Chapter Text
Scott Hall's POV
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"Oh my God, that was the most painful plane ride that I've ever experienced. Please, next time we fly, promise me that we're not going to have to go through that shit again."
As soon as I hear that familiar, whiny voice from across the room, I whip my head around. Sure enough, Shawn's clinging to Paul's shoulder, complaining endlessly about the ride they just finished.
I look back over at my group for a moment, but I roll my eyes once I realize they're all asleep. Joli's laying with her head on Kev's arm, and he looks like he's about to snap in half, because he's bending so far back over the seat. Kid? He's halfway in the floor, from sliding in his chair. Since Kid is the closest to me, I smack him as I stand up.
"They're here!" I tell Kid as he jumps. I hear him land on the floor with a thud as I dart over to meet Shawn and Paul. "Hey guys!"
"SCOTT!" Shawn greets me enthusiastically. He throws his bags at Paul before wrapping his arms around my neck and kissing the air beside both of my cheeks. "Oh, I've missed you, buddy!"
"Fuck off, Shawn!" I laugh as I shove him back. "I've missed you too, dummy."
"Take your shit back." Paul rolls his eyes as he returns Shawn's bags to him. "Hey, Scott."
"Hey." I send Paul a grin as Shawn begrudgingly accepts his baggage. Damn, this feels good! It's been way too fuckin' long since the whole Kliq got together.
"Where are the rest of our friends?" Shawn sighs. "You know, the ones that actually like me? The ones that won't shove me away or hit me with my bags?"
"Shawn, I never- You know what, never mind." Paul pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head.
"They're over-"
"KEV! KID! JOLI! THERE YOU FUCKERS ARE!" Shawn cuts me off as he yells and runs towards the three lazy bastards. Paul and I watch in amusement as Shawn leaps right into Kev's arms. Kev doesn't push him away; instead, he wraps an arm around his waist and starts ruffling his hair. He goes to kiss Kev, but stops himself.
"Do you see this guy?" Paul laughs. "Can you believe him?"
It's honestly pretty funny watching Shawn jump out of Kev's arms. The area has started bustling and booming, so I can't hear what's going on, but it looks like Shawn's trying to convince Joli to kiss Kev in his place. There's a lot of pointing going on, and it looks like Joli might be trying to get Kid involved in this weird little thing? I don't know.
"He's a sight. I've missed Shawn, though. He's the kind of goof that you can't replace." I chuckle. Shawn's a good guy, deep down.
"Definitely." Paul nods and then looks over at me. His eyes are narrowed, and I can tell he's really studying me. I don't like it.
"What is it, man?" I ask.
"How've you been, Scott? Like, truly. Don't bullshit me. Are you doing okay?" I don't think that the lobby of an airport is the best place to talk about my life, and if it were anyone aside from Paul asking, I'd give them a smartass response. I trust Paul, though. He's good.
"I've had some rough spots, man. I'd be lying if I told you I was completely fine all the time, because I'm not." It's hard to admit, but it's the truth. I turn my attention back to our friends, who still seem to be laughing and fucking around with each other.
"How have you been handling..." Paul nods over towards Kev and Joli, a neutral expression on his face. "You know."
"Honestly? It's hard sometimes. I'm happy for them, I really am." I frown at Paul. "Please, don't think for a second that I want anything less than the best for those two. I love them both, just in different ways." My shoulders slump. I hate talking about this, but again, I just trust Paul so damn much. "I wish Joli had chosen me, but I know that's not possible now. She and Kev are completely in love."
This is the first time I've ever really admitted that, and it burns. I want to lie and say it doesn't, but I can't really deny the truth on this. I guess there is always going to be this little part of me that wants Joli, but I've accepted that she'd rather be with Kev. I'm okay with that. I really am.
"You've just got to let her go, man." Paul pats my back. "But listen, now's not the time for all this. I don't want to kill your mood when just met up. If you need me, though, let me know, okay? We can sneak off and talk all you want."
"I appreciate that, man." I grin at Paul. "I really do."
Paul nods back at me before pointing to our friends once more. They're all looking towards us and talking. Shawn's somehow made it onto Kev's back in the few seconds I wasn't looking, and it looks like Kid is carrying his shit. Really, I'm not all that surprised.
"We'd probably better go catch up with everyone." Paul chuckles.
"I'd say that's a good idea." I agree, leading the way. As soon as we get close, I hear Shawn sigh in relief.
"Awesome! Great! Can we all go back to the house, now? Please?" Shawn whines. "I'm tired."
"We all finally get a chance to hang out together and all this guy does is bitch and moan." Joli shakes her head in a disapproving manner. "And to think, you were so excited to see us."
"Ah, it's okay, guys. If he falls asleep too early, we can just take him out in the woods and leave him there. He'll never find his way home." Kev jokes, turning his head so that he can look towards Shawn. "Then again, we might hear him bitchin' from a distance, and the last thing we need is to not be able to shut him up."
"I don't even know why I agreed to come here in the first place! Wow." Shawn buries his face against Kev's back, muttering something that I can't quite understand.
"Huh? What're you mumbling about over there?" I ask with a laugh.
Shawn turns, so that his cheek is resting against Kev's back. "Oh, nothing."
"It must've been something." Joli adds as she rubs her thumb along the car key in her hand.
"You all really want to know?" I exchange glances with everyone before I shrug and reply to Shawn.
"Nah, not really." When Shawn growls under his breath, I grin. That's the exact reaction I was looking for.
"Maybe, just maybe, all of you jerks wouldn't be so cruel if you just got laid every now and then!" Shawn exclaims rather loudly. Passerby's stare at us with curious expressions.
"That's it." Kev sighs. "That was your big mistake."
"What?" Shawn questions curiously. "My big-"
Shawn cuts himself off with a yelp as Kev lets him drop to the floor. We all laugh and watch as Shawn rubs his ass, which is surely rather chapped after taking an unexpected bump like that. Kid nudges me and then nods towards the entrance way.
"So guys, ready to head back to Kev's place?" Kid asks.
"Yeah, sounds good to me." Paul smiles.
"I'm cool with that." Kev shrugs. "We'll go get some drinks and shit set up for the rest of the evening."
"It'll be nice." I add.
Shawn doesn't catch back up to us until we've all loaded up into Kev's big ass van. I'm sitting behind Joli, and Kid is to my right. Paul sits beside him. Shawn frantically opens Paul's door right as Joli clicks her seatbelt in.
"Oh, there you are, Shawn. Hop on in the back." Joli points towards the large trunk with her thumb.
"You've got to be kidding me, girly. I'm not riding in the damn trunk like a monkey!" Shawn protests.
"Why wouldn't I be serious?" Joli frowns. "You snooze, you lose. You might have been able to get a seat if you'd gotten here sooner, but you took your time. That's on you."
"I took my time because your cruel boyfriend dropped me on my ass!" Shawn objects. "Why can't we put him in the back?"
"One, I'm technically not her boyfriend, yet, and two," Kev laughs and shakes his head as he turns around from the passenger seat, "I'd like to fuckin' see you try to get my ass back there. Besides, this is my fuckin' car."
"... Come on, guys! This isn't fair!" Shawn stomps a foot on the ground like a child. "Kid, you get in the trunk."
"What?!" Kid leans over so that he can look past Paul. "Why me?!"
"Because you're the smallest one of us, aside from Joli." Shawn states simply.
"I'm driving, so don't even try to get me in on this." Joli tells Kid, looking at him in the rear-view mirror.
"B-But! No!" Kid protests. "I'm not doing it."
"You sure?" Paul smirks, unbuckling Kid. "Look, you're ready to hop on back."
"Guys..." Kid groans. "I don't want to."
"Tough luck, buttercup! I'm not doing it, so someone else has to." Shawn grins as Kid reluctantly climbs over the backseat and into the trunk area. Paul scoots over beside of me while Shawn happily takes Paul's former place.
"Wow," I laugh as Shawn gets comfortable, "Shawn Michaels can even politic his way into getting a seat in the car."
"You Kliq boys are too much." Joli stifles a laugh as she starts to drive off.
"You love us, though!" Kev pats her knee. "For some reason or another."
We're about halfway back to Kev's house when Paul gets a little smirk on his face and leans forward, so that he's between Kev and Joli. He rests one arm against each of their seats, but he looks towards Joli.
"May I help you, Paul?" Joli asks as she takes an exit. "You've never invaded my personal space like this before." Kev doesn't say anything, he just reaches over and pokes Paul between the eyes.
Paul huffs at Kev's action before asking Joli in the most over-exaggerated, nicest tone he can muster, "I was just wondering, when are we going to get there?"
"I don't know, it's probably, what, ten minutes away now?" Joli spares a quick glance at Kev.
Kev nods, glancing at Paul over his shoulder. "Yeah, that sounds about right."
"Oh, okay." Paul grins as he sits back down. "You see, I was just a little curious, because it seems like we should've arrived already."
"You sound like you're trying to start shit, Paul." Joli clears her throat. "Are you sure that's what you want to do?"
"I'm sorry," Paul apologizes fakely, "I just didn't expect to be chauffeured by a grandma. I was under the impression that you were only about, what, thirty? But it seems you're a hell of a lot older than that."
He's obviously just yanking her chain, and it's so damn funny. Joli scoffs from the front seat, and I can see her glare from the rear-view mirror. Of course, things only get worse when Shawn pipes in.
"I guess it's better for Kev to be a grave-robber than a cradle-robber, eh?"
"Fuck off!" Joli laughs. "I don't drive that slowly!"
"You do." Paul sighs. "It's a shame."
"In fact, I'd say you moved more quickly that time we stayed with you a few months back." Shawn added.
"Damn, man! That one was cold." I shake my head at Shawn. Come on, man!
"Watch it." Kev warns.
"What? Too far?" Shawn pouts.
"Yes. Definitely." The way Joli says that proves that she wasn't phased by the joke in the least bit. But, based on the look Shawn gives in response, it's obvious he doesn't realize that. Then again, who can blame him? He doesn't her as well as Kev and I do, or hell, even as well as Kid does.
"Aw. I'm sorry." Shawn frowns as he leans towards Joli. "How can I ever gain your forgiveness?"
"Hmm..." Joli hums as she taps the steering wheel with her thumbs, killing time and making Shawn sweat it out. "I really don't know."
"Joli, come on, I really didn't mean it." Shawn groans, gripping tightly onto her seat. After a moment, he turns to Kev. "Kev, I didn't mean to... Man, you know that, right? How do I fix this?"
"You're the one that went and pissed her off, bro. That's on you." Kev just fuckin' shrugs and it takes everything in me not to burst into laughter. I can faintly hear Kid snicker from his position in the back.
"Joli, we were just joking around. We all always do that shit." Paul jumps in. His eyebrows are furrowed, and I can tell he's trying to come up with some way to resolve the problem simply. "He's sorry."
"I know he is, but he was an ass." Joli sighs.
"I was." Shawn agrees. "I definitely was."
Joli nods and then remains quiet for a few minutes. Shawn and Paul chatter nervously to one another as we continue the drive to Kev's house. Once we get there and start exiting the car, Shawn instantly runs over to the driver's side. He opens the door for Joli as she's unbuckling her seatbelt.
"For you, m'lady." Shawn bows. I can't fuckin' handle this anymore. I just start cackling as Kid tries to crawl out of the trunk area, nearly knocking me in the head in the process.
"Aw, aren't you just the sweetest?" Joli gives Shawn the most devious of smiles. "Try to mock me again, jackass. I fuckin' dare both of you." She looks over at Paul as he approaches her and raises a middle finger the two of them.
The look of realization on their faces when they realize they were played is priceless. Their jaws drop for just a moment, but then, in the blink of an eye, they exchange these impressed nods.
"Not bad, Joli." Shawn applauds. "Not bad at all."
"You like a lady with a real smart ass, don't you, big guy?" Paul chuckles, sending Kev a grin.
Kev drapes an arm around Joli's shoulder before placing a big kiss on the side of her head. "You fuckin' know it!"
I try to ignore the little twinge of jealousy that shoots through me every single time I see them do something cute like that, but it's hard sometimes, you know? I'm happy for them, I am, but I still love Joli more than I should.
Ah well. Fuck it! All of my boys are here! Now isn't the time to be like this.
Throughout the rest of the day, we all sit around Kev's place and just do the dumbest shit. By the time night falls, we're all fuckin' plastered. It's been so damn long since all six of us got together that we've just thrown all caution to the wind.
I look out on the porch from my position on the couch and watch Joli and Kev stumble around with one another. I don't really know what they're doing, but it looks like Kev's trying to get Joli's lighter from her. It's probably because she's unable to stand on her own, and she probably doesn't need to be smoking right now.
That's not to say that smoking has ever been good for her, but really, who am I to judge? I'd done a lot worse than that in my life.
"Scott." I look around when I hear Paul say my name. "In the floor." I look down and see him perfectly stretched out beside of the couch, with his arms behind his head. Huh.
"Oh. Hey, man." I drunkenly wave.
"Hand me a beer." Paul instructs, pointing to the cans at the foot of the couch.
"Yup." I mutter, forcing myself up. I snag him a drink before dropping back into my previous position. My back smacks the couch, but I don't care. "Catch."
Paul lets out a grunt to let me know that he's listening, so I drop the can down to him. The satisfying sound of the beer cracking open makes me want another; I just don't feel like getting up. Fuck.
"So, Scott." I turn my head to look at Paul. "You know you're fuckin' great, right?"
"Of course I know that." I joke. "I'm the fuckin' bomb, man."
"I'm being serious, dickbag." Paul punches the absolute fuck out of my arm. "You're damn amazing."
"I appreciate the boost of confidence, man." At this point in my night, I don't know if I believe him or not. My mind is just fuckin' swirling. "You're not too damn bad yourself."
"Just listen to me, okay?" Paul sounds a little frustrated. "I don't want you to feel bad because of, uh..." He trails off as he motions out towards Joli and Kev. At this point, Joli is leaning against Kev and he's completely keeping her on her feet. It looks like he's moving her damn cigarette for her, since she's so damn wobbly.
That's love.
Why does it hurt so much for me to think that? Ugh.
"Man, I don't even want to talk about that right now." I mutter, forcing my ass up just long enough to snag another beer. "I'm happy for them."
"All right, all right. I just wanted to check on you, because I wasn't really sure how you felt earlier. You're my fuckin' pal, man, and you're fuckin' great." Paul pats my shoulder before laughing rather loudly. "God, I'm drunk."
"Nah shit." I chuckle. Paul and I fall into silence for a moment, before we hear a loud thud from across the house.
"FUCK!" Shawn screams. "KID!"
"Man, I'm sorry!" Kid yells frantically. "Sorry!"
"If either of you fuckers break anything, I'm kicking your asses!" Kev tells them. "You break it, you fuckin' buy it!"
"Okay!" Shawn and Kid reply simultaneously. They sound so fuckin' scared, it's hilarious.
You know, I really needed today. This has been fun. If only we could all get together everyday.
"FUCK!" Calm down, Kid.
"KID, COME ON, MAN!" Shawn, don't yell...
"You're both fuckin' dead!" I mean, you have every reason to be upset Kev, but...
"KID DID IT!"
"DID NOT!"
"DID TOO!"
... You know what? Never mind. Maybe it is better to at least handle Shawn and Kid in small, quiet doses.