#shawter

[prawnspine]

saw this prompt and had to do it

I tried to do the outfit but failed miserably, sorry T^T

[highfunctioningfleshrule63]

the blowjob brothers

[wings-twitch]

They're so stupid

[highfunctioningfleshrule63]

[rexspine]

[highfunctioningfleshrule63]

shawnter fancam

[tolietpaperdreams]

My grubby little fingers ache to write 2004 fued era Shawter/Shawnter

Like the last man standing match (Royal Rumble 2004)

Or hell in the cell 👀 (Bad Blood 2004)

-the storytelling is MWAH

-like friends to lovers to enemies to lovers again 🤫

[highfunctioningfleshrule63]

the opening to this match is very special to me (the whole match is very good at least in my opinion); things i noted:

the lighting - so sick how for the first portion there's a notable difference between how shawn has the spotlight on him (presentation/entrance purposes, but also illuminates him as a bright "babyface" figure - the connotations are very hopeful and exciting for the crowd) and the placement of the shadows on hunter make him feel more deep within the cage itself (it feels very instinctually predatorial - especially given the eye contact and pacing in the first portion); hunter's placement within the cage (back to the wall in a way that sizes up the area) also screams "animal that has adapted to its environment".

the difference in eye contact - shawn takes his time getting to the ring, and he spends a lot of moments posturing for the crowd, his attention kind of scattered in multiple places (usual for him); hunter maintains his eye contact solely on shawn, tying in to how intrinsically linked he is to him, regardless of whether he likes it or not. shawn has a characteristic enthralling pull to him, and this is something that hunter has known for the entirety of his time here (which, for sake of kayfabe, is the entirety of his existence, from the start in which he breathed life into the character/gimmick. inadvertently, this makes shawn some level of a figurehead in his mind. this is coupled with the ceremonious lighting and spectacle of shawn's entrance here) - it should be noted too how the shadows let up and hunter is flushed with light the minute shawn steps into the ring with him. (to me, this just seems like pulling back the curtains and allowing for some level of intimate truth to be shared between them through the violence of the match; shawn drinks up hunter's attention on him, and begins to share the glance.) the cage is lowered and there is a level of separation just for them, that is doubled through those watching through the camera lens. hunter states how much he enjoys HIAC matches, and i feel that it couples with his own strange intensities - which are increased during his rivalry with shawn -> it always had the feeling of a man obsessively trying to kill their own personal deity, with the undercurrent of two lovers scorned in different ways.

of course, as it is with all wrestling matches that have heavy chemistry among its participants, there's the feeling of deep-rooted sentiment and intimacy within the violence and physicality. i love how drawn out the introduction is (even after shawn makes it to the ring and the cage is lowered/bell is rung, they still stare at each other for a good while) and i haven't yet seen one similar to this (no promo, no talking, no nothing) - but, there probably are others out there

[tolietpaperdreams]

Shawnter Fanfic???

Okay nobody get too excited but I might have finished the first chapter of my shawnter fic. That being said, I absolutely hate it and want to scrap it, bUT I think it can be saved with some intense editing.

-i have no idea where this story is going to go but I'm gonna scribble some plot lines together and see if I can make it work.

Will be posting either tomorrow or this weekend :)

[tameodesza]

To All the Men Shawn's Ever Loved

Headcanon about Shawn’s dating history in some random AU in my head, lol. Inspired by this post by @piratewithvigor about Shawn and his 5 boyfriends 🤭

Marty: 7 years ―୨୧⋆ ˚

Shawn dated around a lot in his youth, but Marty was his first long-term serious relationship

They met at the start of their careers before teaming together in smaller promotions. Marty chased after Shawn rigorously, the blond being hard to get.

It wasn’t that Shawn didn’t find Marty attractive, but he’d made a promise to his brothers that he’d never date a wrestler. They didn’t have the best track record in relationships, and Shawn’s older brothers didn’t want him to get his heart broken. If only he’d listened.

Marty eventually won Shawn over with how sweet he was, and how interested he seemed to learn about Shawn rather than deducing him to just a pretty face. They took things slow and Shawn finally said yes to the idea of a relationship after Marty had kissed him after leaving a show.

Things were pretty good in the first few years, but the relationship eventually became super toxic, especially around the time Shawn began to gain more popularity and success than Marty.

But they still tried to make it work, Shawn more so than Marty, because of how long they’d been together. Shawn wasn’t willing to give up so easily on a man he considered the love of his life.

But love wasn’t enough to combat their constant relationship problems – trust issues, jealousy, fighting, cheating, etc.

After another pointless argument, Shawn had enough and asked for a break.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ . ✦. ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦.

Kevin: 3 years ―୨୧⋆ ˚

Shawn wasn’t used to being a single man, and after meeting Kevin, his “break” with Marty swiftly turned into an official breakup.

Shawn was attracted to Kevin the moment he saw him on WCW in that ridiculous Oz gimmick. When Kevin came to the WWF, everything just seemed to click between them. They got along well, Kevin didn’t care about the heat Shawn had backstage, and they seemed to have the same sense of humor with Kevin being just as goofy as Shawn.

Kevin had only been there for two weeks before they got together, Shawn determined to scoop him up before someone else could. Being with Kevin was the freest Shawn felt in ages. It was definitely an adjustment to go from his previous relationship to someone who was so laid back, gentle, caring, loving, and protective in a non-possessive way.

Kevin helped to build back up the confidence that Marty had torn down. He was the perfect man for Shawn and it should’ve been a perfect relationship. But in true Shawn Michaels fashion, nothing could ever be that simple.

Despite being with a man that treated him better, Shawn carried over the toxic traits he’d learned from his previous relationship with Marty and basically self-sabotaged his relationship with Kevin. Their problems usually stemmed from Shawn’s lies, jealousy, and trust issues. Which eventually progressed to him picking fights with Kevin just to get a reaction out of the man.

But Kevin was nothing like Marty, and he was too mature and level headed to fall for Shawn’s antics, which only seemed to make Shawn angrier. But Kevin had learned not to feed into the anger, knowing that Shawn would eventually cool off and apologize before crawling into his awaiting arms.  

Their relationship reached a boiling point when Kevin told Shawn he was leaving for WCW. Shawn barely registered Kevin’s explanation before he was yelling at the man, saying he was selfish, that he was abandoning him, that Kevin didn’t love him and was only chasing after Scott.

That caused Kevin to lose his cool, his frustrations spilling over as he cursed out Shawn, offended that the blond would question his love for him and insinuate something between him and Scott. The argument ended with Kevin calling Shawn clingy, which was more of an honest observation than an insult, and Shawn telling him to go fuck himself. Who was Kevin to call him clingy? He’d show him clingy, alright.

That night sealed the fate of their relationship when Shawn did the unthinkable and cheated on Kevin with none other than the hitman, Bret Hart.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ . ✦. ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦.

Bret: 1 year ―୨୧⋆ ˚

My fav ship, but they don’t have a happy ending in this timeline 😭 (sorry hartbreak fans!)

Marty and Shawn’s relationship walked so Bret and Shawn’s could run, both men being equally as toxic but somewhat addicted to each other.

Their relationship had not-so-humble beginnings that spawned from Shawn’s infidelity. And what started from sex eventually grew into an unhealthy codependent relationship with both men using each other to fill some kind of void, Bret fresh from a divorce and Shawn still heartbroken from Kevin dumping him.

It may have been Shawn’s shortest relationship, but it was hands down the most intense relationship he’d experienced on so many levels. 

The love was intense, both men love bombing each other as soon as they were official, quick to let everyone know the other was off limits. Bret specifically made it his mission to show excessive PDA with Shawn whenever Kevin was around, and he continued to do so up until Kevin left for WCW. Shawn was often unaware, just happy to receive Bret’s affection.

Their fights were intense, others often thinking the two would kill each other if someone didn’t step in. They’d gotten kicked out of hotel rooms on multiple occasions due to noise complaints or damage that had been done due to one of them throwing shit around the room. Many of their fights had centered around Kevin, Bret’s jealousy leading him to believe that Shawn was still in love with the man, and Shawn’s annoyance at Bret constantly bringing up his ex.

And best, or worst depending on how you look at it, was that the sex was intense. Shawn had been introduced to so many new kinks, toys, and sex positions because of Bret, and his orgasms were unlike anything he’d ever experienced, the blond often coming multiple times before Bret’s climax. Shawn found that the sex was best when they were mad at each other, thus beginning his unhealthy obsession with riling up Bret, leading to an explosive fight and the most erotic hate sex. It was almost as good as the passionate makeup sex that followed.

Overall, sex was really what kept each other coming back. But beyond their attraction, there wasn’t any substance to the relationship. They hadn’t learned anything important about each other like birthdays, favorite colors, likes/dislikes, etc., which one could say led to many of their arguments because they didn’t really have a good understanding of each other. 

Shawn made the mistake many times of comparing Bret to Kevin because, honestly, he’d never gotten over the man. And deep down, he wished to work things out with him, but Kevin had made it very clear that he wanted nothing to do with Shawn after what he’d done.

So he settled for what he could get, but Bret wasn’t Kevin. He didn’t have Kevin’s patience and wasn’t one to tiptoe around his words to protect Shawn’s feelings.

But just like with his relationship with Marty, Shawn was hesitant to rip the band aid off despite how bad things had gotten between them. He’d grown accustomed to dysfunction, and he’d much rather put up with that than being alone.

The relationship only ended when Shawn got a taste of his own medicine. They say you lose him how you get him, and those words were never truer when Shawn found out that Bret had cheated on him with Sunny.

No surprise, the breakup was messy. Bret and Shawn had argued in front of the whole locker room, almost getting into a fight before Hunter and Chyna pulled Shawn away. But Shawn was a spiteful man and wasn’t going to let that be the last of it.

He keyed Bret’s car in the parking lot and threw a brick through the driver’s side window as an added bonus. Bret didn’t find out about it until the end of the show when leaving the arena. He was pissed and this led to him and Shawn actually fighting in the bathroom backstage the next week, Bret ripping out a few strands of Shawn’s hair in the process.

But Shawn got the last laugh in Montreal when Bret was screwed out of the WWF title.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ . ✦. ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦.

Undertaker: 4 years ―୨୧⋆ ˚

Shawn was as a broken man after his breakup with Bret, and even more so after the screwjob. Aside from DX, no one in the locker room wanted anything to do with him regardless of him telling people he wasn’t involved in screwing Bret out of the title (a lie no one believed).

It was the loneliest he’d felt in some time and certainly the longest he’d gone being single, which he had a hard time dealing with. Being the third wheel of Hunter and Chyna certainly didn’t help.

Undertaker had gained the same disdain towards Shawn as many of the guys had after the screwjob, steering clear of the blond at all costs. But he was also a professional and was willing to put his pride aside to do his job. So when Vince came to him about a possible feud with Shawn and a casket match, Undertaker agreed to it, albeit begrudgingly.

Ironically, their relationship began after Undertaker had injured Shawn’s back on that casket.

He felt absolutely devastated after hearing of Shawn’s upcoming back surgery that was a result of the casket clipping his back. When the words ‘career-ending injury’ began floating around, he felt sick to his stomach from guilt, blaming himself for the accident.

After Shawn’s surgery, Undertaker sent numerous ‘get well soon’ cards and flowers to Shawn’s hospital room. Shawn initially thought it was from his family or Hunter, but the cards never identified a sender. It wasn’t until Undertaker visited him in the hospital, the only wrestler outside of Shawn’s friends to come see him, that everything came together.

Undertaker was expecting to receive anger, insults, a spew of curses, anything other than the appreciative smile Shawn gave him when he sat at his bedside. The conversation was light, pleasant even, ending with Shawn telling Undertaker not to blame himself for his injury. He didn’t blame him, so the dead man shouldn’t do the same.

The visits became more frequent and once Shawn was released from the hospital, Undertaker had even taken some time off the road to look after Shawn in Texas. It was during that time at Shawn’s home that they officially got together. 

Being with Undertaker was vastly different than Shawn’s previous partners. It was almost a bit odd being with a man that was so thoughtful, yet also not afraid to call Shawn out on his shit. Undertaker had a very no-nonsense demeanor that Shawn respected and was drawn to.

At that point in his life, Shawn was done playing games, no longer interested in the drama of relationships. He didn’t want to pick fights or throw hissy fits. He wanted something easy. Simple. And that’s what they had.

During his time with Undertaker, Shawn had matured the most. Undertaker helped him better understand his emotions, reflect on his past, and realize what wanted in life going forward. It may have also helped that Shawn was completely sober due to him taking medication, which Undertaker made sure he wasn’t misusing.

Undertaker was very instrumental in helping Shawn train to go back to the WWF, now WWE, in 2002. A lot had changed in Shawn’s absence, and he was honestly insecure and a little bit scared to return. He didn’t know if the fans would even care about him returning. And he knew a few of the boys backstage wouldn’t be happy. But Undertaker was always there to kiss away his worries, ensuring him that everything would be ok. They would be together, and he wouldn’t let anything bad happen to Shawn.

Shawn didn’t know their relationship could get any stronger, but it surely did after his return to the company. For the first time, Shawn was able to see what it was like to have a healthy relationship on the road. Undertaker didn’t question him of his whereabouts backstage or hover over him at the bar. He trusted Shawn and Shawn trusted him, knowing that they’d always end the night in each other’s arms at the hotel.

They broke up some time in 2004. The breakup was amicable, and there were no cars keyed in the parking lot this time. Shawn wanted to take some time to focus on himself and his career, which Taker completely understood as they’d both been putting their career over their relationship. Undertaker also needed to focus on his own personal issues, especially with his brother Kane. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, it was best for Shawn’s safety for them to be apart for the time being.

As mutual as the decision was, it was still a painful breakup for the two. They really loved each other, and always would, but they had their own paths in life that didn’t seem to involve each other at the moment. They figured if it was meant to be, they’d find each other again. 

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ . ✦. ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦.

Hunter: 2006 - Present ―୨୧⋆ ˚

To be honest Shawn should’ve seen this one coming.

Hunter had been Shawn’s best friend since 1996. He thought Shawn was the most beautiful man he’d ever seen when he first met him, and he’d almost made a move on the blond until he learned that Shawn was dating Kevin. Hunter settled on being good friends with Shawn and began dating Chyna shortly after.

As he and Shawn grew into best friends, his interest in the shorter man never wavered. Unfortunately for him, he never had an opportunity to pursue Shawn in their younger years as either he or Shawn always seemed to be in a relationship while the other was single.

And the one time that they were both single, they weren’t on speaking terms. They’d gotten into a heated argument where Shawn called Hunter a backstabbing friend and accused him of using him to get to the top. Hunter was fed up with taking the brunt of Shawn’s anger and they both didn’t speak to each other for over a year after that.

Surprisingly, it was Kevin that reunited the two, encouraging Hunter to talk to Shawn and hear him out. After hearing about Shawn’s injury and back surgery, Kevin was quick to call the blond, concerned about his well-being. Though they hadn’t ended on good terms, he would always care for him.

They’d kept in touch sparingly since then and through their short conversations, Kevin learned of Shawn’s falling out with Hunter. Shawn was a stubborn man and Kevin knew that no matter how sorry Shawn sounded over the phone, Hunter would need to make the first move to fix their friendship. And after learning how sorry Shawn was, that’s what Hunter did.

He still held a bit of anger towards Shawn, but he missed him. And after a tearful reunion, their friendship was back even stronger, and so was his feelings for the blond. Feelings that had never left. But Hunter soon learned it was too late to pursue anything as Shawn had been dating Undertaker.

So just as he had in 1996, Hunter settled on being a good best friend to Shawn. And he was ok with that. They had so much to catch up on, and Hunter was just happy to have his buddy back.

Shawn and Hunter didn’t get together until 2006 after DX reunited. They’d already been close after rekindling their friendship but being DX once again and constantly being surrounded by each other while also never getting sick of the other really solidified their feelings for one another. That and the kiss Shawn gave Hunter on New Year’s Eve. 

For the first time, Shawn felt confident as he went into his relationship with Hunter. He was in a better headspace, had matured, and instead of carrying over toxic traits of past relationships, he carried over the lessons he’d learned over the years, determined to make this relationship last because he not only cared for Hunter as a lover but as a best friend. He’d already built up an immense amount of love for the man, and he didn’t want to ruin their relationship again. Also, Shawn was getting up there in age and was ready to settle down.

Being with Hunter made Shawn wish he’d made the decision sooner. They just got each other. Many times Shawn wouldn’t need to say anything, just give Hunter a look and the man would know what he was thinking.

Hunter was always so tender with him, probably afraid that Shawn would break or revert to his old ways at the slightest hiccup, which Shawn wasn’t going to allow to happen.

Shawn loved that Hunter was very affectionate, always touching him in some kind of way whether it’s holding his hand, hugging him every chance he got, playing with his hair, or tugging on his pocket to bring him closer.

Their fights were minimal, or at least they fought the least out of any of Shawn’s relationships. But when they did fight, it wasn’t the usual screaming matches Shawn was accustomed to. They talked to each other calmly with level heads, both hearing each other out before making a point. And they’d always end the conversation with a hug and an ‘I love you.’

Shawn’s sure Hunter’s the one after the man gets injured in 2007. Seeing Hunter in the hospital in so much pain and not being able to do anything about it broke Shawn.

He took time off the road to help Hunter with his injury, much like Undertaker had done for him. Being with Hunter every day so close in such an intimate setting of Hunter’s Connecticut home made Shawn realize he wanted to spend the rest of his life with him. And any man that could make Shawn endure the cold Connecticut winters deserved his heart.

The proposal was impromptu, Shawn whipping out the ring after Hunter’s physical therapy session. It was bittersweet, more sweet than bitter, since Hunter wanted to be the one to propose first. He’d been planning on doing it and would have done it sooner had it not been for his injury. 

But as he looked into Shawn’s beautiful teary blue eyes, he said yes, of course, and they were married on New Year’s Eve of that year, sharing the same kiss that started their relationship.

Looking back on the past, as painful as it was, Shawn wished he could thank all of the men he’d ever loved for teaching him how to love and helping him grow into the husband he was today. 

[tolietpaperdreams]

Guys is it “shawter” or “shawnter”? I'm having a crisis I genuinely do not know which is right

[tolietpaperdreams]

Warned You Chapter 1 (Shawnter)

✨heeeyyyyy✨

Who’s ready for some messy Shawnter angst??

Chapter one of Warned You is here!!! This first chapter absolutely kicked my butt lol.

Enjoy my darlings :))

I'm gonna go drink box wine and watch Despicable Me 4 now

There was only a certain amount of pain someone could take before they did something drastic. Shawn was right on the verge of doing exactly that, and he was going to bring the only person he still cared about with him. But as much as he kicked and pushed, Hunter was the only one who stuck around.

The drugs and drinking were so out of hand that everyone in the business had practically given up on him. Hunter had become the only constant good thing in his life, and somehow Shawn still managed to act like a dickhead. He couldn't help how much his back was killing him though, he had to do what he could to numb the pain.

Everyone in the locker room thought he was a jackass, so it felt like the only one who still saw him as a person was Hunter. Chyna still checked in, but she didn't deserve to be burdened with Shawn’s short attitude and snappy remarks. Neither did Hunter, but he was the only one who didn't take it personally. He was just in so much pain.

If it was as easy as explaining to everyone that he didn't mean it, he would have done that by now. But no one wanted to hear excuses, people wanted apologies, and Shawn wasn't brave enough for that. At least not yet.

So he ended up throwing back more pills, even though his body had gotten used to them, and they didn’t work as well; the beer didn’t taste like anything going down, either. All he knew was that it hurt and he wanted it to stop, and the more pills and booze he threw back, the less he felt.

The show was a disaster that night on his end, even if the audience couldn't tell. Shawn slurred his words and he couldn't move smoothly in the ring anymore, it was embarrassing.

As the pills and the alcohol ran through his system while he sat alone in his hotel room, he wracked his brain on what to do. To his detriment, he could still think at all and that's what he needed to stop.

So he decided to wander. The hotel bar had too many people, and going out in town alone wasn’t a good idea. So that's how he ended up at Hunter’s hotel room door, banging and yelling for his friend to answer.

As soon as the younger man opened the door, his eyes went wide, “Hey man, you don’t look good, ”

“Thanks-” Shawn mumbled and pushed his into the room, Hunter following.

Shawn could tell that Hunter was confused, but he was grateful he hadn’t asked any questions. He welcomed himself to the mini-fridge and rummaged through it, looking for any sort of alcohol, but was unsuccessful. He groaned and slammed it closed before sitting on the edge of the bed. Hunter waited a moment then did the same; an awkward silence forming.

Shawn leaned his head against Hunter’s shoulder, “Fuckin’ hurts…”

He knew he sounded pitiful but there was nothing he could do about it; he was sweating and could barely sit up straight because his back felt like it was literally going to paralyze him. He wished he was able to put it all into words, but his brain wouldn’t let him, so he sat there waiting for Hunter to kick him out.

Hunter didn’t do that, though; they stayed like that for a while before the younger man stood. Shawn immediately missed having someone to lean against, his back protesting the small movements it took for him to adjust.

“Here,” Hunter grabbed a water from the mini fridge, “Drink this.”

“They’re not working anymore,” Shawn grabbed the water bottle.

“What’s not working?” Hunter sat down again and Shawn leaned his weight on him, sighing at the pressure taken off his back.

Shawn took a swig of the water before saying, “The pills.”

“Drinking probably doesn't help,” Hunter made a face like he regretted saying that the moment it came out of his mouth.

“You don't know how bad it is,” Shawn exhaled. He was much more coherent than he wanted to be, “I’m not even drunk.”

“You’re sweating, Shawn,” Hunter furrowed his brow, his tone gentle but firm.

“I know that,” Shawn tossed the water bottle to the side and buried his face into his hands, “The pills aren't working, the alcohol isn't helping, I'm stuck. I feel like shit all the time, and Vince is definitely gonna knock me off the totem pole soon.”

Hunter sighed and moved a hand to gently run up and down Shawn’s back. They had been here before, and it always ended up going the same way. Shawn would gripe and moan and Hunter would comfort him in the only way he knew how, which was to just sit there and let him.

“Maybe you need a break-”

“I don't need a break, Hunt. We’ve talked about this,” Shawn could tell he was starting to get irritated, but the last thing he wanted was to take his frustration out on Hunter.

Shawn was looking for a quick fix, not actual advice. He had an idea in the back of his mind; one he wasn't sure he should act on, but it was something that could numb him for the time being.

It could ruin their friendship, which was truly the last good thing Shawn had, but he was desperate. Desperate for a distraction.

Shawn sat up, as much as his back would allow; Hunter continued the light rubbing on his back, ever the pleaser.

Maybe it was a bad idea, but Shawn wasn’t known for hesitating whenever it came to something risky.

“Tell me to stop if it’s not what you want, okay?” Shawn looked his best friend in the eyes.

Barely having time to register, Hunter merely responded with, “Huh?”

Shawn kissed him instead of answering. It was a firm kiss, very tight-lipped, but it wasn't cold. It was almost like two kids sharing their first kiss, awkward and unsure.

So the first time wasn't as romantic as Shawn pictured, but it still felt right. Soft and gentle, like he needed.

Surprisingly, Hunter didn’t pull away. In fact, he leaned into it more than Shawn did. The initial tension had softened and Hunter gently cupped Shawn’s face with his free hand.

“Please, Hunter,” Shawn was the first to speak, their lips still mere inches from each other.

Their noses brushed, and Shawn relished in the feeling of Hunter’s hand on his cheek. He was always so warm and comforting.

“I need a distraction,” Shawn moved to kiss him again, but Hunter pulled back a little.

“Shawn, I don't know-” Hunter’s face was flush, and Shawn could tell he was going through some sort of inner right and wrong turmoil at the moment.

“I already told you I'm not drunk,” Shawn said, wanting to close the space between them again. He was buzzed, not incoherent like he wished he was.

Hunter hesitated, moving his hand to rest on Shawn’s hip. Their foreheads still touched, and he acted like he wanted to lean more into it but couldn't let himself, “Shawn-”

“I know you've wanted this for a long time,” Shawn put a hand on Hunter’s thigh, “You couldn't expect me not to notice.”

That much was true. Hunter had practically given signals from day one that he was interested in Shawn, but so was everyone. A big reason Shawn kept him around was because Hunter had the self-control not to act on it. He had put his own feelings to the side in order to keep their friendship alive, but here Shawn was throwing it away, anyway.

“I don't want you to regret it,” Hunter let out, tone low and soft.

Shawn thought about it for a moment. Would he regret it? Probably not, he’d seen what Hunter was working with plenty of times in the locker room, but emotionally? Who knew?

He had his own stirrings for Hunter that he’d pushed to the side as well; he didn't want to poison the younger man. But what was so bad about one time? They were both adults, they could handle it in a mature way. So he hoped.

“I just-” Shawn moved his hand to lightly skim the bare skin underneath Hunter’s shirt, causing him to shudder, “I think it might help.”

Hunter didn't say anything, their lips grazed against each other again, but neither party pushed fully into the kiss.

“We don't have to if you don't want to,” Shawn wanted to make that very clear.

This was merely a situation in which one friend would be helping out another. Nothing serious, but if Hunter was uncomfortable, Shawn would never put him in that situation.

“No, no, I want to,” Hunter sighed again, “I’m just thinking about everything that comes after.”

“Don’t,” Shawn kissed him again, “Don’t think about anything.”

Shawn crawled into Hunter’s lap, legs straddling the bigger man. Everything that came after this, didn't matter, because it felt good right now. Of course, Shawn had his own reservations, but he was just so excited to feel something else for a while that he threw them to the wind.

Hunter’s hands settled on Shawn’s hips and squeezed, “You’re gonna be the death of me.”

Shawn pushed Hunter flat onto his back with a grin, “Shut up and fuck me.”

***

That's how it started. Just one time.

Then just one time, turned into two. Then two into three, and then they stopped counting. By that point, they just decided they could be friends with benefits. Hunter was able to help alleviate some of Shawn’s pain, and in return, they both got orgasms out of it. It was a win-win.

Friends with benefits didn't stay behind in the other’s hotel room to curl up together, though. They also didn't tend to each other after a match or make sure the other wasn't injured, but it was what Shawn and Hunter had always done. Now, it was just more intimate.

Shawn didn't realize he didn't want Hunter to be with anyone else till he felt white-hot anger at the sight of a fan getting too close for comfort one night after a show. He took Hunter back to the hotel room that night, which they had so conveniently booked together, and showed him exactly how he felt.

After that, they became exclusive. It went unspoken, but they both knew. They could read each other better than anyone else. Hunter could tell when Shawn’s mood was plummeting just with a look, and vice versa.

Jealousy was never usually a problem for Shawn. He was used to people fawning and fighting over him, but for some reason with Hunter he felt so possessive; he wanted him all to himself. It wasn't until about six months into their newfound relationship that Shawn’s insecurity really began to show.

He was being sent home for an unforeseen amount of time to heal his back. That meant he’d be alone, and Hunter would be on the road without him. He was sulking after the disaster that was Wrestlemania Fourteen; Steve Austin had handed him his ass and practically sent him home with a boot up it.

“I’ll be home every week,” Hunter tried to soothe.

Shawn had gotten the news earlier that day, he wasn't medically cleared anymore and it was just too risky keeping him out on the road. It was a devastating blow, but it wasn't like he had much of a choice. He had to heal or find another job.

“Your home,” Shawn was facing the wall curled up on the bed in their hotel room, “Not my home.”

“I can come to you, Shawn. You know I will,” Hunter said as he settled behind Shawn, pulling him in by his hips so they spooned.

He placed a gentle kiss on Shawn’s bare shoulder and rubbed his chest; anything to lessen the ache.

Shawn held on to the hand that was rubbing his chest, “I know, but you also know I don’t like being alone.”

There was a stretch of quiet. Shawn couldn’t help but feel like he was being selfish, even if he had just gotten the worst news of his life.

Hunter sat himself up on an elbow and tilted Shawn’s chin so they were looking at each other, “Move in.”

“What?” Shawn’s gut dropped.

“I know it hasn’t been that long since we started this,” Hunter said as he traced his thumb across Shawn’s jawline, “But we’ve known each other a long time. You’d only be by yourself for a day or two a week, and then I’ll be right beside you the rest of the time.”

Averting his gaze slightly, Shawn thought about it. It wasn’t the worst idea in the world. It’s not like he had much to worry about in Texas, and he could always go back if needed. This could be their first real test as a couple, and what better place to heal than by his favorite person’s side?

“Okay,” Shawn smiled, “Let’s do it.”

“Yeah?” Hunter grinned right back.

“Of course,” Shawn pulled him into a tender kiss, letting all the nerves and uncertainty flutter away.

Maybe some time off wouldn’t be so bad after all.

***

The move hadn’t been terrible, and neither was settling in, the only bad thing was the days when Shawn was alone.

Hunter would get up at whatever time in the morning before dawn, and leave a groggy Shawn with a cup of coffee on the bedside table, a reminder to do his physical therapy, and a loving kiss.

Which in itself wasn’t a bad thing. It made Shawn feel so cared for and adored, no one had ever made him coffee before. And the fact that Hunter was doing it that early in the morning right before a flight? Shawn was spoiled and he loved it. He just wanted Hunter to stay in bed a little longer.

The house felt so empty without Hunter in it. Shawn had gotten used to living far from Texas, as much as he missed it, but wandering around a big empty house all day like a miserable housewife was not the best experience.

The pills and alcohol had slowed down tremendously in the time he and Hunter had been together, but some days were better than others. Shawn’s back still caused him trouble and there was no way he’d be able to get through the day without at least a little bit of help.

Mostly, with the physical therapy and having Hunter to support him, Shawn was able to survive on a normal dose until his scheduled surgery. Hunter didn’t keep alcohol in the house and Shawn didn’t want to disturb their peace, but sometimes the bar called his name on nights when his partner was gone.

Nothing would ever happen, though. He’d just go get enough alcohol in his system to feel a good buzz then sleep it off in the morning. If Hunter ever noticed when he came home, he didn’t say anything.

Hunter also never talked about work that much. Shawn couldn’t bear to watch Raw alone, it just made him feel more like he was missing out. So he was officially out of the loop.

The only real friends he had left were Kevin and Scott, but they were long gone in WCW. Chyna was still a good friend, but he had worn her patience thin and he didn’t want to bother her, she had been through enough. Kevin or Scott would call to check in every now and then, but the conversation would always end up about the one person he never wanted to hear from.

“Bret asked about you,” Kevin said over the phone one day.

Shawn audibly scoffed, “What did he want this time?”

“He asked how you were healing up,” Kevin’s voice was nonchalant.

Shawn was leaning against the kitchen counter, playing with the telephone cord, “Like he cares.”

“Sounds like he does,” Kevin offered.

“Why? So he can beat the shit out of me and injure me once I'm healthy?” Shawn gripped the phone tight.

“Listen man, I don’t claim to know what went down between you two on or off stage but Bret’s not a bad guy.”

That was the problem. Bret wasn’t a bad guy. All the anger and frustration that Shawn felt at hearing the man’s name wasn’t toward him, it was toward himself.

Shawn took a deep breath, “I’m with Hunter now. Tell him not to worry about me.”

“Alright, alright,” Kevin paused for a moment, “How does Hunter feel about it?”

Rolling his eyes, Shawn sighed, “We haven’t talked much about it. It’s the past.”

“Yeah but, with the way it ended and everything? I don’t know how I’d feel if I were in Hunter’s shoes,” Kevin added, his voice on the line sounding unsure.

“You weren’t there. You have no idea what happened,” Shawn was quick on the defensive.

“Shawn, buddy. I love you man, but the whole world knows what happened between you and Bret.”

Normally, Shawn would slam the phone back on the receiver and stomp away, but he reminded himself that he was currently lacking quite a few friends. He wanted to keep the ones he had left.

“Everyone knows about the Screwjob, but nobody understands-”

“What happened behind closed doors?” Kevin finished for him.

Shawn sighed, “Yeah…”

Shawn and Hunter had only been friends when the Screwjob went down. Hunter had been fully aware of Shawn’s relationship with Bret at the time and never made a big deal about it, so what was there to talk about?

The fighting? The screaming? How toxic and bad they were for each other? How Hunter had witnessed Shawn drunkenly call Bret on the hotel phone a month after the Screwjob and cry as he begged him to take him back?

They weren’t good for each other that much was clear. Two prideful egos that clashed way too hard. It never would have worked, and it didn’t. But when they were good, they were amazing.

In the beginning, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. The sex was always good, even when they were mad at each other, which was often.

But Bret didn’t communicate well and would push down all his emotions, and Shawn was quite the opposite. So when Bret was upset about something, he wouldn’t talk about it until Shawn lost his mind trying to figure out what was wrong.

Maybe it was the fact that Hunter had seen the absolute worst side of their relationship, and he’d hop at any opportunity to comfort Shawn in his time of need. Like whenever Bret would say something hurtful or they had been fighting.

Shawn always thought that Hunter did it out of genuine friendship, not because he had an ulterior motive. Bret would get jealous and say that Hunter was just using him to make a name for himself, and in turn, Shawn would yell about how Hunter was the only person who really gave a shit about him. In the end, Hunter never pressed the subject so Shawn never brought it up.

As far as he was concerned, Bret was in the past. Hunter was his present and future. Kevin was just putting words in his head.

***

Shawn was really clingy that afternoon when Hunter came home. He barely made it through the door before Shawn practically pounced on him. There was no making it to the bedroom, so they had sex on the couch.

With every thrust of Hunter’s hips, Shawn could forget about that dumb conversation with Kevin. His sole focus on his partner and making him feel good, no having to think.

He moaned Hunter’s name and scratched his nails down the larger man’s spine; held him close and kissed him with passion. Hunter was his world and he wanted to get lost in the feeling of the other man above him. No more insecurity, no thoughts of the past; just now.

When they were done and cleaned up, Shawn still stuck within three feet of Hunter for the rest of the evening. He found himself wrapping his arms around Hunter’s waist and burying his face in the bigger man’s back as he put some dishes away in the kitchen.

After settling on the couch after dinner, it felt like Shawn couldn’t get close enough. He didn’t care what was on the TV, he just wanted to be as near Hunter as possible.

“What’s gotten into you?” Hunter asked as Shawn tried to burrow closer, practically throwing himself across his lap.

“What?” Shawn replied, words muffled from his face being squished into the crook of Hunter’s neck.

Hunter slid his hand up and down Shawn’s hip, “You’re acting like I went off to war or something.”

Shawn pulled his face back to look his partner in the eyes, “I just missed you, is that bad?”

“No, not at all,” Hunter’s tone got softer, “I’m just making sure you’re alright.”

“M’fine,” Was all Shawn bothered to respond.

He didn’t want to ruin the night with the fact that he was feeling violently insecure or that Kevin had told him that Bret was asking about him, which in turn brought up old emotions that he thought he had gotten over or the fact that his brain was making up delusions about Hunter genuinely caring about him.

“You don’t seem fine,” Hunter tried again.

“Just want you near, that’s all,” Shawn buried his face into Hunter’s neck again, ending the conversation there.

Sometimes Shawn hated himself and his thoughts more than anything.

***

The surgery came and went, making Shawn all the more miserable. Hunter even took time off to see that he was healing properly and the guilt he felt only grew. Hunter shouldn’t be wasting his time making sure Shawn could walk to the kitchen when he had a career to keep building.

“I’m gonna lose my mind,” Shawn whined.

He was stuck lying on the couch for most of the day the last few weeks as his wound healed, and the idleness was starting to get to him. If he wasn’t knocked out by the pills, he was staring blankly at the TV while Hunter practically ran circles around the house making sure he was comfortable.

Being stuck was so mentally draining; Shawn felt useless and he wanted to give up. He’d probably never wrestle again anyway so what was the point? He’d just rot on the couch and wait for Hunter to get bored and finally leave him.

“Here,” Hunter approached from the kitchen with a plate and glass, “You need to eat.”

“Not hungry,” Shawn deadpanned.

Hunter let out a frustrated sigh, it was clear that Shawn’s attitude about the entire situation was starting to get to him.

“I know things don’t look good right now, babe. But I’ve been doing everything I can to make this process easy for you,” Hunter sat down the plate and glass and turned to walk away.

Shawn should’ve said something. Should’ve asked him to stay, but there was no point. Life was beating him up one step at a time.

He flipped channels for a bit until he came across Raw. He only stopped to torture himself, because why pick up the mood now? Seeing the wrestling world continue on without him surely wouldn't make him fall into a darker hole. He might as well turn on Nitro and watch Bret hang out with Kevin and Scott; that would be better than this.

The segment changed from some squash match to a pretape from a few weeks prior; Hunter popped up on screen. Seeing Hunter continue to grow and succeed was good, if anyone deserved it, it was him. But something was different, he still came out with Chyna to the DX intro but Billy Gunn, Road Dogg, and X-Pac followed.

Okay, so a few more members were added to make up for the loss of himself, that's not the worst thing in the world. Hunter seemed to be the one leading the charge, so that was normal. Something just didn't sit right with Shawn, maybe it was the feeling of missing out but it kind of looked like Hunter was using everyone else to do his dirty work.

“Hunter?” Shawn called, his voice cracking at the end as he painfully tried to sit himself up.

“What?” Hunter replied, sounding like he was still irritated from earlier. He appeared from around the corner, “Are you done having an attitude?”

Shawn winced as he adjusted himself on the couch and waved the remote at the TV gesturing, “What’s this?”

“What’s what?” Hunter took in what Shawn was talking about and shrugged, “It’s nothing, I told you we were still doing the DX thing.”

“I know that, but,” Shawn paused momentarily, “It doesn't look the same.”

Hunter moved to sit on the couch next to his partner, “Well it’s not gonna be the same without you, you know that.”

“Hunter you know what I mean, they look like your goon squad or something,” Shawn sighed, “That’s not DX.”

���Why do you care?” Hunter grabbed the remote from Shawn’s hand and changed the channel, “It’s TV?”

Something just wasn't sitting right with Shawn and he didn't know what it was. Maybe he had too much time on his hands, but part of him felt like Hunter wasn’t telling him the whole truth.

“It just doesn't feel genuine,” Shawn gave the younger man a look.

Hunter pinched the bridge of his nose, “You’re really giving me a hard time for the way I'm acting on television?”

“No, I just-”

Hunter interrupted him, “No, Shawn. Listen, I've been nothing but patient. I get it, you're having a hard time, but the world doesn't revolve around you. All you need to do right now is focus on healing and then when you're back in the ring, things can go your way.”

The bigger man stood, tossing the remote in Shawn’s lap, “I’m gonna work out, I’ll be in the garage if you need something.”

“Hunt-”

But Hunter was already around the corner and headed towards the garage, and Shawn was left to his own devices. Feeling like an idiot, He leaned his head back against the couch and stared at the ceiling. His self-destruction was starting to affect his relationship, and that had to stop.

[rock-on-the-radio]

[kliqrulez]

*DX playing twister*

Chyna: Right hand red.

Hunter: *Ends up on top of Shawn*

Shawn: You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?

Chyna: I stopped spinning like 15 minutes ago. Honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t notice.

[rock-on-the-radio]

💔HBK Discord💔

💔Description: hi everybody!! I feel like the fandom has been kind of dead and it’s been hard to find other mutuals to gush over our favorite wrestlers with. So I decided to make a discord so we can joke around in and share our ideas, headcanons, and RPs. :))

💔If you’re interested in Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Undertaker, Kevin Nash, Bret Hart, Chyna, D-Generation X, the Kliq, shawter, hbtaker, Kevin nash/Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart/Shawn Michaels, or any other wwf/wwe ship, then is server is for you!!

💔Please join I need more attitude era wrestling fans 😭

[rock-on-the-radio]