Author Topic: I've got my eye on you  (Read 34 times)

Offline HBCarter

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I've got my eye on you
« on: June 27, 2025, 08:43:53 PM »
Turnberry Towers -
Las Vegas, Nevada

“I'm just saying that it's not natural.”

Carter visibly cringed at the words he had heard from random strangers ever since he had come out at the tender age of fourteen. Some of them were family and former friends. Most had been his school classmates although just as many, if not more, were surprisingly supportive.

But it was still vastly disappointing and hurtful when you would hear a stranger offering an opinion on not just the fact on whom you shared a bed with, but also how this supposedly affected the ability in how you performed your craft. Something that you had been doing relatively successfully for over six years, and only recently surpassed your own dreams by climbing to the upper echelon of the business.

But sure, let’s forget about all of that.

Carter had been content to spend a portion of the day alone while Miles busied himself at the gym, getting in one of his (in)famous workouts. Carter usually loved going to the gym as an open excuse to ogle his “hot husband” but found neither man got a lot accomplished during the session. Well, as far as actual working out goes. So this time Miles opted to go alone and he’d return to pick Carter up so the two of them could go shopping for a birthday present for their nephew in London. Riley’s parents had made them swear an oath not to go overboard like they had in their last visit to England, but despite crossing their hearts, they made no ‘real’ promises.

So here Carter remained at their home, watching a podcast he had been told about only moments ago by his best friend, Ariana Angelos. She had texted him to let him know that “Beyond the Squared Circle” - one of theory mutually favorite wrestling-related podcasts was going to be dedicating this episode to not just Carter, but also his reign atop the mountain of Sin City Wrestling. And even better? The host Ava Garner was to be joined by some “wrestling expert” by the name of Tobias Holloway. Whoever that was. Carter figured it to be some guy who never set foot in the actual business side of the sport, let alone an actual wrestling ring, but still somehow believed being a fan made him an expert on everything wrestling-related.

Ava always took her own craft seriously, treating each and every guest of her show with the utmost of respect, even when some of those old school boys treated her less so all because she possessed a uterus. Her studio was brightly lit from overhead stage lights and the set itself was two chairs in the center of a stage made up to resemble a wrestling ring on three sides. That was it. She felt no need for anything more glamorous because she was here not to impress anyone but to have fun and pay her respects to the men and women who put their bodies on the line, day in and day out, and all in the name of our bloodlust infused amusement.

"And welcome back to Beyond the Squared Circle!"

Ava Garner said with a perpetual smile on her face, a woman in her late twenties with olive tone skin. "Today my guest Tobias Holloway and I have been discussing something that has been making waves in recent weeks, and that is the fact that Helluva Bottom Carter has become the brand new World Heavyweight Champion of Sin City Wrestling, having defeated the legendary Alex Jones for the gold this past May in Paris, France.”

Tobias, a man who was pushing fifty if we are being generous, and possessed the countenance of a right-wing politician, sat in the chair next to her and looked every bit the part of his belonging there. For a man like this, it was not about the entertainment or the fun aspect of discussing different opinions on any topic. It was about control and convincing the world why he was right and everyone else who disagreed with him was not.

Tobias, or Mister Holloway as he preferred to be addressed as, cleared his throat and shook his head with a faux sense of dismay. He spoke up, all but interrupting his host to say, “We are, to put it mildly, in a regrettable era of the sport that we all love. Helluva Bottom Carter, World Champion.”

He shook his head in disgust, “It simply defies the natural order of things, on a business that was built on the backs of men. Real men who bled for the sport, only to have others enter their world and turn it into a complete mockery."

“Well I think you’re using the term ‘mockery’ a little loosely.” Ava countered, shaking her head. “And I have to say, that is not the first time that you so freely used the phrase ‘natural’ or ‘unnatural’ where Carter is concerned. I mean, are you implying that a wrestler's sexual orientation has any bearing on their ability to perform in the ring, or their worthiness of holding a championship?”

It looked like Tobias was about to speak over her or interrupt, but Ava literally did the same to him, talking over him as she pointed out, “Helluva Bottom Carter has consistently delivered incredible matches, displayed so much charisma, and clearly has the support of the fans."

Carter could not help but smile as he took a drink of the water he had infused with strawberries and kiwi. His and Miles’s “little girl” aka Ms. Thang hopped up onto the couch at his side, demanding tribute and he idly obliged, stretching an arm over to stroke her scalp lovingly as the close-eyed purring commenced. Carter felt grateful for people in the business like Ava who did not support sexual orientation per se, but more so anyone who wanted to make a living in this sport no matter who they shared their bed with. But he was also smart enough to know this exchange was far from over.

And the close-minded nature of Tobias was put on full display for the world to see as he finally got his chance to speak and said, “Talent is one thing, but the championship is about presenting an ideal. It's about aspirations, about what young boys see as the pinnacle of power and prestige. And yes, young boys are some of the top demographic targets for the business.”

“Ignoring of course the fact that the audience is heavily flavored with young girls as well, considering how female wrestlers are just as big in many areas - if not bigger.” Ava pointed out.

“Score.” Carter murmured as he took another drink, watching.

But it was as if Ava had not even spoken, given the way Tobias all but glossed over everything she had just said. Instead, he played the role of “peacemaker” by stating, “With all due respect to Mr. Carter’s personal life, his being the current champion, diminishes the title as well as its lineage. Now, I’m not denying Helluva Bottom Carter is talented in the ring!”

Carter all but rolled his eyes even though there was nobody present to see the fact.

Tobias continued, “It’s like you said. He’s got athleticism, charisma, and can cut a promo with the best of them. But let’s not pretend like this isn’t a calculated move to disrupt the traditional legacy of the World Heavyweight Championship.”

Ava’s face found the frown for the first time since this program started and she questioned, “How do you figure?”

To which Tobias, excuse me, Mister Holloway, gleefully answered, “Wrestling has always had its share of characters, but the champion has historically been a symbol of dominance and authenticity. This current title run? It feels like a publicity stunt. Carter’s overt flamboyance, his sexually charged persona? Especially given it’s ‘Pride Month…’ (And yes indeed, he did do the air quotes!) … It's not what the SCW World Heavyweight Championship was built on! You can call it progress all you like but the simple fact is that his title reign is woke and is diminishing the legacy of almost thirteen years and names like Gabriel Stevens, Austin James Mercer, Fenris and Michael Harris to name a few! Until Carter came along, there has not been a single homosexual World Heavyweight Champion…”

“Not true.” Ava interrupted, and the stricken expression on Tobias’s face would scream that he was unsure of which was the greater sin. Being interrupted or being told that he was wrong. Ava continued, “You mentioned names such as Fenris but Fenris was openly gay, and Kris Ryans himself - a two-time champion in his own right, was a member of the LGBTQ community. As a matter of fact, as I recall, Fenris and Kris Ryans had a brief personal relationship between the two of them.”

Tobias stared at her, at a temporary loss for words but he recovered quickly enough. He again cleared his throat and spoke up, “Be that as it may, Fenris is a perfect example. One would look at him and never know he was a member of that lifestyle. You look at him and see a rugged fighter. Kris Ryans too - to a degree! Neither of them flaunted who they were behind closed doors but men like Carter make their entire personae all about being gay!”

Ava sighed, “You see Carter winning the championship as some kind of joke or a publicity stunt but I see it as a reclamation of a spot that has long shut out performers like him or made jokes out of them. The crowd reactions are real. The merchandise sales are real. The impact he brings to the business is real!”

“But that’s exactly what I’m talking about, Ava!” Tobias countered. “The timing of Carter’s push was too convenient. Do you seriously not find it suspicious that Alex Jones, one of the most technically sound champions in SCW history, loses clean to someone like Carter? Come on.” He sat back, rolling his eyes. “That wasn’t a title change! It was a social experiment…!”

But whatever else was going to be said between the two was silenced as Carter quickly slammed the laptop shut. Carter fell back against the back of the sofa and closed his eyes. After languishing in the SCW midcard territory and being unable to capitalize on numerous chances at the championship, to finally succeeding and having his success story reduced to nothing more than bigoted propaganda and claims of social experiments did more than turn his stomach!

It broke his heart. It shouldn’t, but it did. Carter had been dealing with people like Tobias Holloway most of his life, let alone his career. Many would not know this, but when Carter first entered the business, he was personally concerned about how he would be accepted in the locker rooms when he signed to both SCU as well as SCW. A fear that turned out to be unfounded because he had been supported from day one. Strongly so. Many of the men he shared a locker room with? Names like Austin James Mercer and Mac Babe among others. They had no problems sharing a dressing room with him. In fact, men like that were more prone to have a problem with anybody who complained about sharing a dressing room with Carter.

Still, it never felt good to know that someone did not accept you. Arrogant pricks like Tobias? They weren't worth the time or effort to care about them or their little feelings and opinions. Carter was willing to bet anything that this jerk off was a Trump supporter. And he wasn't about to let this asshole ruin his day.

If anything could pick up his mood…

Turnberry Towers Parking Garage

… It was sitting back and watching Miles do squats.

Carter stepped into the shadows of the parking garage beneath the Turnberry Towers, the sound of his hard soled shoes against the concrete the only noise breaking the stillness, but it might as well have been a thunderstorm. The track lighting overhead cast ominous shadows over the rows of parked cars and for a moment, his old fears came back. Not just from the memories of the time he had been attacked in this very garage at night by a hired assailant, but also that deep rooted phobia he had always had about a break in and what would come of it. The hum of distant traffic was barely audible as Carter struggled past his irrational fears to reach his car, the lime green VW Beetle that he had inherited from his Grandfather. Miles had once questioned why he held onto such an old fashioned car, but once the connection between his Grandfather and the car was explained, Miles more than understood. He helped Carter take the utmost care of the memorial keepsake.

As he approached his car, keys in hand, something made him slow his steps. The air felt heavier all of a sudden. He glanced around but nothing seemed out of place. Rows of empty cars, a trash bin in the corner, a flickering light above the stairwell that really needed replacing. Still, his instincts whispered that something wasn’t right. He paused at the driver’s side door, hand hovering just above the handle, eyes scanning the shadows between pillars and parked cars.

A prickle was felt across the back of his neck. Carter turned abruptly, heart thudding now, scanning the rows behind him. Was that movement near the support beam? No. But feeling like a spotlight had settled on him refused to fade. His jaw tightened and he almost jumped when another car turned into the garage and headed his way. And only when Carter recognized it as being Miles’s very own blue Jeep Renegade

Carter watched with a subdued sense of relief as the car pulled around the rows and came to a crawl until it finally stopped parallel to where he was standing. The driver’s side window rolled down and Miles shifted his shades down over the bridge of his nose and said, “`Ey you pretty thing, you looking for a good time?”

Carter snorted back a laugh, all past trepidation all but forgotten in favor of Miles attempting to pick his husband up. And by ‘attempted,’ we of course mean Carter would have given it up for him had Miles simply said, “Yo bitch, backseat!” But he was far too much of a gentleman.

“What are you doing back from the gym so soon?” Carter asked, leaning against his car. “You’re usually there for another hour at least.”

“Eh, it’s just not the same when I don’t have your eyes glued to my arse.” Miles quipped, then with a lilt of the head, beckoned his husband to the passenger side. “C’mon an’ get in. Let’s grab dinner and then make my sister regret limiting what we can send Riley for his birthday.”


Carter just smirked gratefully as he walked around the now open passenger door and hopped it. And mere moments later, the Jeep Renegade vanished from the garage and into the famed “City of Sin.”

And it was inside of the Turnberry Towers security office when a gross sense of bad timing, and the guard having taken a quick break from the monitors, did not see the figure step back from around the pillar to watch as the vehicle pulled away.



“Living the dream.”

“That is the saying, isn’t it? When you either fulfill a life’s goal or you’re at least trying to give the illusion that everything in life is alright and couldn’t be better. But here’s the thing. I do happen to be living the dream. Not just now but I have for some time. Too many people these days are just skating by in life, barely making a living in jobs that they can’t honestly say that they love, let alone are loyal too. Hell, you even see people that have incredibly successful careers that pays well and gives them a life that would be the envy of many, but they can’t always say that they themselves are happy because they can’t say they love what they do. Doctors, lawyers, politicians… many of them begin these careers out of family desires and obligations rather than doing what they really want and later on in life, they look back with regret in their hearts and a single, painful question on their mind;”

“What if?”

“Me? I can honestly say that I am one of the lucky few. I might not have had a lot of family support in my chosen career, but I had plenty in the aspect that I was living a dream that I’ve had since I was a kid. To step inside of the ring. To travel the world. To meet fans of all ages who ask to have their picture taken with me? I’ll be honest, I get just as much a charge out of posing with people at shows or on the streets now as I did when I first got involved in wrestling. It’s these little things that bring me such joy and get me past the threshold of the injuries and frustrations. And I’ve had my fair share of those. But all of that pales by comparison when I can look at myself in the mirror and finally realize that I am the best.”


Carter lifts the SCW World Championship belt into the cradle of his arms against his upper body as if it were a small child.

“When all is said and done, that is what this particular accomplishment is all about, isn’t it? To win the top championship, to beat the best offered to you - that makes you the best.”

Carter paused and held up a hand.

“In most cases, at least. I was taught from the earliest stages of my training that a champion is only as good as the challengers that he or she faces, and that’s why when I first won this, the first thing I told everyone. Fans and the SCW bosses - that I wanted to make an example. I wanted to be a defending champion. And I’d like to think for the most part that I’ve fulfilled my side of that particular bargain without slowing down. I know Guy thought he was being funny when he booked me against Artie but he wasn’t. Neither Artie nor I treated our match like it was going to be anything less than a championship match to bring the house down. And we did just that – right up until the part where J2H and Kevin Carter just had to go and get involved. But I won. Artie gave one hell of a performance and an even better fight, but I am still the champion. Which brings me to the next step on my path toward J2H, and that’s the man that I beat for the championship in Paris.”

“Alex Jones.”

“I’ll be open and honest with everyone that’s watching right now. This match with Alex Jones? It should be for the championship. No questions or doubts about that. I know a lot of people aren’t big on impromptu title matches or big matches like this ahead of even bigger matches like what I’ve got at Summer XXXTreme, but you can not deny the fact that Alex Jones is in line for a championship match. He’s the freaking former champion for God’s sake! He hasn’t had a rematch yet and if he doesn’t deserve the opportunity to take this title and face J2H then tell me; who the hell does!?”

“How can anyone out there look at the history between us? The fights. The threats. I mean, literally EVERYTHING … and then book a non-title match between us like it’s nothing more than just some exhibition? Granted, it’s right where it belongs as the Main Event of the show but you know what would make it even better? If the championship was at stake!”


Carter nods toward the camera, and thus toward whomever might be watching.

“So Alex, if you’re watching and I suspect that you are, despite everything that happened between us in the past, I can say with sincerity that I am sorry for this happening. You not being given a rematch is disrespectful to the weight of what you and I’ve been through, and frankly, it’s a disservice to the SCW Universe who knows exactly how high the stakes should be! I wanted this to be the defining moment. You and I each hold one win over the other and this could have been our big time, the rubber match to decide it all. And technically it still can be but I just felt like it could be … more.”

“I wanted the lights brighter and the pressure more intense. Because if Alex really thinks he’s ready to climb back to the top, if I want to send a message to J2H, then we should have been allowed to prove it with everything at stake. Let him walk that same path I did and try to take what matters most. Instead, we’ve got the inevitable repeat of a fight with no crown to claim, and to me that just feels hollow. I want the title on the line, not to protect it, but because I believe in proving myself every time I step in that ring. Just like every single champion should do! That’s what a champion does. And if Alex wants a shot at redemption, I say put some damn gold on the table and let’s make it mean something!”

“And you and I are fully capable of doing just that. We brought the house down at Into the Void IX, we can do so again and make Climax Control seem like the Supercard to end all Supercards! Just … do me one favor.”

“I’m getting a little sick and tired of people poking their nose in my business. Either to cost me the championship or to give themselves a leg up on the inevitable. Your little friend Aaron Asphyxia tried to get involved and would have cost me were it not for my own bestie, Ariana. Ad Ari - and other ladies backstage - both told me that they were ready to have my back if Aaron tried to get involved again. And you saw that J2H and Kevin almost cost me everything just two weeks ago. I’m just done with people interfering and tarnishing everything that could be!”

“So please … leave Aaron in the back. Let’s just make things you and me - man to man. That way when you lose a second time around, you won’t have anyone to blame but yourself.”




"The bravest thing you can be is yourself."