Title: The Lie Behind His Eyes
Author: NeroAnne
Disclaimer: I do not own the wrestlers in this fic. Nor, will I ever.
Summary: Jeff likes to let everyone think that he's happy being alone. He claims that love isn't real. What if it were all a lie though? Caused by years of hidden abuse? And what if the only one who can see it…is the one who "hates" him the most? SLASH.
Note: These are memories.
Jeff shook his head. "You left," he whispered. "You took advantage of me…then left." His eyes darkened. "And now you're back again."
Chris shrugged. "Well, I couldn't find any other whores with that good of a mouth."
Jeff shook in anger. "Well, you're going to have to try harder," he hissed. "I'm through with you."
He grunted as he was shoved roughly into the door. He looked up, his brave front suddenly gone. Chris had only ever verbally abused him…never had he been so violent.
Chris smiled sweetly down at him. "I don't want you, Jeff. I've never wanted you." He roughly gripped Jeff's chin. "I want…your brother. You, however, set him up with that Morrison kid."
How the hell did he ever know that?
"They're happy together," Jeff snapped. "You can't have Matt." He swallowed thickly when Chris gave him a creepy smirk.
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Jeff." Chris patted Jeff's cheek roughly, glaring down at him. "You're going to break them up for me."
Jeff shoved Chris away, "Yeah? What makes you think so?" he stepped back in surprise when the big man lunged at him, roughly slamming him into the wall. "You can't hit me," Jeff whispered, "I'm wrestling tomorrow. People will see, and I will tell."
"No, you won't." Chris smirked, "You haven't told anyone now…you never told them how I would abuse you…never told them how many times I forced you to do things you didn't want to do."
Jeff lowered his eyes.
"Face it, Jeff. In some odd way…you still care for me. You don't want to get me in trouble…you want to help me in any way you can." Chris glared down at him, "because without me…you're nothing."
Jeff said nothing.
"Remember you're fat…remember you're ugly…remember that you'll never be able to have someone to love…because everything you wish you had…your brother already does." Chris twirled a lock of Jeff's hair, "Doesn't that make you mad, Jeff? Knowing that Matt is happy…"
"No." Jeff whispered. "I want him happy…"
"No you don't," Chris whispered. "You want him miserable…just like you are. You want him to hurt…just like you're hurting. I can do that, Jeffrey. I can make him hurt…and I can make you happy…if you just help me."
Jeff stared into his eyes.
"I love you…please, help me?" Chris whispered.
Jeff snarled.
"Fuck you!" Jeff shoved the big idiot away from him, kicking him hard in the ribs. "You don't love me! You've never loved me! There is nothing you can ever do to make me help you! Matt doesn't belong to you and he never will!" he kicked Chris harder, "Do you hear me?! I said no!"
…That would have been perfect…if it had actually happened.
Jeff stared into Chris's eyes, his body trembling. "No…Matt is happy with John…you leave him alone."
Chris chuckled, heading towards the door, "Oh, Jeffrey…you stupid, fat failure…I'm not giving this up and you know I'm not. I'll keep coming after you…just to get to Matt." He slowly opened the door. "Oh…and one more thing."
Jeff turned his head slightly and gasped in surprise when his mouth was slapped roughly. He tripped against his bags, landing on the floor. Okay. Now he was scared shitless.
He watched Chris leave his room and he bit his bottom lip, trying not to cry. 'No…'
-Next Morning-
He had to force himself to leave the room. Jeff nervously touched at his swollen lip, wincing at the slight sting. He prayed that with the dark lipstick he had on, and the dark purple/nearly black dye-job, no one would notice.
"…And just when I thought you couldn't be any gayer."
Jeff lifted his head quickly. He sighed, "Not now, Phil." He tried to move past the ravenette.
Phil smirked, following after Jeff. "No, no. It's a nice shade, I swear. You look like Matt, which is an improvement."
Jeff clenched his fist.
"It's the wrong shade. If you're going to make me happy by pretending to be Matt, then dye your hair the fucking right color."
"I said," Jeff growled, "Not now." He tried to quicken his pace.
"…Wait a minute."
Jeff sighed as his wrist was grabbed, "What?" he asked, exasperated.
Phil narrowed his eyes, moving closer.
Jeff moved his face away, staring at him in annoyed shock. "What the hell," he murmured quietly, "are you doing?"
Phil didn't answer. He moved his thumb up, rubbing off the black lipstick. He stared at the swollen red lips underneath. "…Hardy…"
Jeff avoided those olive eyes. "…I tripped."
"Sure. You tripped and just happened to catch someone's fist with your mouth." Phil shook his head, "Look, Hardy…I know I give you a hard time, but that doesn't mean I want to see you get beat up on. Are you…getting hurt, man?"
Jeff stared blankly at him. Those pretty eyes stared back at him. He smiled slowly, ducking his head. "…Olive."
Phil raised an eyebrow, "Come again?"
"Your eyes…they're olive colored. Pretty."
Phil's eyes narrowed. "…Jeff…"
Shaking his head ruefully, Jeff began to walk again. "Don't give up on yourself, Punk. Maria was a good catch, but she isn't the world. I heard that Hawkins kid talking to some of the guys about you. Go for it."
Phil watched him, his mouth turning into a frown. "I'm…I'm not gay, Jeff."
Jeff smiled, turning to glance at him. "Never know unless you try…" he walked on, ducking his head.
"Remember you're fat…remember you're ugly…remember that you'll never be able to have someone to love…"
"I remember." Jeff murmured. "I remember."
"Oh, come on!" Matt grinned, playing with a strand of Jeff's hair. "What's this for?"
Jeff smiled playfully, "I ran out of bright colors, sue me." He accepted the hug from John, careful of his back. "Am I right to assume that you've fucked already?
John smiled, "Well, duh." He wrapped his arm around Matt's waist, "Your brother is way too fucking good at sex."
"That's a bit more than I wanted to know," Jeff winked.
"So, are we still on for tonight?" Matt asked, gently playing with John's hair.
Jeff blinked. "What's tonight?"
"Some of the guys wanted to head to the club. Mostly Randy and Carlito, they wanted to throw a welcome back party for Masters."
Jeff stiffened.
"You remember him, right? I think you guys went on a couple of dates? Well, he re-sighed with the company and we're all going to go down to some club and celebrate."
'No…I don't want to go…'
"I'll keep coming after you…just to get to Matt."
'But I have to…' Jeff smiled up at his brother. "Yeah…we're still on."
-At the Club-
"Damn, Cupid!" Cena stared at Jeff in amazement, "Dude, you look like your brother!"
Matt and Jeff glanced at each other. Jeff frowned, "Does the black hair really make that much of a difference?"
Randy, already drunk of course, wrapped his arm around Jeff. "Matt! You never told us you have another brother! Are you twins? That is awesome. Why don't we all have an orgy? Where's Jeff?!"
Jeff removed himself from Randy, stepping back. "You are too damn wasted," he laughed. He backed up to far, almost tripping over a table.
"Watch it, Hardy!"
Jeff turned around. He smiled. "Ah. So you listened to me then?"
Phil sighed, stroking Hawkins's blonde hair. "I'm experimenting…" rolling his eyes, Phil stood. "I guess I'm supposed to thank you?"
Jeff shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're trying." He walked back towards his brother, who was pecking John softly on the lips. "Hey, is Trish around?"
Matt shrugged, "Eve told me she would be in later. She's still talking to McMahon about being guest host for Raw in the next couple of months."
Jeff nodded, "Okay…" he looked around, watching all the couples. "Everyone looks so happy together…"
Matt turned to Jeff, smiling gently. "All because of you, Jeffro."
Jeff smiled at this. "Hey…it's what I do."
Randy stumbled over to them, "Chris wants to say hi to you guys."
Jeff's hands slowly began to shake. "O-okay."
He watched, his body trembling as Chris's large form came into view. He noticed that the bigger man's eyes were focused on Matt.
"Beautiful as ever," Chris murmured, smiling charmingly at Matt.
Matt's smile became a bit forced. "Thanks, man. You look good too."
Jeff swallowed thickly when Chris turned to look at him. "…Hey, man. Good to have you back."
Chris raised a brow. "That's a good look for you. Maybe you should keep your hair black. You almost look as beautiful as Matt."
Jeff looked away. "Thank you…"
"So, can I buy you a drink?" Chris asked casually. His eyes narrowed at Jeff.
Jeff nodded, "Uh huh…" he followed the big man. He sighed, "Do you see how happy he is with John? Please…couldn't you just leave them be?"
Chris chuckled, patting Jeff's shoulder. "You're a trip, honey-suckle. You know I'm not gonna give it up that easy." He smiled cruelly. "I noticed you came without a date."
"No," Jeff said softly. "I…I don't have someone."
"What you mean…is that you're too fucking ugly to get a guy." Chris handed Jeff a strong drink.
Jeff's eyes narrowed. "…It means that love isn't real." He downed the drink, ignoring the smirk Chris gave him.
"You love me," Chris reminded Jeff calmly. "But I don't love you back. So you see, love is real…just not for you."
Jeff sighed, staring up at the ceiling.
"I mean, who knows…if you dropped that weight and kept your hair that color then you'd probably find someone. After all, that mouth works fucking wonders." Chris chuckled and patted Jeff's hair. "I wonder…if Matt has a better mouth."
Jeff slapped Chris's hand away. "You'll never find out. I'll make damn sure of that."
Chris blinked down at him. "Temper, temper. You seem to forget…" he traced Jeff's painted mouth. "The power I have over you." He smiled. "I'll come over your room tonight. Be sure to rub that gunk off your mouth."
Jeff's eyes widened, watching the guy walk towards his brother again. He shook in anger, his eyes tearing. He turned on his heel, shoving his way through the crowd.
Unknowingly, he slammed into Phil, who turned just in time to catch the tears in Jeff's green eyes.
'Shit, Hardy…what's the matter with you?'
Alright, so, first thing is first.
That little thing in the start where Jeff beat up Chris, it didn't actually happen. It was what Jeff wanted to happen, but the exact opposite happened instead.
Jeff's fiercely protective of Matt and John's relationship.
He doesn't want anything to happen to them, thus putting himself in between Masters and Matt.
Phil isn't going to flat out turn gay. For now, he's only experimenting to get rid of his hurt over Maria.
Jeff's too damaged to even think of telling anyone what's going on. He wants to, but he really doesn't want to know how it'll fall out either.
XD.