"You're everything to me."
"You're my life."
"I'd never do anything to hurt you, you know that."
"I love you, Hunter. Forever."

Bullshit.

All of it was a bunch of fucking bullshit. A bunch of baseless lies told to keep him in the dark. Lies to keep him from seeing what was really going on. Lies to shield him from the glaring truth.

And he, the sorry of of a bitch he was, had believed it. Every last word.

He wanted to believe it--he was desperate to believe in something, so why not love? A lot of people did, so why not him? Was Hunter Hearst Helmsley not worthy of love? Did he not deserve it?

Apparently not.

Hunter clenched his fists and considered driving them through his locker room's flimsy, thin walls. It wouldn't really solve anything, but it would make him feel a whole hell of a lot better. He managed to keep his temper in check through a series of deep breaths, all the time with his eyes fixed on the television screen.

There it was, playing over and over again, feeling like a sucker punch to the gut every time. It made his stomach churn to watch it, but it was impossible for him to look away. The first time he had seen it, he wanted to put his fist through the screen. Instead, he just continued to watch, almost mesmerized by the sequence that was playing on a continuous loop.

The tape had been delivered by messenger right to his door. There was no return address, only a huge G in the upper left hand corner. Hunter had been around long enough to know that the G stood for GTV, the federation's own personal candid camera. His pulse began to race as he read the words printed in neat, perfectly spaced block letters on the tape's label.

"There's something on this tape that you should see. There's NO CHANCE IN HELL the camera lies."

Hunter's hands had begun to shake as he eased the tape into the VCR. He sat on the couch for a moment, preparing himself for what he could possibly see before pushing play and sitting back for the show.

The date in the corner of the screen showed that the footage had been shot the previous night, just after Raw had concluded. Hunter had immediately gone back to the hotel, having been told by his long-time lover that he would join him after everything had been wrapped up and taken care of. Hunter didn't think anything of it. He was the boss' son. It was Shane's job to make sure all the loose ends were tied up.

As the tape started, a close-up of Shane's beautiful brown eyes encompassed the whole screen. At first, Hunter didn't understand what he was seeing, but as the camera switched to a wider shot, it became painfully obvious as to what he was watching.

Shane was leaning against the ring, his hands placed far apart on the canvas as he used them to brace himself. His head was thrown back, a look of total ecstasy washing continually over his face. His perfectly pressed slacks were gathered around his ankles, and his dress shirt was open at the collar, apparently missing three buttons.

There was no question as to what was going on, but the camera was too close and Hunter was unable to see who it was that was fucking his boyfriend, and apparently doing a damn good job of it. The audio was so quiet that Hunter could barely hear it, but there was no mistaking Shane's yelps and squeaks of pleasure, the same ones Hunter himself had heard more times than he could remember.

He was almost ready to scream in frustration at not knowing how the other participant in the veritable fuck-fest was. A part of him didn't want to know, for it would only make the situation more painful than it already was. But another part of him ached for an answer, for someone to place the blame on. He couldn't blame Shane--not his sweet darling Shane, who could do no wrong. He wasn't to blame for this. He couldn't be.

The screen continued to focus primarily on Shane as he arched his back and quietly murmured something Hunter couldn't quite make out. He was tempted to advance the tape to satisfy his curiosity, but something stopped him. He couldn't take his eyes off Shane, the love of his life, as he was fucked senseless by an unknown partner. It was strangely beautiful, but at the same time, it make him sick to his stomach.

Just as he was about to fast forward the tape to cut to the chase, the camera began to pan out. Slowly--ever so fucking slowly--and Hunter felt himself leaning forward, his pulse racing with the anticipation. He felt as though he was going to burst, that or his heart was going to explode and shoot right out of his chest.

From the corner of the screen he saw a hand slip up Shane's back, gently caressing his shoulders and sliding up the back of his neck through his hair. Shane suddenly turned his head and kissed the palm of the hand before sucking one of the fingers into his mouth. Hunter felt as though someone had suddenly slapped him. Shane had done the same thing to his fingers, and he could almost feel the soft pad of Shane's tongue sliding over his hand.

That wasn't what bothered him. It wasn't the act itself--it was that the hand looked so familiar. Black tape wrapped around the wrist, long but thick fingers, nails that hadn't been clipped in ages--it was a hand that had knocked Hunter upside the head more than once. That hand could be balled into a tight fist that felt like a sledgehammer when it connected with solid muscle. That hand sailed through the air and could deliver a vicious beating without the owner even breaking a sweat.

And now that hand was snaking around Shane's body and closing its fingers around his cock. The hand stroked him feverishly, and Hunter watched as Shane writhed in sweet torment, howling unabashedly as his release flooded out of him, the creamy fluid spilling over the hand. Shane pulled the hand up to his lips and greedily lapped the liquid from each finger before spinning around to kiss his lover as their secret tryst came to an end.

Hunter didn't need to be shown who it was that Shane was with. He'd known from the moment the hand had come into the scope of the camera's view. He felt the slow burn of fury welling up in the pit of his stomach. He'd been sitting on the couch for nearly a half an hour, staring at the paused shot of Shane and his partner kissing passionarly, trying to collect himself enough to drive to the hotel where he knew Shane was waiting for him. He barely blinked as he focused on the still screen, but his lips trembled as he managed to speak the name that suddenly became synonomous with everything Hunter hated from the darkest part of his heart.

"Austin..."

Hunter drove toward the hotel with his foot crushing the pedal into the floorboard. His knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel, afraid he'd jerk it and slam into the guard rail if he let up. He stared straight ahead, watching the yellow line with blank hazel eyes. One thought continually ran through his head, replaying itself over and over, the same way he'd watched the tape that was laying in the seat beside him.

Austin. Austin. Austin. Austin. Austin. Austin.

It sounded strange after having said it so often. It almost seemed foreign as it rolled easily off his tongue. He'd said the name so many times before, but now it was different. Before, he'd just been a co-worker; perhaps Hunter would have gone as far as to call him a friend. Not anymore. The man didn't even exist to Hunter. He was nothing--nothing except a hand that slide over Shane's body as though he belonged to it. The gentle touches captured forever on the tape weren't just meaningless details during a routine fuck.

They were something more. They were loving--they were adoring--as though he was worshipping the body of a god. It showed they'd done that very same thing many times before. The hand knew the features and contours of Shane's body as though it could move over them on its own. Hunter could close his eyes and imagine just the way Shane looked, but that damn hand moved as though it had created him.

"It's just a goddamn hand!" he roared suddenly, breaking the thick silence in which he had been riding.

He tired to convince himself of that. It was just a hand, but it was Austin's hand moving over Shane's body. Shane belonged to Hunter, everyone knew it. They'd been together for three years. It was unthinkable for someone to even approach Shane with anything but the purest intentions in mind. It was an unwritten mandate. Touch him, look at him, or even breathe in Shane's direction and you might as wel have signed your own death certificate. Only a few stupid fools had dared to break the rules, and all of them immediately knew not to even think about doing it again.

Who the fuck did Steve Austin think he was? Did the rules of love no longer include fidelity? Austin had defiled Shane, the perfect creature Hunter had come to absolutely adore, and he would never be pure again. But that was just the thing. Watching them, witnessing a very private act such as that, should have seemed dirty...or at least wrong. Hunter had watched twenty-five minutes of sheer, unadulterated beauty. The vision of them holding each other should have been made into a portrait and put in some gallery.

That's why it chilled Hunter to the marrow and threw gasoline onto the fire of rage threatening to consume him. He didn't even have to experience it to know that in the span of three years, he and Shane had never had a moment like that. That was something so completely unknown to Hunter that it hurt. He though he'd seen the look of love and contentment in Shane's eyes before, but he had been so obscenely wrong it should have been a crime against the love he thought he had found in Shane.

Hunter made the turn into the hotel parking lot, quickly found a spot, then turned off the car and sat silent for a moment. A million courses of action whirred in his head, but one stuck out and tormented him. It was unthinkable, yet it was the only thing he could think of. He was sure it would come to him when the moment arrived. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the tape and pushed open the door, leaving the keys in the ignition. He'd be leaving again soon enough.

He'd take care of Austin later. First, he had Shane to deal with.

It doesn't really seem I'm getting through to you
Though I see you weeping so sweetly
I think that you might have to take another taste
A little bit of hell this time

Hunter had to stand outside the hotel room for a good five minutes before he was calm enough to go inside. He slid the key card into the slot and pushed open the door, the video tape clutched tightly in his hand.

Shane was laying sprawled across the queen size bed, his chin propped up by his hands as he watched the television with a bored expression. He looked up as Hunter entered and a brilliant smile spread across his face. "What took you so long!?!"

Being a wrestler had helped to fine tune Hunter's acting skills. He plastered on a smile and casually set the video tape on the dresser. "Sorry, baby. I had some business to take care of, and it took longer than I thought it would. You haven't been waiting long, have you?"

Shane sat up and shook his head. "I had to do a few things, too. I just got here."

"Good," Hunter replied, taking off his watch and putting it on the dresser beside his wallet. "I got a movie for us. I figured we could stay in tonight and watch it."

Shane regarded him strangely, scooting to the edge of the bed. "Hunt, you hate watching movies. You kick and scream every time I try to get you to watch one with me."

Hunter paused only a split second and shrugged as he put the tape in the VCR and picked up the remote. "Well, I guess I'll just have to suffer through it. I know how much you like them, and I know this is a movie you're going to love just like I did."

"You've already seen it?" Shane asked as Hunter sat down and he threw himself across his lap, looking up at him curiously.

Hunter nodded. "Yeah, but I can just watch it again."

Shane shrugged and settled himself, crossing his arms and laying his head on them as he turned to the television. "If you say so."

"I definitely do," Hunter responded, pushing play on the remote.

It only took a few minutes for the tape to start, and Hunter felt Shane suddenly tense. He moved his hand onto his back and slid it up and down the curve of his spine as the tape progressed forward, shoving the images back into Hunter's face and evoking the same reactions as it had before.

"See, I told you you'd love it," Hunter whispered quietly, his voice shaking a little. "You sure as hell seem to be loving it to have him fuck you."

Shane tried to sit up, but Hunter held him down easily. He attempted to turn his head, but Hunter forced him to watch. "I don't think so, Shane. I had to sit in my dressing room and watch this, so you can do the same damn thing."

"Hunter, please--"

"Shut up, Shane," Hunter hissed suddenly. "You're going to watch every fucking minute of this, and you're not going to say another word until it's over."

And he didn't. They sat there motionless until the tape was over, and Hunter immediately hit rewind and began playing it again. "So, Shane...are you going to explain why the hell I had to learn about this from a goddamn video tape and watch you get fucked by someone else? You going to tell me why the fuck this got delivered to my door in the first place?"

Shane lifted his head, tears pouring over his cheeks. "I love him, Hunter."

Lie to me
Is he not right?
Is he insane?
Will he now run for his life in the battle that ends this day?
Is he not right?
Is he insane?
Will he now run for his life now that he lied to me?

Hunter sat motionless for a moment, then roughly pushed Shane out of his lap and leaped to his feet. "You love him? You fucking love him, Shane?"

Shane sat up, pulling his feet up under him and wrapping his arms around himself tightly. He nodded slowly, his tears dripping onto the sheets with soft plops. "Yes. I love him."

"And when the fuck were you going to tell me this?" Hunter shouted, bending down closer to him, their faces just inches apart. "On our four fucking year anniversary, Shane? When I asked you to marry me!?! When we're fifty and sitting on our goddamn front porch!?!"

"Hunter, please..." he sobbed pitifully, turning his head away. "I didn't want you to be angry."

"Oh, why would I be angry, Shane?" Hunter replied harshly, standing up to pace around the room like a caged tiger. "Because my boyfriend is getting fucked by someone who isn't me? Because I trusted you and you fucking betrayed me? Because you lied to me when you told me you loved me!?!"

Shane looked up, shaking his head. "You know that's not true, Hunter. I do love you."

"You just told me you love him, and then you can say that?" Hunter spat, glaring at him. "How the fuck can you live with yourself?"

Shane wiped his eyes with a shaking hand. "Hunter, I do love you, but I love him, too. It's two different kinds of love."

"Listen to yourself, Shane," Hunter said quietly. "Do you even hear what you're saying?"

"I knew you'd act like this," Shane whispered, looking away. "I knew you wouldn't listen to me even if I tried to explain."

"Then explain it to me," Hunter snarled. "Explain to me why it is that I had to watch something like this when I thought we had the best goddamn thing going in the world. Explain to me how you can sit there and cry like a fucking baby like you're the victim here. Explain that to me, Shane."

Shane stood up suddenly, shaking his head. "No. I'm just going to leave. You're too angry to listen to me. Nothing I can say is going to make a difference." He took a few steps toward the door before Hunter caught him by the arm and yanked him back, throwing him onto the bed.

"I don't fucking think so, you little bitch," Hunter hissed, glaring down at him. "You're not going anywhere. You're going to sit right there and give me one good reason why I shouldn't beat the living hell out of you and leave your ass here for this."

Shane looked up at him, terror shining in his eyes. "Hunter, please calm down."

Hunter laughed, a sound that scared even himself. "I'm perfectly calm and thinking very clearly." His smile faded as he leveled his gaze back onto him. "I think it's time you made a little phone call."

Steve Austin was nervous. Really fucking nervous.

And he never got nervous. It just wasn't something he did. He could look at a situation and evaluate it without losing his cool. It was a talent he'd developed over the years, and it had served him very well. It afforded him the upper hand in most anything because he could separate himself from his emotions.

But as he rode the elevator up to the sixth floor of the hotel where his lover was staying, he found himself more nervous than he had ever been in his entire life.

He knew something was up when he'd gotten the phone call from Shane ten minutes earlier. He was supposed to have been spending the night with Hunter, and they had plans to meet up the next day after Hunter had flown back to the coast. They'd have three days together before Shane had to fly out and meet his long-time boyfriend, leaving Steve to miss and pine for him until they were together again.

It wasn't like Shane to change the plan. He knew how important it was that they work together to make their affair go smoothly. If Hunter found out, it was the end for both of them. Something was up, and Steve didn't like not knowing what it was. Shane had sounded strange on the phone, and that was worrying him more than anything. They'd been together long enough for Steve to know when Shane was upset. He knew every tone of his voice and every expression that Shane made. He knew him better than he knew himself, and by the sound of his voice over the phone, something was seriously up.

He paused in front of the door for only a split second before knocking with three short raps. He heard Shane's voice from the other side, weak and shaky. "It's open."

He pushed open the door, and as it opened, he saw Shane spread out on the bed, laying on his back, completely naked. He started to smile, but as he went farther into the room and saw Hunter sitting in a chair beside the bed, his smile instantly died on his lips. The look on Hunter's face worried him.

The gun in his hand, pointed directly at Shane, worried him even more.

"Hello, Steve," Hunter said in a flat, deadly tone. "So nice of you to join us. Shut the fucking door, would you please?"

Steve shut the door immediately, having the urge to run screaming from the room for help. The terrified expression on Shane's face kept his feet planted to the floor. "Hunter, calm down, okay? Let's talk about this."

"Yes, Steve, let's talk about this," Hunter answered, moving the pistol so that it was pointed chest level at him. "Why don't you have a seat so we can have a nice long chat?"

Steve nodded and moved to sit on the bed, but Hunter shook his head. "On the floor."

Steve obeyed instantly, fighting the screaming of his knees as he sat down on the floor, his eyes never leaving the gun in Hunter's hand. "I know what you must be thinking--"

"No, I don't think you do," Hunter cut him off sharply. "You have no fucking idea what I'm thinking, but you're going to find out." He brought the gun up so that the barrel pointed directly at Steve's head. "Strip."

"What?" Steve quipped, not believing what he had heard.

"I said strip, goddammit," Hunter snarled, standing up. "Take off your fucking clothes before I shoot you in the fucking head."

Mortification burning inside him, Steve stood and fumbled with the buckle on his belt. He removed his clothing quickly, unable to lift his head as Hunter glared at him. "Good. Now get on that bed right there, and don't you fucking dare look away. I want you looking right at Shane, right into those pretty brown eyes of his."

Steve scrambled to comply, feeling more scared for Shane than for himself. He climbed onto the bed, only drawing as close to Shane as he dared, and waited for Hunter to speak again.

Hunter nodded, sitting back down in the chair, the gun still pointed at Steve and not wavering a bit. "Good. Now fuck him."

Steve stared at him, his jaw threatening to hit the floor. "Hunter--"

"You fuck him right this instant, and you fuck him so hard it rips him in half," Hunter hissed, his jaw clenched. "Fuck him, or I'll put a bullet in his head right now."

Shaking with fear and humiliation, Steve moved over Shane, who clamped his eyes shut as he shivered and quaked with fear. He reached for him, wishing he could comfort him somehow, whisper in his ear that it would be all right, though he knew that it wouldn't. He placed his hand delicately on Shane's hip before Hunter voiced a protest.

"No, not like that," he said sternly. "Get him on his hands and knees. Fuck him like the bitch he is."

Steve winced at the words, and gingerly urged Shane to roll over. He did, weakly pushing himself up to his hands and knees, his head hanging low. Steve kneeled behind him, desperately wanting to do something to stop what was about to happen, but the look in Hunter's eye and the gun pointed at them both spoke volumes and held him powerless.

"I'm sorry," Steve whispered as he grasped Shane by the hips and pushed into him, no preparation or lube to aid him. Shane sobbed in agony, his back arching up as fresh tears rolled over his cheeks. Steve didn't move, hoping to give him some relief from what he was enduring, but sure enough, Hunter had other ideas.

"I said fuck him," he growled, and Steve could feel the gun pointed at him. "Fuck him until I say you can stop."

Steve's knees wobbled beneath him as he thrust into Shane, his every movement sending a new shock of pain through him. Hunter watched intently, his eyes focused on him, and Steve felt his stomach retch as he saw Hunter unbutton his jeans out of the corner of his eye and unabashedly reach down to stroke the erection pushing through. The son of a bitch was getting off on seeing someone he claimed to love being brutalized. It was enough to make him sick.

"Harder, goddammit," Hunter growled and Steve complied, driving himself again into Shane, feeling the smaller man buckle under the assault. Everything in Steve's body screamed that it was wrong, but he felt the slow burn of arousal creeping from within him. It was purely physical as the clenching of Shane's muscles closed tightly around him, and he fought with everything he had not to groan as he felt his body leaning toward a climax he didn't want to have.

"How does that feel, Shane?" Hunter snarled, stroking himself faster as he watched. "That's what you did to me. You fucked me just as surely as he's fucking you now. You told me loved me. You fucking lied to me, Shane, and you're never going to lie to me again after tonight."

Steve ignored the implications in Hunter's words. He thought only of Shane, of the misery and torture he was going through, and it broke his heart that he was the one doing it to him. He wanted to pull Shane into his arms and comfort him--tell him how much he was loved, and how he'd take him away from everything. Instead, he was forced to push into him harder, every thrust taking another piece of Steve's soul away from him.

Hunter stood suddenly as Steve's tempo involuntarily slowed again. He crossed to the bed, his pants hanging loosely on his hips, and Steve shuddered as he placed the tip of the gun to the back of Shane's head.

"You fuck him like I told you to, or you'll be fucking a corpse in about three seconds," he hissed. "I want you to fuck him until you can't help but cum in that sweet, tight little ass of his."

Steve's stomach lurched again at his words, but necessity forced him to struggle on, picking the pace back up until he was slamming into Shane, who whimpered and wailed at every motion. The sooner he came, the sooner this would be over for Shane, so Steve concentrated on the memories of he and Shane from the past. All the nights they'd laid in each other's arms, no thoughts on their minds except each other. All the times they'd made love, knowing it was wrong but only doing what they felt in their hearts was right. The smile on Shane's face that he never saw any other time than when they were together.

Steve felt himself shudder and shake, and he nearly sobbed with relief as his release flooded out of him. He collapsed against Shane with a broken sigh, but he had little time to recover before Hunter pushed him over and roughly yanked Shane up by his wrist, throwing him onto the ground.

"Get into that chair, you fucking bitch," he roared. Shane, battered and bloody from the savage assault forced upon him, pulled himself up into the chair. Tear stains streaked his cheeks as he stared at the floor, pulling his knees up to his chest. Hunter watched him for a moment then shook his head. "You look up here. You look at your precious little fuck on the side now. And if you take your eyes off him, the same thing applies. I'll put a clip full of bullets into him faster than you can blink."

Shane's eyes immediately focused on Steve, who struggled to regain his composure. They exchanged a glance, no words needed to express the things behind their eyes, but the glance was broken when Hunter drove his fist into the middle of Steve's stomach. The older man doubled over, coughing violently, and Hunter only laughed. "It's about to get a whole hell of a lot worse than that."

Steve fought to defend himself, but could only allow Hunter to push him to his hands and knees the same way Shane had been. Steve gritted his teeth, pushing the pain and nausea down as he realized what was about to happen. Hunter climbed onto the bed behind him, one hand holding the gun pointed right at Shane, the other working to push his jeans off his hips. He shuddered involuntarily as he felt Hunter's hand on his hip.

"Now you watch, Shane," he whispered, glaring at the terrified brunette. "You want me to do him what I had to watch him do to you. You watch me fuck him, and you watch him when he cums because of it. You think about how it felt to watch him touch you, kiss you, fuck you...you think about that." He turned back, the gun still leveled on Shane, and grasped Steve roughly by the hips, ramming himself inside.

Tears sprung to Steve's eyes as the searing pain raced through every inch of his body. He'd never been on the receiving end of sex, and his first time was not something he would remember as pleasurable in the least. Hunter groaned low in his throat and braced his hands on Steve's back, the cold metal of the gun pressing against his skin. Steve had only a split second to prepare himself for what was to come before Hunter thrust deeply into him, sending a bolt of pain that ran all the way up Steve's spine and shot back down to his toes. Though the tears stayed in his eyes, he refused to let them fall. He refused to give that to the maniacal asshole who held both his and Shane's life in his hand. If nothing else, he could say he had never cried through the whole thing.

"How does that feel, Austin?" Hunter growled, thrusting into him over and over at a bone-jarring base. "How does it feel? How does it feel to have me ripping you apart?"

Steve couldn't voice a reply, biting his lip so hard that it bled. Despite the way it was happening and how Steve was trying to ignore it, he felt that tugging that started in his gut and ran all the way to the base of his cock. Hunter was hitting his sweet spot with every muderous thrust, and though he tried to keep himself from it, Steve felt himself responding to the brutal thrusts Hunter was directing into him. His back ached and his knees were throbbing with pain, and all the while, he could see Shane staring at him, tears continually rolling over his cheeks. He shuddered to think of what Shane was going through, though with every push into him, Steve had a pretty good idea.

"Look at him, Shane," Hunter rasped, his voice ragged. "Watch as I pound into him. He's tight and hot...just like you. Actually, fucking him is better than fucking you." He punctuated his statement with a deep thrust that renewed the blinding pain and stroked the arousal inside him at the same time.

Goddamn Hunter to hell for this. Steve knew him shouldn't have been getting any pleasure out of the sadistic torture Hunter was putting them through, but it was impossible for him to deny the cries of his body that were invariably responding to the motions Hunter was using against him. Hunter was having his revenge, that was the important thing. Once he was done proving his point, they might be able to escape with some semblance of sanity between them.

If they were able to escape at all.

Is he really telling lies again?
Doesn't he realize he's in danger?
The little bitch she went and she told
A LIE and now she will never tell another A LIE
NEVER FUCKING LIE TO ME!

He could feel Hunter stiffening against him as the thrust became slower but nonetheless still rough enough to make Steve bite his lip. "Come on, Austin. You're gonna cum with me fucking you like this. You're going to show Shane that I've got the power. I still don't know if he realizes just what I'm capable of."

Steve felt a shudder run through him as Shane gasped quietly, chewing on his lip. He pleaded with Steve to comply with just a frightened look, and Steve did his damnedest to give Hunter what he wanted--if nothing else, at least for Shane's sake. He let out a groan, hating every bit of what he was surrendering, and arched his back, pretending to relinquish control so Hunter would hurry up and finish.

"That's it," Hunter purred, sounding almost seductive. "You like having me fuck you, don't you, Austin? You like me ripping you apart like this. I want you to scream my name when you cum all over yourself. I want to hear my name." Steve fought not to throw up at the sound of his words. He couldn't...he just couldn't. There was no way.

His mind suddenly changed as he felt Hunter's cold hand stroking his cock as it lay unattended beneath him. He groaned, arching his back more and threw his head back, gasping for air. "Say it, Austin...say my fucking name and this can all be over..."

Steve felt his knees go weak, and he struggled to keep himself together. His vision was going hazy, though every bit of it was bitter-fucking-sweet. Every thrust and stroke drove him crazy with lust but stuck the knife further into his back, and further into Shane's heart at the same time. He tried with every bit of might he had to silence the urge to howl like crazy, but it was bubbling up inside him and would soon boil over.

"Just say it," Hunter snarled again, thrusting into him in rapid succession. "Say it, goddamn you!"

He reached beneath again and gave Steve's cock one long, slow stroke from base to tip and it was his undoing. He groaned loudly, his split lip aching even more as the name of the man he hated more than anything in the world came rolling out over it.

"Huuuunnnnnttttttteeeerrrrr..."

Hunter growled and stiffly pushed into him one last time, and a moment later, Steve felt the sickening sensation of his release flooding into him. His own cock leaked with his climax as it shot out in spasmodic gushes, staining the bedsheets beneat him. Shane's eyes had never left the scene, but the sadness behind them was so apparent, it broke Steve's heart.

Hunter took only a moment to compose himself before withdrawing, leaving Steve shaking and shuddering with soreness. He moved to one side as not to lay in the gooey puddle on the sheets and lifted his eyes to Hunter as he gingerly sat back. The blonde quickly zipped his pants back up and tucked his shirt in perfectly. Only the hazy look in his eye gave away his state of momentary disarray. "Now that that's been taken care of..." he turned slightly and focused his gaze and the tip of the gun directly at Shane's chest.

Steve stuttered out a protest. "Now, wait a fucking minute! You got what you wanted. You did what you set out to do, so just leave Shane alone. He's been through enough."

Hunter looked at him, almost incredulous at his words. "He's been through enough? He's been through enough?" He laughed, a sound that scared Steve more than anything. "He hasn't been through anything yet. He hasn't been through anything like what I've been through."

He stepped closer to Shane, looking coldly at him. "Do you know what it's like to have someone you love betray you, Austin? For someone to who devoted your life to take all the love and caring you've given them and turn around and give it back to someone else? Do you have any idea how it feels to watch that person as he's fucked by someone else?"

Steve couldn't answer. A bitter taste filled his mouth as he watched Hunter look down at Shane, his gaze turning almost tender--if tenderness was wrapped in a thick blanket of malice.

"I loved you, Shane," Hunter whispered, his lip trembling. "I loved you more than anything in this entire fucking world, and what did you do? You threw it away to be with him."

Shane stared back up at him, his formerly terrified expression turning it something that closely resembled apathy. He didn't say anything, but he didn't break the intense gaze he and Hunter were sharing.

"So what I want now is an apology," Hunter said quietly, scratching his eyebrow with the tip of the gun. "I want you to tell me how sorry you are for what you've done, and I want you to beg for my forgiveness."

Shane stared defiantly at him, his eyes flicking only briefly over to Steve. "Never."

Hunter blinked, his eyes going wide with disbelief then narrowing to a piercing gaze. "Say it, Shane. Say it right now, or I'm going to get very angry."

Shane took a slight breath.

"Never."

Hunter stepped toward him, the gun pointed directly between his eyes. "Goddammit, Shane, you fucking say it or else."

"Never."

With every repeat of the word, Steve felt his heart starting to beat faster. What Shane was doing was unbelievably brave and noble, but it made Steve uneasy. Hunter was obviously past the point of instability, and God only knew what it would take to set him off. He didn't want to think about what could happen if Shane pushed him just a little too far. He sucked in his breath sharply as Hunter shoved the tip of the pistol under Shane's chin so hard that he could see Shane visibly grimacing as the tip dug into his flesh.

"You say it, or so help me God, I'll pull this trigger and paint the walls with your brains," Hunter whispered harshly, leaning in so that his forehead rested almost against Shane's. "Say it, Shane, or I swear I'll kill him first and make you watch before I do the same to you."

Shane stared up at him, his lower lip trembling slightly. He swallowed hard as Hunter pushed the gun harder under his chin. "Now, do you have something to say, Shane?"

Shane nodded slightly, enough so Steve could see that he was in fact nodding. Hunter stepped back, letting the gun fall to his side as he looked at Steve cowering on the bed. "Then say it, Shane. Let me here you."

Steve lifted his eyes at locked his gaze with Shane's as the words left his lips.

"I love you, Steve."

The next few seconds passed no more quickly than normal, but Steve could feel them each as they ticked by. He heard the words just as Shane closed his eyes. Hunter made a half turn, gun raised, and fired one shot that struck Shane at his temple. The wall behind him became covered with a bloody mess as he slumped forward instantly, his blood spilling down onto the carpet. The sound of the gunshot was the only thing that alerted Steve as to what had happened. He felt it resonate through his chest, but he didn't jump. His eyes never left the lifeless form of the only man he had ever loved.

Hunter held the gun out at arm's length for a long moment after he had pulled the trigger. He didn't move or say anything for the longest time until suddenly, something seemed to snap inside him and he dropped his arms, his eyes going wide.

"Oh my God..." he whispered, his voice cracking. "Oh my fucking God...fuck fuck fuck...what the fuck have I done..."

Steve had no answers for him. No one did.

Hunter turned and looked at Steve, his eyes wide with terror. "I didn't mean to. I'd never...I love him...I didn't..." His words came in a jumbled string of nonsense, and Steve could only watch as he fumbled for a grasp on the reality that was slowly slipping away from him.

Tears started flowing over Hunter's cheeks as he looked at the body of his long-time lover. "Oh, Shane...God, Shane...I'm so sorry...please forgive me...please please please...I'm nothing without you...oh, fuck, Shane...fuck!"

Steve made no move to stop him as Hunter turned and looked at him, then raised the gun to the side of his head and pulled the trigger. He didn't even look as Hunter fell dead to the ground. Steve pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged them tightly as he stared at Shane, his eyes closed in a peaceful look, a hint of a smile curling the edge of his mouth.

"Game over," Steve whispered as the walls he had built around him came tumbling down.