All characters with the exceptions of my oc are coypright WWE inc. Christian Cage appears courtesy of TNA Wrestling. I made no claims regarding the lifestyles of any person, real or real, within. I have received nothing for this work... strictly for your enjoyment.
Chapter 3
February 10th 4:24 p.m.
Okay, so where was I? Confused to say the least. So, much like a certain US president, I took a few days away from the action to clear my head. Right now, the company is giving me so much leeway with my schedule, I could disappear for months and nobody would notice. Except my multicolour-haired friend, who has been sticking to me like a band-aid. Anyhow, I am chillin'. There's nothing more peaceful than lying on a couch with a cold beer and just staring at the ceiling. Even though it has come to my attention that someone, no names mentioned, has plastered a poster of himself right above my couch. I will admit that looking at it does relax me. Scary thought is, I find myself carrying on conversations with it. TMI, I know, but you asked...
Flashback
For instance, I needed to know what happened that night and there is no polite way to ask without sounding like a perv.
So Jeff walks past, nether regions blowing in the wind (or at least the air conditioning) and begins getting his clothes together. I'm standing there, trying to find the right words to express myself... after reading this, you probably can't believe that I'd ever be a loss for words...
"Hey, Jeff, what the hell happened last night?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant about it.
"What do you mean?"
"The last thing I remember is we were crying like a coupla kids..."
Jeff blushes. Oh God, we did it! I think to myself.
"What happened? This is awkward enough for me right now without having to fill in the blanks. This is not Match Game..."
"Last night, Jeff Hardy and Eric Stryker blanked..." I can hear the voice of the late Gene Rayburn in my head. In spite of myself, I chuckle.
Jeff looks lost. Sometime I forget that he is three years younger than me. I was only five when Match Game went off the air, so unless he's a Youtube connoisseur, he probably has no clue what I am rambling about.
"You really don't remember?" Jeff is now fully dressed, except for those weird things he wears on his arms, though I don't even recall if he had them on last night.
"I told you... after we went to pieces, I'm having a hard time figuring things out."
Jeff smirks at my use of the word hard which really makes me think we did it.
"Eric, it was the most incredible night of my life... the way you held me, the way you kissed me... it was like nothing I'd ever experienced before."
Not withstanding the compliment on my romantic side, the thought of what happened next sent a shiver down my back.
"Okay, even assuming we were romantic in my living room, why did only part of us end up in the bedroom?"
"Man, you must've been out of it..."
"That's the only way I'd fuck a guy... you sure you didn't slip a roofie in that beer you threw at me?" Too late, I realize that I've said the last statement aloud. Jeff's resolve is breaking again and the last thing I want is to make him cry again.
"Sometimes my mouth overloads my brain. Disregard that last sentence, okay?"
Jeff swallows hard. Two tears have already run down his face.
Channelling this sensitive side that I never knew I had, I wipe them away from him. I swear to you, those eyes just burn right through me.
"I think we need to get the record straight..." Exhaling loudly, I throw myself on the couch. Jeff cautiously sits on the other end, looking nervous, anxious, scared, I'm not sure which.
"I'm not gonna bite." I joke, watching his impression of Mr. McMahon's 'gulp of fear'. The kid looks kinda cute doing it... no, I will not think like that!!!!! Eventually, he scoots over until he is nestled in my lap. Not exactly what I meant, but it'll do for now. And the way he looked up at me... oh man, it was all I could not to take him right there.... Jesus, what is wrong with me... I've never felt like this before and I can't handle it!!!!!
I'm sure that my pheromones were detectable for miles around. "Please Jeff, I need to know... what happened?"
"It was amazing," he said "I've never felt that safe in someone's arms before... except..." I can feel the tension in him. I know exactly how that sentence was going to end, even if he hadn't broken down yet again.
"Shhh, Jeffy." I'm getting a little misty myself, yet I still fell a sense of self-loathing. All he asked for is some friendship and I'm making him cry every chance I get. "Everything's gonna be alright. I'm here for you." God, I sound like a character in a really bad fanfic, but it seems to work.
The next things out of his mouth floors me. Thank God I'm on the couch.
"I love you Eric..."
And my reply floors me even more.
"I love you too Jeff." I can't believe I just said that, but it feels right. For all my reservations, I finally realize that yes, I am in love with Jeffrey Nero Hardy! And, believe it or not, I don't care if it's wrong... I don't care that the only reason we're together is that I killed his brother. I don't even care that I'm supposedly hetero. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Okay, at least the rest of the day. Even if I can't remember what we did the night before, I sure as hell want to make up for it.
I guess I must've been staring at him like a bloodhound, because Jeff's voice snaps me back to reality.
"What's wrong?" he asks
"Nothing." I answer "I can honestly say I am happy right now."
February 11th, 8 a.m.
Man, is my back sore. We both fell asleep on the couch watching "Thelma and Louise". I'm quite content though to forget about my pain and run my fingers through his long hair, though. "Damn, I need to get some of whatever he uses."
"Mmmf." Jeff rolls over, and sort of wakes up.
"Good morning to you too, sleepyhead." I am tempted to kiss him, but then realize I probably have the worst morning breath on the planet right now. "Can you sit up for a second?" I also need to use the bathroom really bad.
He doesn't move fast enough for me, so I lift him up by the hair, shimmy my legs out from under him, and drop him back down. He hits the arm with an thud.
"Sorry." I apologize while I am halfway to the can. I barely make it as it is... now I know how pregnant women feel; having all that extra weight on my bladder was definitely not something I want to repeat. Next time we decide to watch movies all night, we're doing it in bed. Just as I finish, I hear the doorbell.
"Can you get that?"
The doorbell rings several more times. Quickly washing my hands, I run to the door, passing Jeff, who has fallen asleep again. "I guess not."
Just pausing long enough to make sure my jeans are zipped, I fling the door back. Adam and Jay are standing there, looking confused.
"Can I help you?" I ask
"Yeah. We're looking for Jeff. Someone told us he was staying with a friend, but..."
"You didn't figure it was me, eh?" I let it slide. "D'you want to come in? It looks like there's some nasty weather on the way."
"Don't mind if we do." Though I have a five-minute acquaintance with Adam, and had never officially met Jay, they immediately make themselves at home, complete with muddy boots on my floor, overcoats thrown anywhere, Adam plopping himself in my favorite chair while Jay heads for my fridge.
"So, Eric, I know we aren't exactly close, and I don't want to get too personal, but...:"
"You're wondering WTF is going on, right?"
"Pretty much."
"You know, Adam, I wish I knew... holy crap, doesn't TNA feed you?" Jay has just returned, and it looks like he emptied my entire fridge onto a plate.
"Want some?" He asks, holding out a chicken leg to me. I'd say yes, but it looks like someone's dog has already gnawed on it.
"I'll pass." I look back at Adam. "What, may I ask, is it any business of yours anyway?"
"Look, I don't want to get in your face over this, but Jeff and I are close. I don't want you taking advantage of him..."
Oh, that's a good one. Me take advantage of him. I can barely control myself from laughing and waking up the aforementioned object of my advantage-taking.
"Adam, I really think you should talk to Jeff before you go jumping down my throat." I'm not sure how much more to say, since the exact details are still fuzzy.
"Talk to me about what?" Jeff had awakened during our conversation.
"Go ahead, Adam, repeat what you just said to me." I love putting people on the spot.
Adam hesitated just long enough, so I decided to make him squirm.
"Ole Edge here thinks I am taking advantage of you."
"It's not that... Jay and I are concerned, okay? We know what you are going through and we don't want to see you hurt any more."
"I can take care of myself..." Jeff retorts. Is the little guy actually getting angry at them? Cool, I love drama. "Besides, Eric loves me... he said so himself."
Jay nearly chokes on the half a ham he's been periodically slamming down. How one man can fit that much food in him is a mystery to me. Just looking at that ham is packing on the weight.
I can tell from Edge's expression that he doesn't believe it either.
"At the risk of sounding like the biggest hypocrite in the world, yes I said it and, yes, I mean it." I'm getting a little pissed off and I don't like it. "And, if this is the way this conversation is going to continue, it might be best if you two left."
"C'mon Jay, it's obvious Eric has him brainwashed or something." Gathering their mess, excepting the plate that Jay drops on my coffee table, splattering grease everywhere, they are out the door in five minutes.
"And I've gotta work with him..." I mutter "Sheesh, that was..."
I lose my voice when I turn around. Jeff has gone completely white.
"Hey bro, don't tell me you believe that nonsense?" Sometimes I don't believe half the things I say, but this time, when my heart leads, my head is following. "I'd never hurt you, you know that... don't you?"
"I guess." He doesn't seem convinced enough.
"Maybe this will help?" I lean over him and kiss him tenderly. Within seconds, he has his arms wrapped around me and is kissing me back.
"Well, did it?" I ask, coming up for air. I swear that guy could suck a bowling ball through a garden hose.
He just pulls me back down. I guess that's a yes.
To Be Continued
Coming up next... what happens when Adam can't keep his mouth shut? How will the locker room react?
I will try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible, but I can't guarantee anything!
