The Bet: Eric (EX) vs. Walker (LT) tonywrestles2

The dorms and frathouses reopened a few days after New Year's. Epsilon Xi and Lambda Theta boasted full residency within 48 hours.

If the administration was puzzled by this turn of events, they said nothing to Blake or to Buzz. If they said nothing to Scott, president of Kappa Chi, about his early return, it was because, quite frankly, they didn't notice.

And if the three presidents frequently were seen talking, well, that was all to the good. There was no love lost between Buzz and Scott, that was certain, and there were those very public incidents between Blake and Scott's fraternity brother Kurt. No doubt the boys were simply smoothing out their differences.

Though why that required the presence of the rest of Epsilon and Lambda was something that no one in the administration could explain......

____________________________________________

"I really, REALLY don't want to do this."

Walker looked sourly at his frat brother, his president, and he'd thought, his friend. Buzz caught the look and returned it with an annoyed scowl.

"I don't give a damn," he said. "You're defending the honor of Lambda House. So get out there and don't screw up. I've got a lot of plans for Eric."

"Which will get shot to hell if I lose," Walker reminded him."Well, then, you'll just have to make sure that you don't lose, won't you?" Buzz replied nastily. "Now quit bitching like a woman and warm up!"

Walker was about halfway through his prematch routine when the door opened and Scott poked his head in. "Fifteen minutes, guys," he told him.

"Scotty," Buzz gushed, "I gotta tell you, I really appreciate you cuttin' your vacation short to ref this match. I owe you one."

"No, you and Blake owed me, past tense, five hundred each," Scott corrected, "and, since your checks actually cleared, I'm just fulfilling my end of the deal."

"Y'know," Buzz said in as offhand a manner as he could manage, "there could be more where that came from." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet just far enough for a tiny corner to show.

Scott laughed softly and without much in the way of genuine mirth. "Buzz," he said, "I don't know what you need to take more, Ethics 101 or Fundamentals of Acting. That was probably the worst attempt at a bribe that I've ever seen. Fifteen minutes, Walker." He shook his head and closed the door as he left the room.

Buzz began to fume as Walker continued to stretch.

Scott was mildly am used to see that Eric was in exactly the same position as Walker had been. They probably had the same routine. "Fifteen minutes, guys," he said.

Blake was sitting in the same spot and position as Buzz, too. "I really have to tell you, I appreciate you cutting your vacation short to help us out, Scott," Blake said. "We really owe you one."

Scott rolled his eyes. "It was a choice between visiting my senile grandmother in Buffalo and freezing my balls off for free, or coming back early for a thousand bucks. Guess how long I thought about it?"

"Well, Scott," Blake replied, "I mean that I REALLY appreciate your being here." He reached into his pocket, and pulled out his wallet just enough for a tiny corner to show.

If Rod Serling shows up, I'm outta here, Scott thought. "Blake," he said, "I didn't think I could see a more pathetic attempt at a bribe than Buzz's try a few minutes ago. Until now. Ten minutes, Eric."

Blake flushed with anger and embarrassment as Scott left the room.___________________________________________Scott had agreed to serve double duty as ref and announcer; it saved Blake and Buzz from having to pay off someone else for what am ounted to five minutes' work. He took the mike in his hand and addressed the assembled men of Epsilon and Lambda."I was told that you all knew what was happening tonight," he began, "but since neither source can read without moving his lips, I'll go over it again. Tonight's match is two out of three falls, pin or submission, with the winner's frat getting the loser through the first week of classes." His tone made it abundantly clear what he thought of the whole thing.

"Introducing first, from California, bright-eyed and bright-smiled but not very bright, standing six foot two and weighing two hundred pounds, from Epsilon Xi, Eric!"

Eric strode from the dressing area with Blake right behind him. He slapped the hands of the Epsilon men along the aisle, but the look he shot Scott as he climbed into the ring was less than friendly.

"And his opponent," Scott continued, "from Oklahoma, where men are men and their wives are also their first cousins, standing five foot eleven and weighing one hundred eighty five pounds, representing Lambda Theta, the frat that makes Epsilon Xi look like Phi Beta Kappa, Walker!"

Walker was halfway down the aisle when his name was called, with Buzz behind him. If Eric was annoyed, though, Walker was apathetic. He didn't seem to care about Scott's insults, Buzz's whispered instructions, or the match itself.

Blake and Buzz climbed out of the ring. The crowd was ready, the wrestlers were ready, and the referee was ready to pack it in and read some Proust.

Scott called for the bell....

The two men locked into a collar and elbow, and Walker forced Eric back until the bigger man's back was touching the ropes. Scott ordered a clean break, and Walker patted Eric on the chest before stepping back.

They locked up again, and this time Eric pushed Walker into the ropes. Scott repeated his order, but Eric patted Walker on the cheek before he stepped back.

Walker charged after him and nailed him with a forearm across the jaw. He kneed Eric in the stomach, doubling him over, grabbed his head with one hand and his trunks with another, and brought him up and over with a vertical suplex.

His earlier apathy gone, Walker leaped onto the second rope, waited until Eric had gotten to his knees, leaped into the air, and brought both his fists down onto Eric's neck. As Eric collapsed to the mat, Walker was right behind him with a kneedrop to the back of his head.

Walker dragged Eric to his feet, suckerpunched his stomach, and then ran him through the ropes and out of the ring by his hair! Eric landed hard on the wooden floor outside the ring, and tried to get to his feet before Scott counted him out while the rest of Epsilon screamed for him to move faster.

Scott had made it to "four" and Eric to the ring apron when Walker charged him. Scott pushed Walker away, and by the time he got back to Eric, the Epsilon man had made it back into the ring. Scott motioned for the two men to continue wrestling.

They locked up, and Walker bulled Eric into the ropes, then whipped him into the opposite side. On the rebound, Walker chopped his hand hard against Eric's chest, but Eric, though staggered, remained on his feet. Walker landed a spinning back kick to Eric's gut, but Eric still would not fall! Walker grabbed Eric and suplexed him, then covered him for the pin.

Scott's hand slapped the mat once, but before it could do so a second time, Eric threw Walker off. Walker dragged Eric to his knees by his hair, but Eric slammed his fist into Walker's stomach, stunning him. Eric got to his feet and forearmed Walker in the face, and Walker reeled from the blow. Eric grabbed his foe by the arm and neck, and sent him into the ropes.

When Walker came flying back, Eric leaped into the air and planted both his feet squarely on Walker's jaw, knocking the Lambda man back and draping his stunned form over the top rope. Eric jumped to his feet, ran to where Walker was draped, and pressed down on his head. Walker began to thrash as the rope cut off his air supply, and Scott ordered Eric to break the choke. Eric jerked once on the rope, and Walker went tumbling to land face down on the other end of the ring.

Eric dropped his elbow down on the back of Walker's neck, then climbed the corner to the top rope. He measured his man--

--and nailed Walker, who'd gotten to his feet, with a dropkick that sent him flying! Eric got to his feet and planted a kick into Walker's stomach that sent him rolling across the mat. He chased after him, dragged him to his feet, and headlocked him. Eric began to run across the mat, going for a bulldog--

But Walker managed to get out of the headlock and Eric went flying into the corner! Walker shook his head to try to clear it, and Eric tried to get back to his feet. Walker recovered first, and kicked Eric hard in the stomach. He forced Eric into the corner, grabbed his arms, planted one foot into Eric's stomach, and tossed him over with a monkey flip. Eric landed hard, and Walker rolled to his feet.

As Walker stalked the still-on-his-knees Eric, the bigger man threw a desperation right into Walker's stomach, but Walker brought both his hands down hard onto Eric's back. He stepped behind the fallen wrestler and tried to apply a camel clutch, but Eric crawled forward and forced Walker to chase him. When the reached the edge of the ring, Eric stopped and, before Walker could stop himself, shoved the smaller man so that he fell through the ropes and out of the ring!

Walker was back in the ring at seven, but the redness on his back and shoulder provided mute testimony to how hard he'd fallen. The two men locked up, then Eric launched Walker into the north ropes and himself into the east!The two men rebounded twice, building speed. Finally, Walker hit the mat, and Eric leaped over him. On the next rebound, Walker was waiting with a big kick right to Eric's gut that sent him down in a fetal position. Walker grabbed Eric's hair in two hands and dragged him slowly and painfully to his feet. He sent him into the ropes, and hit him on the rebound with a clothesline that damn near took Eric's head off!

Eric hit the mat and didn't move. Walker pounced and hooked one of Eric's legs. Scott's hand slapped the mat once....twice...and a third time.

Buzz leaped into the ring to congratulate his man while Blake ran to the fallen Eric and helped him back to the corner. "What day is it?" Blake demanded.

"Pickles?" Eric responded, and Blake swore. If he couldn't get Eric back to reality before the second fall started, Eric would lose by default.....

"I forgot to mention," Scott said, "that this is a two-out-of-three falls match. Although, the shape Eric's in, that may not be possible." The Epsilon men booed him, and he smiled mockingly in response.

Meanwhile, Blake was working feverishly to restore Eric's wits. A cold compress to the head at least gave a semi-coherent response when Blake asked the same question again. Finally, in desperation, Blake took the ice bucket and dumped it down Eric's trunks!

THAT woke him up! Eric came up with such creative theories about Blake's parentage, ancestry, and habits that Scott had to admit that he was impressed. "Forget about his ass," Eric promised Blake, "I'm gonna kick yours!"

"Kick his first," Blake snapped. "Now get out there!"

Eric needed no encouragement. He charged Walker, but Walker was ready, and armdragged him down to the mat. Holding Eric's arm in place with both hands, Walker threw his legs back and came down on the arm with both knees! Eric rolled away and out of the ring, clutching his arm in pain.

Scott began to count as Eric shook his arm to get the feeling back. He took care to stay away from the Lambda side of the arena, and rolled back into the ring when Scott's count reached seven. He charged Walker, forearmed him in the chest, and then dropped his elbow hard on the back of Walker's neck. Walker staggered back and sagged into the corner, hurt.

Eric dragged Walker out of the corner by his hair and nailed him with a kneelift that rattled Walker's teeth and sent him reeling into the ropes. Eric went after him, seized a wrist, and began to twist. Walker's shoulder muscles flexed for the crowd to see as Eric worked the wristlock.

Eric switched to an armbar, inflicting more pressure on Walker's shoulder, when Walker suddenly reached down and lifted Eric into the air! Eric's yell split the night air as Walker bodyslammed him down hard to the mat! Walker brought him up, leaped into the air, and brought the hard crown of his head crashing down on Eric's forehead. Eric hit the mat and desperately tried to clear his head!

Walker hairlifted Eric to his feet, and drove a knee right into Eric's gut. Eric doubled over, and Walker scissored his head with his knees. He grabbed Eric around the waist, lifted him up, and fell back with a piledriver!

Walker strutted, enjoying himself, but his showboating gave Eric a chance to recover. As Walker moved close to him, Eric drove his fist into Walker's abs and staggered the blonde man. Eric climbed to his feet, grabbed Walker by the hair, marched him into the corner, and slammed his head into the buckle! And again! And--

Walker returned the favor! Eric's head hit the buckle and stars exploded behind his eyes. He staggered back with Walker in hot pursuit!

Walker bulled Eric into the corner and monkey-flipped the brunette almost completely across the ring! Eric struggled to his feet, but Walker grabbed him and began to whip him into the opposite corner--

--but Eric reversed it, and just as Walker's back hit the buckle, Eric's knee hit Walker's gut! Walker wheezed as the air was driven from his body. Eric scooped him up, adjusted his body, and then came crashing down with a powerslam! He covered the stunned Walker........

one..........

two.........

.....and Walker kicked out just before Scott's hand hit the mat for the third time. Eric slapped the mat in frustration and dragged Walker to his feet. He got him into position for a piledriver, and jumped into the air to give him added force! Walker thought his skull was going to burst from the impact!Eric launched himself into the ropes, and came flying across the ring to land on the prone Walker! Eric rolled him over and covered him. Scott began to count the pin, but once again, Walker was able to save himself just in the nick of time!Eric wrapped his arms around Walker's head from behind, then slammed his forearm into Walker's chest. Walker collapsed back down to the mat, and Eric dropped his elbow onto Walker's chest. Walker's pecs, already covered in sweat, turned a bright scarlet under all the abuse.

Eric got to his feet and watched as Walker tried to get back to his. He let Walker get as far as his hands and knees before dropping his elbow across the back of Walker's neck. He got down to the mat and snapped on a side headlock, but Walker managed to squeeze his head out and apply a hammerlock! Walker threw his legs into the air, brought his knees down hard onto Eric's forearm and elbow, and enjoyed Eric's cry of pain so much that he did it again!

Eric pounded the mat in agony as Walker twisted his arm to the breaking point. Desperate, he spun out of the hammerlock, but Walker held onto the arm and slammed his forearm down onto it, and pain shot up and down Eric's arm!

Walker brought Eric up, hoisted him, and then dropped him down hard across his knee. With Eric on the mat in pure agony, Walker headed for the corner and climbed to the top. He measured the distance, and then launched himself into the air and landed on Eric three-quarters of the way across the ring! Scott dropped for a pin count.....

....but Eric managed to kick out in time! Both wrestlers took a long moment to try to regain their wind after the strain of the long match.

Walker recovered first. He lifted Eric up and brought him back down with a side suplex. He went back to the corner, climbed the ropes, launched......

......but this time Eric rolled out of the way, Walker's head hit the mat, and the impact knocked him unconscious! Eric rolled him over and covered him.....and Walker did not resist as Scott counted him out.

The ring was suddenly swarming with people as Buzz, Blake, and various members of their frats charged in. One Epsilon man who was pre-med broke a vial under Walker's nose, and Walker came to his senses coughing and gasping.

"There's no way he can go on," the guy said. "He has to forfeit."

"No way!" Buzz screamed. "You ain't stealing the match like that!"

Scott knelt before Walker. "Walker, follow my finger," he ordered. He held his index finger up in front of Walker's eyes, then moved it back and forth. Walker had a lot of trouble following him at first, but eventually managed to do so.

Scott stood up. "I think he can continue," he said. "It's up to him if he wants to quit."

Walker shook his head stubbornly, and Eric shrugged his shoulders. "If he wants to go on, I'm ready," he said.

Scott said, "Fine. The match goes on. Now all you losers get the hell out of the ring, so we can finish this!"

seethed with frustration. Walker was in no shape to fight any more, but without forfeiting the match, there was no way to get him out of there. And Buzz was not about to forfeit the match. Walker would have to find some way of pulling this out.

Scott signalled for the bell to start the third fall, and Eric launched himself at Walker, driving a knee into the still-woozy man's stomach and staggering him with an uppercut to the jaw. Eric sent Walker into the ropes, and met him on the way back with a dropkick that nearly sent Walker's face into the front row.

Eric dragged Walker up, and hurled him into the corner! Walker hit so hard he bounced, and Eric ducked his head and backdropped Walker down to the mat.

As Eric grabbed a handful of hair to bring Walker up to his feet, Walker desperately threw some punches into Eric's abs, but they had nothing behind them. Eric lifted Walker into the air, and nearly broke Walker's back across his knee. He pressed down on Walker's head and legs, inflicting even more pressure on his lower back.Walker submitted almost immediately. Eric released the hold.....with surprising gentleness.....and raised his arms in victory as Scott proclaimed, "The winner.....Eric!!!!! Epsilon gets Walker for a month!!!!"

Buzz was livid! He charged the ring, with the rest of Lambda behind him, but Epsilon outnumbered them to begin with and Scott was clearly not going to help Buzz. "You lost, champ," he told him. "Suck it up and go to bed."

Buzz watched with cold fury as Eric and Michael-Lee gently lifted Walker to his feet and carried him back to the dressing room. Blake watched their progress carefully, but spared a moment to tell Buzz over his shoulder, "We'll send someone by tomorrow for Walker's things. See that they're packed, would you?"

The next morning, Walker found himself in a strange bed. Which wasn't that unusual--Walker wasn't exactly a nun--but for a brief moment he couldn't remember how he'd gotten there.

He rolled over, and remembered: sitting next to the bed was Eric. "Good morning," Eric greeted him. "How do you feel?"

"Hung over," Walker said glumly. "And I didn't even get drunk."

"We figured. Take two of these." He held out some Advil and a glass of water. Walker swallowed the pills and took a drink, and Eric nodded in satisfaction. "We had a couple of our pre-med guys look you over before we put you to bed. You didn't have a concussion, and that's why you woke up here instead of in the hospital. That was a bad shot to the head you took."

"You should have felt it on my end," Walker muttered.

"So, here's the good news: you're on your own today. Blake wants you to rest and recover. The bad news is that the terms of the bet.....that you're ours for a month....are still on. We conference called the other presidents, and the vote was five to three."

"Buzz voted for me. Who else?" Walker asked.

Eric's face grew unhappy. "Actually, Buzz didn't vote for you. Apparently you didn't put up enough of a fight in the third fall. He voted to uphold the bet. Blake, Garrison, and Rick voted to let you off the hook."

Walker's eyes grew hard. "I can't say I'm surprised."

Eric stood and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Blake isn't going to go completely nuts on you. And you won't have to do anything until tomorrow at the earliest. So lie back and relax. The month'll pass by before you know it."

___________________________________________

It passed by, but it was a long one. With the dining halls closed until registration, the boys were on their own for food, and Blake had Walker make the grocery and fast-food runs alone, and pay for all breakfast items. Some fast talking over the phone netted the necessary cash from Walker's dad, but Walker received an earful in return.

As wrestling practice resumed, Walker was designated official tackle dummy, although Doug went easier on him than he usually treated those in that position.

Then there was the singing. Walker had a voice like a crow in mating season, and he never sang if he could help it. Blake ordered him to sing on demand, and Walker had to take the guys' rude reviews of his vocal abilities.

Registration finally arrived, and Walker went to register for his classes--in a full wedding gown with all the trimmings. His face was beet red the entire time, but with Doug playing groom (and looking NICE in his tux) and Hart and Ian playing best men, not even Buzz had the guts to razz him about it.

When registration ended, so did Walker's end of the bet. Blake and Eric helped him pack up his stuff and carry it back to Lambda House. On the way, they ran into Matt, the independent, who shot Walker a baleful glare but said nothing. Walker remembered Jason, Kyle, and Alex joking about the beating they'd given Matt.

As they approached Lambda House, Blake said, "You really were a good guy about this, Walker. If you ever want to switch, we'd be more than happy to have you."

With that, they deposited Walker's stuff on the front porch and were off.