Jeff left Shannon the next morning to return to North Carolina and prepare
for his own traveling for the week. But not before he made love to him a
few more times to make sure that Shannon knew their relationship was very
real and permanent. Shannon told Jeff another dozen times how much he loved
him, but the younger Hardy would never get tired of hearing it. He'd waited
and dreamt about it for a long time. It was better to listen to than any
music he could think of.
When he finally got home to his father's house, where he and Matt always met before a trip, he noticed Shane's car in the driveway. Hmm. Peculiar. It was pretty early in the morning. Maybe Matt had offered to take Shane traveling with them on his first WWF trip.
He hoped Matt hadn't put Shane through too much. Now that Jeff had solved the case and saved the damsel . . . um . . . guy in distress, he would feel terrible if his brother's friendship was damaged. He ran up the steps and into the house excitedly, stopping short in shock. There Matt stood, pressed up against the wall by Shane who was kissing him passionately, neither man having heard Jeff's entrance. It took the younger Hardy boy a minute to recover before clearing his throat pointedly. Matt and Shane broke apart and looked at Jeff in surprise.
"Oh, you think YOU'RE surprised?" Jeff grinned.
Shane glared at him in his usual manner, but Jeff chose to ignore him and focus on his brother.
"Where were you?" Matt asked in irritation. "I've been trying to call you since last night.
"You didn't try my cell," Jeff pointed out holding up the offending device in his palm. "You would have reached me. Eventually."
"That doesn't tell him where you were," Shane said softly.
"You're his keeper now?" Jeff asked snidely, turning to his nemesis.
"Among other things."
"That's enough," Matt said wearily. He turned back to Jeff. "I don't have to explain myself to you. He's my boyfriend now and that's that."
"Now and forever," Shane added, smiling at Jeff in cool satisfaction.
Jeff crossed his arms over his chest in defiance. He wanted his brother to be happy and had even encouraged him on a number of occasions to tell Shane how he felt. But that didn't mean the two of them had to like each other. Well, Jeff would wipe that smirk right off Shane's face. In fact, he'd do it right now.
"Interesting," Jeff said. He looked at Matt's apprehensive expression and softened. "I'm very happy for you, bro. I told you that you should have told him before."
Matt nodded.
"I have a surprise of my own," Jeff went on calmly. "I just got back from Ohio."
Shane's features took on a thunderous expression but he remained quiet, waiting expectantly for Jeff to continue.
"Shannon sends his regards, by the way," Jeff said.
"What the hell are you blathering on about?" Shane seethed.
"You miss a call yesterday, Sugar-boy?"
Shane flushed and Matt looked between his brother and best friend/lover in confusion. Jeff remained silent for a few minutes, leaving Shane to stew in his ire.
"You explaining yourself anytime soon, little bro?" Matt asked, now looking as pissed as Shane.
"Shan told me he was hiding from his stalkers when I called yesterday to make sure he got in okay," Jeff replied, his rage from the previous evening slowly returning. He fixed a stony gaze on Shane and addressed him directly. "He told me you weren't answering your cell and he was trapped in his room. He didn't know what to do and he was scared out of his mind."
"Evan."
"Yeah, Evan," Jeff growled. "And his little bitch, Juvi, too. I flew out there and took their asses apart. With a little help from my baby, that is."
"Your WHAT?!" Shane shrieked.
"My baby," Jeff replied. "I finally told Shannon how I feel."
"You did?" Matt brightened. "That's good, right?"
"For me it is," Jeff said not taking his eyes off Shane. "For your boy here, it ain't."
"Why not?" Matt asked. Shane just stood near Matt in icy silence.
"I'll be spending more time with his 'baby brother' now, that's why," the younger Hardy returned. "Which means more for Shane here to worry about, seeing as I'm such a bad influence and all."
"You are," Shane said coldly.
"I know why you hate me now, Shaney-boy," Jeff replied. "And you only got half the story. I couldn't care any less about how you feel about me, but seeing as you're now together with my brother, and I DO care how he feels, I think you and I got some talking to do."
"But we got to leave soon," Matt interrupted.
"You still have to pack, don't you?" Jeff asked, turning to Matt's worried expression. He hated making his brother worry, but he needed to get things right, or at least get them cordial, with Shane. He wanted no he needed for Matt to be happy finally.
"Yeah," Matt said uncertainly.
"We'll only be gone for a little while," Jeff reasoned. "The plane doesn't even leave for over three hours."
"But what about your packing?" Matt tried.
"You know I packed yesterday morning, like always," Jeff grinned, turning back to Shane. "Feel like breakfast?"
"Not really, but I guess we do need to clear the air," Shane grunted, kissed Matt on the cheek and led the way outside.
"Jeff," Matt called as Jeff headed to the door. "Please."
"Don't worry, bro," he smiled pushing the screen door open. "I'm doing this for you, not to hurt him."
*********************************
Shane took a seat in the booth at Denny's and accepted his menu. He glanced up at Jeff once but then busied himself choosing an omelet. Then the waitress took their order, and they stared at each other quietly while she fetched Jeff's orange juice and Shane's coffee. When she then left to wait on another table, Jeff broke the silence.
"I know you hate that Shannon's with me now."
Shane rolled his eyes and glanced to the side. Hell yes he hated that his 'little brother' chose to get romantically involved with Matt's fly-by- night brother. Jeff had hurt Shannon more than anyone else in his young life and Shane didn't want to see it happen again. Why the hell didn't the blond just marry Crystal anyway? She's a nice girl. He guessed that was the problem, he sighed. She was a girl and Shannon was in love with a man. He hated that Shannon had chosen this particular man to love, too. Sighing again, he returned his eyes to the expectant Hardy before him.
"What do you want me to say?" he griped. "You already know what I think."
"I want you to listen," Jeff said calmly.
"I am listening."
"No, you're hearing," Jeff explained. "I want you to listen to me. Shannon and I talked a long time last night."
"I'll bet you did more than that."
"Maybe you'd know a thing or two about that, considering how I saw you with my brother earlier," Jeff said in an identically icy tone.
"Touché," Shane said after a moment of silence.
"Look, I do know a little something about psychology," Jeff replied.
"Now you're going to psychoanalyze me?" Shane asked askance. "Oh, no you don't."
"Oh, yes I do," Jeff countered, then waited for the returning waitress to deliver their food before continuing. When she disappeared again, he turned back to his fuming adversary. "I'm psychoanalyzing all of us."
"Who all of us?" Shane demanded, forking up some omelet and shoveling it into his mouth. He really wasn't hungry but the food kept him from choking the life out of his lover's brother.
"The four of us," Jeff replied with a smile, cutting into his pancake stack. "You and I are both alphas."
"Huh?"
"Alpha males," Jeff explained. "We're both 'take charge, defend our babies' kind of guys. Now Matt and Shannon, they're not like that."
"Your brother isn't a pussy, and neither is mine," Shane growled around another bite.
"I know that," Jeff frowned. "But they're more the 'try to keep things peaceful' kind of men."
"Okay," Shane nodded. "I'll go with that. What does it have to do with you and me not getting along?"
"A lot," Jeff sighed. "We're both trying to protect those two from each other. Each other as in me and you."
"This is ridiculous," Shane groaned. "I don't like you because you hurt Shannon. He did tell you, right?"
"Yes, but you've got the story wrong," Jeff answered. "He had it wrong, too. You both thought I left him alone all these years because I didn't want him. You didn't even consider that I thought I had forced myself on a straight guy and hurt him by what I did."
Shane froze. That couldn't be true, could it?
"You can ask Matt."
"You TOLD Matt?" Shane's eyes went wide as saucers.
"Not about that night," Jeff admitted quietly. But he's known about my feelings for Shannon for at least a year. And I've loved him since I met him."
Shane looked at Jeff. Really looked at him for the first time. His eyes bore the tired truth in them and had he looked before he might have realized it and told Shannon, instead of pushing the blond away from Jeff. Damn.
"You really do love him, don't you?" he asked.
Jeff just nodded quietly from his seat, not bothering to look away. Shane knew the younger Hardy was trying to mend fences for his brother's sake, but he couldn't deny that everything Jeff pointed out had been true. They were both very protective and possessive of those they loved, and they both loved each other's brothers. A real fine mess, he smiled wryly.
"Well, I really do love Matt," he confided.
"I figured that," Jeff responded dryly. "If I'd known, I would have told you Matt returned your feelings. Even if we have problems, that don't mean they should suffer for them."
"You would have done that for us?" Shane asked.
Jeff nodded again.
"But I don't think I would have done that for you."
"Like I said," Jeff replied. "You only had half the story to work with."
Shane gave Jeff a friendly smile for the first time in years. The younger Hardy wasn't as much of a slouch as he'd thought. He still needed to clarify something though.
"If you ever hurt Shannon again, though," Shane began in a dangerous tone, "accidentally or not, I'll . . ."
"Do the same thing I'll do to you if you hurt my brother?" Jeff ventured with a predatory grin. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
*********************************
NOTE: MANY thanks for all of the glorious reviews you've been showering upon this story! I am so proud of its success. And most especially thanks to Hearts Desire, who has a list of favorite pairings in her bio. I'm going to use it for future inspiration!
HD's list: Shannon Moore/Raven
Shannon Moore / Jeff Hardy
Shannon Moore / Matt Hardy
Shannon Moore / Shane Helms
Shannon Moore / Stevie Richards
Shannon Moore / Kevin Nash
Shannon Moore / Triple H
Shannon Moore / Undertaker
Shannon Moore / Billy Gunn
Shannon Moore / Scott Hall
Shannon Moore / Rhyno
Shannon Moore / Edge
Shannon Moore / Christian
Shannon Moore / RVD
Shannon Moore / Bradshaw
Shannon Moore / Jericho
Shannon Moore / Victoria
Bubba Ray / undecided
Christian / Edge
Jeff Hardy / Matt Hardy
RVD / Kane
Victoria / Stevie
Jamie Noble / Nidia
When he finally got home to his father's house, where he and Matt always met before a trip, he noticed Shane's car in the driveway. Hmm. Peculiar. It was pretty early in the morning. Maybe Matt had offered to take Shane traveling with them on his first WWF trip.
He hoped Matt hadn't put Shane through too much. Now that Jeff had solved the case and saved the damsel . . . um . . . guy in distress, he would feel terrible if his brother's friendship was damaged. He ran up the steps and into the house excitedly, stopping short in shock. There Matt stood, pressed up against the wall by Shane who was kissing him passionately, neither man having heard Jeff's entrance. It took the younger Hardy boy a minute to recover before clearing his throat pointedly. Matt and Shane broke apart and looked at Jeff in surprise.
"Oh, you think YOU'RE surprised?" Jeff grinned.
Shane glared at him in his usual manner, but Jeff chose to ignore him and focus on his brother.
"Where were you?" Matt asked in irritation. "I've been trying to call you since last night.
"You didn't try my cell," Jeff pointed out holding up the offending device in his palm. "You would have reached me. Eventually."
"That doesn't tell him where you were," Shane said softly.
"You're his keeper now?" Jeff asked snidely, turning to his nemesis.
"Among other things."
"That's enough," Matt said wearily. He turned back to Jeff. "I don't have to explain myself to you. He's my boyfriend now and that's that."
"Now and forever," Shane added, smiling at Jeff in cool satisfaction.
Jeff crossed his arms over his chest in defiance. He wanted his brother to be happy and had even encouraged him on a number of occasions to tell Shane how he felt. But that didn't mean the two of them had to like each other. Well, Jeff would wipe that smirk right off Shane's face. In fact, he'd do it right now.
"Interesting," Jeff said. He looked at Matt's apprehensive expression and softened. "I'm very happy for you, bro. I told you that you should have told him before."
Matt nodded.
"I have a surprise of my own," Jeff went on calmly. "I just got back from Ohio."
Shane's features took on a thunderous expression but he remained quiet, waiting expectantly for Jeff to continue.
"Shannon sends his regards, by the way," Jeff said.
"What the hell are you blathering on about?" Shane seethed.
"You miss a call yesterday, Sugar-boy?"
Shane flushed and Matt looked between his brother and best friend/lover in confusion. Jeff remained silent for a few minutes, leaving Shane to stew in his ire.
"You explaining yourself anytime soon, little bro?" Matt asked, now looking as pissed as Shane.
"Shan told me he was hiding from his stalkers when I called yesterday to make sure he got in okay," Jeff replied, his rage from the previous evening slowly returning. He fixed a stony gaze on Shane and addressed him directly. "He told me you weren't answering your cell and he was trapped in his room. He didn't know what to do and he was scared out of his mind."
"Evan."
"Yeah, Evan," Jeff growled. "And his little bitch, Juvi, too. I flew out there and took their asses apart. With a little help from my baby, that is."
"Your WHAT?!" Shane shrieked.
"My baby," Jeff replied. "I finally told Shannon how I feel."
"You did?" Matt brightened. "That's good, right?"
"For me it is," Jeff said not taking his eyes off Shane. "For your boy here, it ain't."
"Why not?" Matt asked. Shane just stood near Matt in icy silence.
"I'll be spending more time with his 'baby brother' now, that's why," the younger Hardy returned. "Which means more for Shane here to worry about, seeing as I'm such a bad influence and all."
"You are," Shane said coldly.
"I know why you hate me now, Shaney-boy," Jeff replied. "And you only got half the story. I couldn't care any less about how you feel about me, but seeing as you're now together with my brother, and I DO care how he feels, I think you and I got some talking to do."
"But we got to leave soon," Matt interrupted.
"You still have to pack, don't you?" Jeff asked, turning to Matt's worried expression. He hated making his brother worry, but he needed to get things right, or at least get them cordial, with Shane. He wanted no he needed for Matt to be happy finally.
"Yeah," Matt said uncertainly.
"We'll only be gone for a little while," Jeff reasoned. "The plane doesn't even leave for over three hours."
"But what about your packing?" Matt tried.
"You know I packed yesterday morning, like always," Jeff grinned, turning back to Shane. "Feel like breakfast?"
"Not really, but I guess we do need to clear the air," Shane grunted, kissed Matt on the cheek and led the way outside.
"Jeff," Matt called as Jeff headed to the door. "Please."
"Don't worry, bro," he smiled pushing the screen door open. "I'm doing this for you, not to hurt him."
*********************************
Shane took a seat in the booth at Denny's and accepted his menu. He glanced up at Jeff once but then busied himself choosing an omelet. Then the waitress took their order, and they stared at each other quietly while she fetched Jeff's orange juice and Shane's coffee. When she then left to wait on another table, Jeff broke the silence.
"I know you hate that Shannon's with me now."
Shane rolled his eyes and glanced to the side. Hell yes he hated that his 'little brother' chose to get romantically involved with Matt's fly-by- night brother. Jeff had hurt Shannon more than anyone else in his young life and Shane didn't want to see it happen again. Why the hell didn't the blond just marry Crystal anyway? She's a nice girl. He guessed that was the problem, he sighed. She was a girl and Shannon was in love with a man. He hated that Shannon had chosen this particular man to love, too. Sighing again, he returned his eyes to the expectant Hardy before him.
"What do you want me to say?" he griped. "You already know what I think."
"I want you to listen," Jeff said calmly.
"I am listening."
"No, you're hearing," Jeff explained. "I want you to listen to me. Shannon and I talked a long time last night."
"I'll bet you did more than that."
"Maybe you'd know a thing or two about that, considering how I saw you with my brother earlier," Jeff said in an identically icy tone.
"Touché," Shane said after a moment of silence.
"Look, I do know a little something about psychology," Jeff replied.
"Now you're going to psychoanalyze me?" Shane asked askance. "Oh, no you don't."
"Oh, yes I do," Jeff countered, then waited for the returning waitress to deliver their food before continuing. When she disappeared again, he turned back to his fuming adversary. "I'm psychoanalyzing all of us."
"Who all of us?" Shane demanded, forking up some omelet and shoveling it into his mouth. He really wasn't hungry but the food kept him from choking the life out of his lover's brother.
"The four of us," Jeff replied with a smile, cutting into his pancake stack. "You and I are both alphas."
"Huh?"
"Alpha males," Jeff explained. "We're both 'take charge, defend our babies' kind of guys. Now Matt and Shannon, they're not like that."
"Your brother isn't a pussy, and neither is mine," Shane growled around another bite.
"I know that," Jeff frowned. "But they're more the 'try to keep things peaceful' kind of men."
"Okay," Shane nodded. "I'll go with that. What does it have to do with you and me not getting along?"
"A lot," Jeff sighed. "We're both trying to protect those two from each other. Each other as in me and you."
"This is ridiculous," Shane groaned. "I don't like you because you hurt Shannon. He did tell you, right?"
"Yes, but you've got the story wrong," Jeff answered. "He had it wrong, too. You both thought I left him alone all these years because I didn't want him. You didn't even consider that I thought I had forced myself on a straight guy and hurt him by what I did."
Shane froze. That couldn't be true, could it?
"You can ask Matt."
"You TOLD Matt?" Shane's eyes went wide as saucers.
"Not about that night," Jeff admitted quietly. But he's known about my feelings for Shannon for at least a year. And I've loved him since I met him."
Shane looked at Jeff. Really looked at him for the first time. His eyes bore the tired truth in them and had he looked before he might have realized it and told Shannon, instead of pushing the blond away from Jeff. Damn.
"You really do love him, don't you?" he asked.
Jeff just nodded quietly from his seat, not bothering to look away. Shane knew the younger Hardy was trying to mend fences for his brother's sake, but he couldn't deny that everything Jeff pointed out had been true. They were both very protective and possessive of those they loved, and they both loved each other's brothers. A real fine mess, he smiled wryly.
"Well, I really do love Matt," he confided.
"I figured that," Jeff responded dryly. "If I'd known, I would have told you Matt returned your feelings. Even if we have problems, that don't mean they should suffer for them."
"You would have done that for us?" Shane asked.
Jeff nodded again.
"But I don't think I would have done that for you."
"Like I said," Jeff replied. "You only had half the story to work with."
Shane gave Jeff a friendly smile for the first time in years. The younger Hardy wasn't as much of a slouch as he'd thought. He still needed to clarify something though.
"If you ever hurt Shannon again, though," Shane began in a dangerous tone, "accidentally or not, I'll . . ."
"Do the same thing I'll do to you if you hurt my brother?" Jeff ventured with a predatory grin. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
*********************************
NOTE: MANY thanks for all of the glorious reviews you've been showering upon this story! I am so proud of its success. And most especially thanks to Hearts Desire, who has a list of favorite pairings in her bio. I'm going to use it for future inspiration!
HD's list: Shannon Moore/Raven
Shannon Moore / Jeff Hardy
Shannon Moore / Matt Hardy
Shannon Moore / Shane Helms
Shannon Moore / Stevie Richards
Shannon Moore / Kevin Nash
Shannon Moore / Triple H
Shannon Moore / Undertaker
Shannon Moore / Billy Gunn
Shannon Moore / Scott Hall
Shannon Moore / Rhyno
Shannon Moore / Edge
Shannon Moore / Christian
Shannon Moore / RVD
Shannon Moore / Bradshaw
Shannon Moore / Jericho
Shannon Moore / Victoria
Bubba Ray / undecided
Christian / Edge
Jeff Hardy / Matt Hardy
RVD / Kane
Victoria / Stevie
Jamie Noble / Nidia