Fic: Crave Part 1.
Look, I’m pretty damn sure it ain’t love ok? It’s just lust, or loneliness. I haven’t damn well gotten laid since Debra decided I wasn’t payin’ her enough attention and fucked off with some nineteen-year-old toy boy. Not that she didn’t have a point. I barely looked at her for the last few months ‘cos I was distracted by the fact that I am NOT in any kind of love with Chris Jericho. I want him; sure, I’ll admit that. He’s just, well fuck, damn easy on the eyes is one thing, but ya gotta be in his company to understand the overwhelming need I got for his fine little Canadian self.
Basically, I’m so hot for his body that my cock aches when he’s within ten feet of me. The way he moves in and outta the ring is eyecatchin’ ta say the least. He’s a damn good wrestler and can probably take out any sonofabitch that crosses him, ‘cept maybe Angle or Benoit. He can handle himself anywhere, running rings around so-called cerebral assassins like Paul. Chris’ good at anything he does and has the co-ordination a panther would envy.
Backstage his mouth is kinda legendary ya know, ‘cos he can turn a phrase like a knife. Ya think his promos are funny? Ya think that shit he used to say to Steph was nasty? That was him being restrained for crying out loud. I swear I once saw a big, mean bastard nearly reduced to tears when Jericho was verbally tearing him apart for fucking up a spot and hurting one of the young kids. And that’s nothing compared to the ice ya get if ya make a pass at him. He may dress all cock-tease outfits and stroke me hair, but it ain’t an invitation. All ya get is a resigned sigh, frozen sapphire eyes and a polite decline that’ll put ya into therapy if ya don’t get over it quick.
It was HBK who said of Jericho when introduced to him for the first time, “It’s a tie between wanting to belt the taste outta his smart mouth or tie him to my bed for a week.” People adore him or loathe him, sometimes both at once.
All in all a hell of a package. And one that I mean to own.
*******
Lita bawling her eyes out is something you don’t see every day in the back stage area. She’s a tough girl, gotta be to return from that hellish injury she took last year. Now she’s sitting on the floor, sobbin’ like a little kid. As I reach her to ask what’s up, I hear the unmistakable sound of Jericho’s voice from the Diva’s locker room. Angry that he’s loosed his venom on Lita, I shove open the door to see Chris in the center of the room, hands on slim hips, nose to nose with Stacey Keibler. I never realized she was taller than him.
“Look Jericho as far as I’m concerned, Lita shouldn’t even have come back.” The leggy blonde’s voice is harsh. “She’s been gone eight months and decides to just stroll on back. No one consulted me. Why is she even here? She should be on Smackdown.” Bitch.
Chris didn’t move, but I can imagine the frost in his stare.
“Because Queen Stacey has made that decree? Lita just has to deal with returning to work to find some of her friends, including her boyfriend on a different show? She can’t possibly ask for a little time to adjust? No chance to settle in because the indescribably talented Stacey now rules the Diva’s room? Did it ever occur to you to show some compassion for a woman who had her fucking neck broken?”
I give Stacey credit for only taking one step back from Chris after his vicious words. Too bad for her, she started it.
“No way, no compassion here, is there? Stacey ‘most famous part of me is my ass’ Keibler is in a red-hot relationship with Test and is now the alpha fucking female back here? Despite the fact that every woman in this room could break your arms, including Terri, you think you can dictate to the others what they can and can’t do? Has there been a vote or something? If there was, Keibler, do you think of everyone here, you would win?” It was the relentless way Jericho’s words pounded into the woman that made me almost sympathetic, till I remembered Lita’s sad face.
“Chris… you can’t talk to me like that you bastard.” Tears welled in Stacey’s big eyes and a pout formed on her glossy lips.
“Grow the fuck up Keibler, I don’t care if I hurt your damn feelings you brainless fool. This is not high school. Stop acting like your sixteen and dating the quarterback. This is a business and from now on you will conduct yourself like an adult, not a five year old having a tantrum. You are here to work, god knows why, not priss around like you own the place and bitch at the other women. If Lita wants some time to adjust then you’ll give it to her, because she earn’t her place here, unlike you.”
With that last parting shot, Chris turned around and headed back to the doorway, which I currently occupy. I move back out as he passes me and crouches on the floor next to Lita.
“Come on, get up woman. You’re really going to let Barbie in there get to you?” He takes the tear-stained Diva’s hand, tugging her to her feet.
Lita shakes her head, wiping away the residue of her crying jag. In the locker room, the Diva’s are all continuing on like nothing occurred except for Stacey, who is muttering bitterly in front of the mirror.
“Thanks Chris, she was just being a cow and it got a bit much.” Lita took a deep breath. Squaring her shoulders, she enters the dangerous waters of the women’s locker room.
“You’re a braver man than me.” I comment as the door closes behind her.
“Thank you.” Jericho smiles at me briefly then heads to his dressing room.
He just smiled at me, a voice in my head crows. Now who’s actin’ like a teenager? I walk with him. My locker room’s in that direction too.
Really.
“Ya don’t think that was a bit harsh?” I ask.
Chris continues walking. “Keibler is a bitch. She told Lita that Matt was sleeping with Dawn-Marie.”
“No way!” Those kids are stuck to one another.
“It’s bullshit, but Lita was feeling low and it hurt.” Chris stops and turns to me. “She deliberately
hurt Torrie’s back in Australia last year. She won’t go to training, won’t practice and is refusing to work in women’s matches. She is pressuring Test into making demands on Patterson that could hurt his career and she’s fucking Steiner in case Test looses his push. The other women only tolerate her because they have to, but none let her get to them. Lita barely knew her before the injury so Keibler’s found a target that won’t hit back. Yet.” Jericho’s distain for the leggy diva is plain.
“Fare enough. She deserved it.” I have no sympathy for a stupid women who alienates those around her.
Jericho looks at me oddly, like he can’t believe I agree with him. “Yeah she did.”
“I guess it wasn’t so hard to smack her with that chair after all huh?” I snicker.
Chris smiles at me, a real genuine smile. No ice at all.
“I barely touched her. Nearly did take her head off though. Had to pull it at the last moment because the silly bitch moved to the wrong spot.” He shakes his head in memory. “The Diva’s gave me a thank you card.”
My snicker turns to a guffaw at that. “Ya refused to apologise as well. Now I know why.”
“It was the arc.” Chris protested eyes wide and unbelievably innocent. Oh damn, my jeans are too tight. Jericho looks at his watch, while I stare at the golden skin on his chest. “I need to be elsewhere. I’ll see you later Austin.” With another smile he turns away. I love to watch him walk away from me. Damn he has a fine ass.
“Just fuckin’ lust,” I mutter to myself as I head in the opposite direction.
**********
No matter which arena we’re in, Vince’s office is always the same. It’s like him, a crazy mix of neat piles of paperwork and downright goofy promotional stuff. He’s not been on Raw much lately so this flying visit to let us know about some new ideas from ‘creative’ means every wrestler and his dog is taking up his time.
I kick back and relax in my chair ignoring Paul and Steph who’re taking the opportunity of being in the same city at the same time to suck on each other’s tonsils. Dwayne’s on his cell phone as usual and Vince is late. I’m more than a little surprised when the object of my lust, Chris Jericho, walks in and grabs a seat next to me on one of the room’s couches. Dwayne lifts a hand in greeting then continues his conversation. Jericho doesn’t normally come to these meetings unless his own work is gonna be discussed. At my inquiring look he shrugs gracefully,
“Vince commands, I obey.” Chris’s voice is heavy with sarcasm.
“Yeah right,” I snort, Jericho obeys no one but himself.
At that moment, Vince comes in. Followed by Pat Patterson, he throws a bundle of folders on the desk and starts discussing Paul’s current arc with Booker T. Chris and I remain silent as the two battle it out over the uninspiring storyline. Then it’s Dwayne and my turn as we plot out Wrestlemania and my next arc. Finally Vince gets to the main reason for this meeting.
“Gentlemen, we have a new recruit to the WWE,” Vince says grandly. “He’ll be coming straight into a feud with The Rock at Backlash..” Dwayne’s famous eyebrow shoots up at this, “then an arc with Jericho and finally a title hunt against Triple H.”
We are all speechless at such a high profile and top card angle for a new wrestler.
“On a silver platter?” The temperature in the room has dropped about ten degrees with Chris’ question. I shoot him a look, but his eyes are on Vince and I realize he knows what’s going on more than me.
“He’s gonna bring great heat..” Pat begins.
“..and a huge ego.” Chris finishes with a sharp tone that is usually only reserved for one person.
“Goldberg.” I mutter.
Dwayne, Stephanie and Paul instantly look at Jericho. Vince is standing up to the Canadian’s hard stare and returning it full force.
“I know you and he have had your issues Chris, but that’s in the past and right now Bill Goldberg is the biggest free agent in the business. He’s signed with us….”
“…so long as Dwayne and I job to him and then he gets the title when Paul and Stephanie get married?” Chris interrupts.
“It’s logical that talent of his level come in and face the top card. What do you want him to do, wrestle Hurricane and Test?” Vince is loosing his temper with Jericho’s attitude.
“Why not? They’ll show up his three moves in the first match.” Chris rises to his feet.
“Jericho.” Taking a big risk, I grab Chris’ shoulder to divert his attention from Vince and a possible suspension. Unused to being touched outside the ring, the blonde head snaps around and I’m caught in the furious sapphire glare. “The deal is done, he’s coming.” For a second I think he may hit me but then his eyes warm somewhat and he nods slightly.
Flicking a look at Vince that could freeze a bonfire, Jericho pulls away from me and heads out the door.
I swing an incredulous look at our owner.
“Chris has a point Vince. Even with Rock’s heel turn the fans will see our best being fed to Goldberg like an offering. He’s not that important.”
But the big man has had enough of rebellion from his employees and shuts me down.
“He’s contracted and that is the arc. You people just do your jobs and leave the storylines to ‘creative’.” Vince dismisses us with a glare.
None of the people in the room are used to being treated so rudely by Vince and we all leave feeling pretty pissed off ourselves.
“What the hell was that Steph?” Paul asks his fiancé when we’re out of Vince’s earshot.
“I had no idea Hon,” she’s as thrown by the encounter in the office as the rest of us. “I knew we were pursuing him, but not that he signed or the conditions.”
“Chris is gonna be in the shits now.” Dwayne commented, his easy-going manner undaunted by the previous exchange.
“More than usual anyway,” Paul snipes.
“Well,” Dwayne reasons, “Let’s see how it goes. If he minds himself and doesn’t get up Jericho’s nose or act like he owns the place, it may turn out ok.”
“Goldberg minding his manners and treating other wrestlers with respect?” I ask. “You obviously haven’t met the man.”
Yeah, Goldberg’s coming to the WWE. Hoo-fuckin’-ray.!
******