes, it’s Bulldog Bill Barnhart stepping into the ring against Helluva Bottom Carter! And this is not just any ordinary match! It is the Main Event of Climax Control, a Grudge Match for reasons that will soon be explained…!

The opening shot of the studio shows… well we THINK that it’s Carter and his bestie Ariana Angelos, but now that the spotlights above them are fully on - we’re not altogether too certain. Carter’s hair is slicked back and colored a dark auburn, while he has a matching stage goatee glued to his chin. He is wearing a bubblegum pink unitard with a name badge that says “Bulldog”on it and what resembles fake chest hair glued to his otherwise bare upper body. Oh, and Ariana? She is wearing a Britney Spears schoolgirl outfit, exposing her bare midriff, her hair in pigtails and a name badge that reads “Bea”.

Bea - er, Ariana, is twirling a pigtail around in her finger while blowing a bubblegum bubble, acting like a total airheaded ditz and putting on her best Valley Girl impersonation.

Bea/Ariana: Okay, like - okay! So my name is like, Bea Barnhart for all of you out there who can’t read!

She pushed her name badge forward toward the camera, giving it a great bosom close up shot.

Bea/Ariana: because like, totally! How else would you know who I am? I mean, it’s not like I’ve done anything special except live off of my husband’s name and reputation, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t deserve the exact same respect that he gets because, like, I am TOTALLY married to him!

Bulldog/Carter: Think of my beautiful Bea as one of those military wives who expects the same respect their officer husbands get, wanting to be saluted by every soldier they come across and they cry and whine when they aren’t afforded that!

Bea/Ariana: `Cha! I am like, SO entitled! I mean, that’s why I’m here in the first place! I get to sit in on ALL of my husband’s interviews and express my opinion because I am A: his wife, and B: his manager! It doesn’t matter that I’m not the one in the ring, doing the fighting! I can say or do whatever I want where my husband’s opponents are concerned because I’m Bea BARNHART! And who out there is really going to stop me? Like, totally!

Bulldog/Carter: And you know what else you could do, while you’re at it?

Bea/Ariana: What’s that oh fabulous breadwinner aka ATM of mine?

Bulldog/Carter: You could prematurely accuse my opponent this Sunday of doing something or planning to do something without ever having any evidence that they are planning to do it!

Bea/Ariana: Oh! I so could! You know, like I could say that the handsome and erstwhile Carter - you know, your opponent - is going to bring his best friend, the epic chef supreme Ariana Angelos, out to ringside with the sole purpose of interfering! Or since she said that she’d be at ringside for our match, it is like SO totally obvious that Kat Jones is going to want to jump the guardrail and try to interfere because, let’s face it! How else is Carter going to end up winning this match against you other than cheating?

Bulldog/Carter: Oh and we just can’t forget…!

Bulldog/Carter reached down off-camera and picked up a plush, toy bulldog in a tutu and set it front and center for everyone to see and to enjoy. Bea/Ariana cooed over the toy bulldog, ruffling its head and giving it a loving pat on the head.

Bea/Ariana: Oh, like it’s the most important member of our little family!

Bulldog/Carter: Certainly the most interesting member of our family! After all, with our precious baby Iris at ringside, bringing me inspiration, how can I NOT lose??

Bea/Ariana: Win!

Bulldog/Carter: Win! That’s what I said! That handsome and dastardly Carter doesn’t stand a chance!

Bea/Ariana shook her head.

Bea/Ariana: Oh he really doesn’t!

She looked into the camera.

Bea/Ariana: (whispers) He really does!

Bulldog/Carter: Oh and you know how all of this started, right?

Bea/Ariana: TELL ME!

Bulldog/Carter: Because I, in my infinite and limited wisdom, figured out that there was no way that Miles Kasey could ever beat my opponent in  a fair match. It was obvious that Carter had to sacrifice his dignity by jobbing to Miles so the very handsome Roulette Champion at the time could get in at least one successful defense!


Bea/Ariana: Didn’t he have two successful defenses?

Bulldog/Carter: Don’t ask me! I was so blinded by jealousy because people cared more about Miles being champion in one reign than they ever could care about me in my second!

Bea/Ariana nodded solemnly.

Bea/Ariana: True!

Bulldog/Carter: You were supposed to disagree with me!

Bea/Ariana blinked and popped another bubble.

Bea/Ariana: Was I?

Bulldog/Carter: Uh, YES! But you see dearest Bea, the one lesson we have to make sure the world learns is that things don’t always turn out the way that we want them to! We certainly found that out this past Supercard at Inception VI when we lost the championship to Goth, and that was such a shame because you know I understand Helluva Bottom Carter was rooting for us.

Bea/Ariana: Do. Tell!

Bulldog/Carter: Indeedy do! HBCarter wanted me to retain against Goth because, get this! He wanted to be the one to end my Roulette Championship reign!

Bea/Ariana scoffed and rolled her eyes.

Bea/Ariana: Psht! As. If!

Bulldog/Carter: I suppose I should feel bad about that. Not because I lost the title before he had the chance – it was bound to happen anyway because I’m just an overrated hack who talks big and keeps his wife by his side because a little T&A is the only way anyone pays attention to my matches any more! No, I was thinking I should be more sad because Carter is going to prove this weekend that if I had retained against Goth, then Carter would have inevitably become the new Roulette Champion.

Bea/Ariana reacts to which Bulldog/Carter holds up a hand to ward off any of her ‘protests’.

Bulldog/Carter: No, it’s true. I watched Carter beat Senor Vinnie at the same event I lost my championship at and this Sunday, it’s painfully clear that Carter is going to win because he’s younger, faster, better trained and - let’s face it - much more attractive than I am.

Bea/Ariana: Again - true!

Bulldog/Carter: Again, you were supposed to disagree with me!

Bea/Ariana cocked her head to the side like a confused puppy.

Bea/Ariana: Was I?

Bulldog/Carter groaned and palm faced, running his hand down over his face. He huffed a hard exhale and shook his head.

Bulldog/Carter: So after I inevitably repeat myself over and over again and talk about absolutely nothing of interest, I might as well just face facts! I have no chance of walking away the winner on Sunday! I would like to think I’m a better brawler, but I’ve seen Carter’s Combat title defenses down in SCU and the kid has a way of adapting to whatever the circumstances are! I mean, he could outbrawl … ME! He can certainly out wrestle me! I’d try to do one of those daring aerial maneuvers that he’s so good at but I’d probably break my neck trying…

Bea/Ariana: You could try that twerking moonsault but you’d probably break a hip…

Bulldog/Carter: Thank. You. Wife. Dearest!

Bea/Ariana patted him on the arm with a goofy smile.

Bea/Ariana: I’ve got your back babe, in more ways than one!

Bulldog/Carter: Oh…

He looked up wistfully - Bea/Ariana looking up and around and growing more confused at not seeing whatever it was that he was looking at.

Bulldog/Carter: If only that was enough…

Bea/Ariana was still ‘looking’ when she then turned and looked at her husband.

Bea/Ariana: Carter is going to win on Sunday, isn’t he?

Bulldog/Carter just nodded silently to confirm before the stage lights winked out, covering the two in darkness and ending the promo….

Ariana’s voice: Say, your hair isn’t going to stay that color, is it?

Carter’s voice: No, it washes right out!

Ariana’s voice: Oh good! … Oh that reminds me! Francisco wanted to know if we could keep this costume for our date tonight?

Carter’s voice: Sure but you’re going to have to pay the extra day’s rental.

Francisco’s voice: Hot dog!