Classified Cupids #9
Title: Untitled
Pairing: Ted/Cody
Rating: PG
Summary: Still living in Tampa shortly after being brought up to the main roster, Ted makes a date with someone unlikely.
Word Count: 2,324
A/N: For future_ex! I hope you like it. :)
Disclaimer: They aren't mine. This isn't real!
"Say, fella, what's all this? If I didn't know better, I'd say you had a date tonight. Don't tell me ya already found a lucky lady, Teddy. Ya just debuted three days ago!"
Ted cringed as his pasty white roommate began giving him the third degree as he stood in front of the bathroom mirror with shaving cream on his face. If only Stephen would mind his business or at least stop saying the word three as tree...
"Cat got your tongue, fella?"
Ted sighed, glaring at his friend through the mirror. "It's no one."
The Tampa apartment occupied by the two men saw many women come in and out of the doors, but every woman was there to see the ginger, not the southerner. It was clear as Ted readied himself in the bathroom that he finally had someone who might end up in his room that night and more importantly his bed.
"No one? Aw, that hurts, DiBiase. I tell me stories to you every morning. Finally you'll have one to share and you're clamming up on me? She can't be that offensive..."
The southerner rolled his eyes, opting to ignore his persistent friend and continue getting ready. After a quick shave, a splash of aftershave and a little bit of gel in his hair, he turned to face the Irishman, a look of annoyance still placed on his features.
"You are still going out for the night, aren't you?"
It had been established for days that Stephen would not be home that evening. He'd been bragging all week about his double date with Nikki and Brie that consisted of them being the only double part of it. This was precisely why Ted chose this night for his own date, wanting the place to himself.
"About that... Ya see, me bed is bigger and more comfy than theirs so I think we'll be making our way back here instead and that way, you can't hide your date from me."
The frustration grew within Ted as his roommate smirked, those Irish eyes glaring with absolute joy as he teased his friend. Ted knew there was no getting out of this. No way was there going to be any reasoning with the ginger. He was determined to see who was being brought home that night.
"Ya can't blame me. This is a big moment. Innocent Teddy, so loyal to his high school sweetheart back home is finally gonna have a little fun!"
Laughing in the way only Stephen could, he patted his friend's shoulder which only served to annoy Ted even more. Letting out a sigh that was practically a huff, he shook his head as he walked to the door.
"Enjoy your night. I'll figure something else out."
Grasping the door handle, Ted left the apartment. As the door shut, the ginger laughed, shaking his head. "Must be a real dog..." He muttered, though Ted was down the hall by that time in route to his SUV.
----
Holding his BlackBerry as he sat in the vehicle, Ted looked at his list of BlackBerry Messenger contacts, one name in particular standing out to him and he felt his heart begin to beat faster as his thumb slid over the trackball to bring up the conversation. Tiny beads of sweat formed and while he could blame it on the Florida heat, Ted knew his nerves were the culprit in this case. Staring at the small screen, the southerner inhaled a deep breath, his tongue slowly gliding along his lips as he began to type a message.
Hey. You make it to Tampa?
His heart thudded now as he awaited a reply, which came almost immediately.
I'm here. Traffic was good. 4 hours last night. 4 hours this morning. I've actually been here a while. Got an early start..
Chewing his bottom lip, Ted read the message and realized there was no turning back, not unless he wanted to be a complete ass considering the travel that went into this date. Before he could reply, the vibration indicating another message startled him and he looked down to see what else was sent.
So if you wanna' tell me how to get to your place, I'm pretty sure this Starbucks will eventually tell me to get lost if I'm here much longer...
The southerner's stomach began to churn. What on earth was he thinking inviting someone to Tampa like this when his girlfriend since high school was back in Mississippi? This wasn't how he was raised, but then nothing about his plans for that night went along with how he was raised...
Choosing not to reply, he simply started up the engine and took off. He knew which Starbucks to go to; it was the one he frequented practically every morning and the only one nearby. At this point he only wished it was farther away. Five minutes wasn't nearly enough to prepare himself and sort his emotions.
Pulling into the parking lot, he spotted a familiar orange striped polo immediately through the window.
This was really happening.
Taking a quick moment to flip down his visor mirror, Ted gave himself a quick once over, silently cursing the irritation on his upper lip.
"I think you look just fine."
A voice spoke and the blue eyed Mississippian turned to be greeted by eyes even more blue than his own.
"I saw you pull up, so I came outside. I couldn't stay in there any longer. The workers were about to hand me a mop."
Still silent, Ted attempted to form a response, but instead he was too focused on the scent of the cologne trickling into his SUV. He was too focused on the sound of the other's voice and the goosebumps on his arms as a result of it. He couldn't seem to concentrate on making words, but instead on the way the other's long fingers were wrapped around the plastic cup half full of a pink beverage. Somehow that came as no surprise to Ted.
"Teddy, is everything okay?"
Until that moment, being referred to as Teddy never sounded so good, he thought and never in his life did he think a lisp could cause his heart to skip a beat.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry, Cody. Everything is okay. Uh, did you want to just get in? We can come back later for your car..."
A matter of seconds later, the passenger seat was now occupied and the SUV had made its way onto the street with no real destination in mind.
"I have to be honest, man. I don't know what I'm gonna do with you. I mean, I was supposed to have the apartment to myself tonight, but my roommate is an idiot..."
Nodding a little, Cody took a sip of his drink before replying. "Maybe a hotel?"
"I don't know. Two guys checking into a hotel? Isn't that a little...weird?"
The younger one shrugged keeping his thoughts to himself on that. He knew his friend had never done anything like this. That was made perfectly clear the other day when these plans were originally made. It had all happened so fast, honestly. One minute they had been introduced, a moment later their discussion regarding a backstage segment ended with their lips fused together and by day's end, Ted had been convinced that this visit was a good idea.
"I mean, no offense, but it would be weird, Cody..."
Restating his case didn't make it any more valid to Cody, but again he just blew it off instead deciding to take charge of the situation.
"Take me to the beach."
Thinking for a moment, Ted nodded. "Beach it is..."
Oh how he wished he would have agreed to the hotel now, but thankfully having lived in Tampa for a little while he at least had a slight knowledge of some lesser occupied areas. Considering how far Cody had driven to see him and how long he'd been waiting at Starbucks, he wasn't about to shoot down another one of his suggestions. Not to mention, he was growing increasingly anxious and there weren't exactly a plethora of options here.
The SUV pulled into what appeared to be a deserted lot.
"I come here sometimes to unwind," the Mississippi accent drawled.
The view ahead was one that could be imagined on a postcard. The sun was beginning to set over the water and the colors painting the sky ranged from pink to orange as palm trees gently swayed in the breeze.
"This is beautiful..." Cody's voice was soft as he spoke, his eyes remaining focused on the waves slowly rolling onto the sand.
"You're beautiful."
The words slipped out without thought. They slipped past Ted's lips before he could stop himself and as soon as he heard himself, he cringed internally. Sure, he meant every bit of what he just said, but that was beside the point.
"Teddy..."
Once again, never did his name sound so good, he thought, but that thought was interrupted by the feeling of soft lips pressing against his own as Cody leaned in. Closing his eyes, Ted was still at first. He didn't reject the kiss, but he didn't return it either. He sat in his seat as stiff as a board, his lips barely moving, but Cody didn't let up. Keeping his lips pressed against the other's, he slid his hand over Ted's, his fingertips gently circling over the top for a few moments before he laced their fingers together.
Slowly, the nerves began to subside as Cody's free hand moved to rest at the side of Ted's face. Though nervous, the southerner began to finally return the kiss allowing himself to be lost in the moment, allowing himself to let go of everything that wanted him to hold back. Shaky hands moved up, cupping the face of the younger man and Ted found himself pulling Cody even closer, wanting more, needing more. Never in all his life had anything felt so right and so good.
The sounds of the ocean poured through the windows as Cody's fingers began undoing the buttons of Ted's shirt and following Cody's lead, Ted pulled back from the kiss in order to pull the striped polo off of Cody. Both men sat silently for a moment as their hearts raced, chests rising and falling rapidly through heavy breaths, blue eyes locked on blue.
"C'mon," Ted drawled softly, leaning forward to kiss Cody once more before getting out of the vehicle. Cody followed, getting out as well. He awaited the southerner who came around to meet him, taking his hand. At this point, Ted was in charge.
Leading them through the sand, Cody only paused to take off his shoes and socks, wanting to feel the sand between his toes. It was nothing for Ted to kick off his sandals quickly and soon the two reached the dampened grains, their feet sinking slightly as the waves rolled up around their ankles.
"I don't...I mean, this is entirely new to me..."
The southerner trailed off and Cody's lips curved into a soft smile. Shaking his head gently, he took Ted's hands and drew him close, speaking against his lips. "Don't worry so much, okay?" Pressing even closer, he kissed those pouty lips, mumbling against them. "I don't fuck until at least the second date, Teddy..."
Cody pulled back with a slight grin as his hands placed themselves against Ted's chest before sliding down slowly, not stopping until fingertips met with fabric and the remaining clothes covering the southerner could be removed. Sinking down onto his knees, Cody leaned in pressing kisses against the older male's body, his hands moving directly to his cock for a moment before his mouth took over.
Ted watched, mesmerized by Cody's actions, completely dumbfounded by how amazing his hands felt on his body and even more than that, his lips. Something that seemed so wrong felt more right than anything he'd ever felt in all his life and he knew in that moment that this was the start of something. Of what, he wasn't entirely sure, but he knew one thing which was that he wasn't going to be able to let Cody go.
----
(Present Day)
Backstage, Cody and Ted sat in catering. It was Valentine's Day and the couple was spending it on the road in Fresno, CA. In front of Cody was a bouquet of flowers he'd just received from his Valentine.
"Flowers seem kinda cliche. I promise to make it up to you when we're home, baby..."
About to respond, Cody paused when their friend approached.
"I tell ya, I didn't get me girl flowers for Valentine's Day. Ya fellas make us all look bad."
Ted chuckled, rolling his eyes at his friend. Stephen always had a comment to make. The ginger began to walk off, but Ted couldn't resist calling him back over.
"Hey, man. Hold up. Remember that night in Tampa when you had your double date with the Bella's?"
A grin turned up on the Irishman's face as he thought back to that night some three years ago or more. "Remember? How could I forget?" He laughed, "Wasn't that the night you-" Pausing, the pasty white male squinted slightly as he looked at his friends. Poor Cody sat clueless while the smile on Ted's lips became quite the grin itself.
"Ya mean to tell me..."
Simply nodding, Ted leaned in and pressed a kiss to Cody's cheek. All the while Stephen shook his head with a smile. "How I never put two and two together that it was Cody that night..."
Stephen may as well have been talking to himself now, however. Neither Ted or Cody were paying him any attention, too focused on each other as a kiss was shared.
"Love you, baby..."
"I love you, too, Teddy.."
And still, nearly four years later, never did his name sound so good.
Pairing: Ted/Cody
Rating: PG
Summary: Still living in Tampa shortly after being brought up to the main roster, Ted makes a date with someone unlikely.
Word Count: 2,324
A/N: For future_ex! I hope you like it. :)
Disclaimer: They aren't mine. This isn't real!
"Say, fella, what's all this? If I didn't know better, I'd say you had a date tonight. Don't tell me ya already found a lucky lady, Teddy. Ya just debuted three days ago!"
Ted cringed as his pasty white roommate began giving him the third degree as he stood in front of the bathroom mirror with shaving cream on his face. If only Stephen would mind his business or at least stop saying the word three as tree...
"Cat got your tongue, fella?"
Ted sighed, glaring at his friend through the mirror. "It's no one."
The Tampa apartment occupied by the two men saw many women come in and out of the doors, but every woman was there to see the ginger, not the southerner. It was clear as Ted readied himself in the bathroom that he finally had someone who might end up in his room that night and more importantly his bed.
"No one? Aw, that hurts, DiBiase. I tell me stories to you every morning. Finally you'll have one to share and you're clamming up on me? She can't be that offensive..."
The southerner rolled his eyes, opting to ignore his persistent friend and continue getting ready. After a quick shave, a splash of aftershave and a little bit of gel in his hair, he turned to face the Irishman, a look of annoyance still placed on his features.
"You are still going out for the night, aren't you?"
It had been established for days that Stephen would not be home that evening. He'd been bragging all week about his double date with Nikki and Brie that consisted of them being the only double part of it. This was precisely why Ted chose this night for his own date, wanting the place to himself.
"About that... Ya see, me bed is bigger and more comfy than theirs so I think we'll be making our way back here instead and that way, you can't hide your date from me."
The frustration grew within Ted as his roommate smirked, those Irish eyes glaring with absolute joy as he teased his friend. Ted knew there was no getting out of this. No way was there going to be any reasoning with the ginger. He was determined to see who was being brought home that night.
"Ya can't blame me. This is a big moment. Innocent Teddy, so loyal to his high school sweetheart back home is finally gonna have a little fun!"
Laughing in the way only Stephen could, he patted his friend's shoulder which only served to annoy Ted even more. Letting out a sigh that was practically a huff, he shook his head as he walked to the door.
"Enjoy your night. I'll figure something else out."
Grasping the door handle, Ted left the apartment. As the door shut, the ginger laughed, shaking his head. "Must be a real dog..." He muttered, though Ted was down the hall by that time in route to his SUV.
----
Holding his BlackBerry as he sat in the vehicle, Ted looked at his list of BlackBerry Messenger contacts, one name in particular standing out to him and he felt his heart begin to beat faster as his thumb slid over the trackball to bring up the conversation. Tiny beads of sweat formed and while he could blame it on the Florida heat, Ted knew his nerves were the culprit in this case. Staring at the small screen, the southerner inhaled a deep breath, his tongue slowly gliding along his lips as he began to type a message.
Hey. You make it to Tampa?
His heart thudded now as he awaited a reply, which came almost immediately.
I'm here. Traffic was good. 4 hours last night. 4 hours this morning. I've actually been here a while. Got an early start..
Chewing his bottom lip, Ted read the message and realized there was no turning back, not unless he wanted to be a complete ass considering the travel that went into this date. Before he could reply, the vibration indicating another message startled him and he looked down to see what else was sent.
So if you wanna' tell me how to get to your place, I'm pretty sure this Starbucks will eventually tell me to get lost if I'm here much longer...
The southerner's stomach began to churn. What on earth was he thinking inviting someone to Tampa like this when his girlfriend since high school was back in Mississippi? This wasn't how he was raised, but then nothing about his plans for that night went along with how he was raised...
Choosing not to reply, he simply started up the engine and took off. He knew which Starbucks to go to; it was the one he frequented practically every morning and the only one nearby. At this point he only wished it was farther away. Five minutes wasn't nearly enough to prepare himself and sort his emotions.
Pulling into the parking lot, he spotted a familiar orange striped polo immediately through the window.
This was really happening.
Taking a quick moment to flip down his visor mirror, Ted gave himself a quick once over, silently cursing the irritation on his upper lip.
"I think you look just fine."
A voice spoke and the blue eyed Mississippian turned to be greeted by eyes even more blue than his own.
"I saw you pull up, so I came outside. I couldn't stay in there any longer. The workers were about to hand me a mop."
Still silent, Ted attempted to form a response, but instead he was too focused on the scent of the cologne trickling into his SUV. He was too focused on the sound of the other's voice and the goosebumps on his arms as a result of it. He couldn't seem to concentrate on making words, but instead on the way the other's long fingers were wrapped around the plastic cup half full of a pink beverage. Somehow that came as no surprise to Ted.
"Teddy, is everything okay?"
Until that moment, being referred to as Teddy never sounded so good, he thought and never in his life did he think a lisp could cause his heart to skip a beat.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry, Cody. Everything is okay. Uh, did you want to just get in? We can come back later for your car..."
A matter of seconds later, the passenger seat was now occupied and the SUV had made its way onto the street with no real destination in mind.
"I have to be honest, man. I don't know what I'm gonna do with you. I mean, I was supposed to have the apartment to myself tonight, but my roommate is an idiot..."
Nodding a little, Cody took a sip of his drink before replying. "Maybe a hotel?"
"I don't know. Two guys checking into a hotel? Isn't that a little...weird?"
The younger one shrugged keeping his thoughts to himself on that. He knew his friend had never done anything like this. That was made perfectly clear the other day when these plans were originally made. It had all happened so fast, honestly. One minute they had been introduced, a moment later their discussion regarding a backstage segment ended with their lips fused together and by day's end, Ted had been convinced that this visit was a good idea.
"I mean, no offense, but it would be weird, Cody..."
Restating his case didn't make it any more valid to Cody, but again he just blew it off instead deciding to take charge of the situation.
"Take me to the beach."
Thinking for a moment, Ted nodded. "Beach it is..."
Oh how he wished he would have agreed to the hotel now, but thankfully having lived in Tampa for a little while he at least had a slight knowledge of some lesser occupied areas. Considering how far Cody had driven to see him and how long he'd been waiting at Starbucks, he wasn't about to shoot down another one of his suggestions. Not to mention, he was growing increasingly anxious and there weren't exactly a plethora of options here.
The SUV pulled into what appeared to be a deserted lot.
"I come here sometimes to unwind," the Mississippi accent drawled.
The view ahead was one that could be imagined on a postcard. The sun was beginning to set over the water and the colors painting the sky ranged from pink to orange as palm trees gently swayed in the breeze.
"This is beautiful..." Cody's voice was soft as he spoke, his eyes remaining focused on the waves slowly rolling onto the sand.
"You're beautiful."
The words slipped out without thought. They slipped past Ted's lips before he could stop himself and as soon as he heard himself, he cringed internally. Sure, he meant every bit of what he just said, but that was beside the point.
"Teddy..."
Once again, never did his name sound so good, he thought, but that thought was interrupted by the feeling of soft lips pressing against his own as Cody leaned in. Closing his eyes, Ted was still at first. He didn't reject the kiss, but he didn't return it either. He sat in his seat as stiff as a board, his lips barely moving, but Cody didn't let up. Keeping his lips pressed against the other's, he slid his hand over Ted's, his fingertips gently circling over the top for a few moments before he laced their fingers together.
Slowly, the nerves began to subside as Cody's free hand moved to rest at the side of Ted's face. Though nervous, the southerner began to finally return the kiss allowing himself to be lost in the moment, allowing himself to let go of everything that wanted him to hold back. Shaky hands moved up, cupping the face of the younger man and Ted found himself pulling Cody even closer, wanting more, needing more. Never in all his life had anything felt so right and so good.
The sounds of the ocean poured through the windows as Cody's fingers began undoing the buttons of Ted's shirt and following Cody's lead, Ted pulled back from the kiss in order to pull the striped polo off of Cody. Both men sat silently for a moment as their hearts raced, chests rising and falling rapidly through heavy breaths, blue eyes locked on blue.
"C'mon," Ted drawled softly, leaning forward to kiss Cody once more before getting out of the vehicle. Cody followed, getting out as well. He awaited the southerner who came around to meet him, taking his hand. At this point, Ted was in charge.
Leading them through the sand, Cody only paused to take off his shoes and socks, wanting to feel the sand between his toes. It was nothing for Ted to kick off his sandals quickly and soon the two reached the dampened grains, their feet sinking slightly as the waves rolled up around their ankles.
"I don't...I mean, this is entirely new to me..."
The southerner trailed off and Cody's lips curved into a soft smile. Shaking his head gently, he took Ted's hands and drew him close, speaking against his lips. "Don't worry so much, okay?" Pressing even closer, he kissed those pouty lips, mumbling against them. "I don't fuck until at least the second date, Teddy..."
Cody pulled back with a slight grin as his hands placed themselves against Ted's chest before sliding down slowly, not stopping until fingertips met with fabric and the remaining clothes covering the southerner could be removed. Sinking down onto his knees, Cody leaned in pressing kisses against the older male's body, his hands moving directly to his cock for a moment before his mouth took over.
Ted watched, mesmerized by Cody's actions, completely dumbfounded by how amazing his hands felt on his body and even more than that, his lips. Something that seemed so wrong felt more right than anything he'd ever felt in all his life and he knew in that moment that this was the start of something. Of what, he wasn't entirely sure, but he knew one thing which was that he wasn't going to be able to let Cody go.
----
(Present Day)
Backstage, Cody and Ted sat in catering. It was Valentine's Day and the couple was spending it on the road in Fresno, CA. In front of Cody was a bouquet of flowers he'd just received from his Valentine.
"Flowers seem kinda cliche. I promise to make it up to you when we're home, baby..."
About to respond, Cody paused when their friend approached.
"I tell ya, I didn't get me girl flowers for Valentine's Day. Ya fellas make us all look bad."
Ted chuckled, rolling his eyes at his friend. Stephen always had a comment to make. The ginger began to walk off, but Ted couldn't resist calling him back over.
"Hey, man. Hold up. Remember that night in Tampa when you had your double date with the Bella's?"
A grin turned up on the Irishman's face as he thought back to that night some three years ago or more. "Remember? How could I forget?" He laughed, "Wasn't that the night you-" Pausing, the pasty white male squinted slightly as he looked at his friends. Poor Cody sat clueless while the smile on Ted's lips became quite the grin itself.
"Ya mean to tell me..."
Simply nodding, Ted leaned in and pressed a kiss to Cody's cheek. All the while Stephen shook his head with a smile. "How I never put two and two together that it was Cody that night..."
Stephen may as well have been talking to himself now, however. Neither Ted or Cody were paying him any attention, too focused on each other as a kiss was shared.
"Love you, baby..."
"I love you, too, Teddy.."
And still, nearly four years later, never did his name sound so good.