NOTE: I'm sure you all know by now of the personal tragedies and setbacks for Jeff Hardy. I just want to let you know I that I will continue my stories as if these had not happened. The reason being I consider the person we see on the TV and the real life Jeff Hardy to be separate, just like any other character and movie actor, even though their personalities are so similar. I believe it is not right to involve Jeff's real personal life and trials in fiction. The one exception I make is the personal stuff shown on the , and that is because this is stuff Matt and Jeff CHOOSE to show to the public on the internet which makes it akin to WWE programming. The Jeff Hardy I portray is based on the character portrayed by the WWE and on the HardyShow, a strong person with a good heart deep down, who has made mistakes in the past, but seems to be keeping his personal demons conquered. It's almost like in fiction I can create the happy endings that I wish Jeff could have in his real life. I have said my peace and that is all.

On with the story.

000

Matt sighed contentedly as he slid the key card in the lock slot and unlocked the door to the room he shared with Jeff. The older Hardy arrived in Vegas that afternoon to lend some moral support to Jeff at "No Way out", that would be taking place that Sunday, and to have some good old fashioned Vegas fun.

When the older Hardy opened the door he found the room still dark. The only light were the slight rays of sun peaking through the folded blinds. His gaze fell on one of the beds, which had a very familiar looking lump in it.

Matt looked down at his watch and saw that it was nearly one o'clock in the afternoon, he let out soft chuckle and shook his head as he walked over to the blinds and pulled them open. A loud groan erupted from the "lump" on the bed as shifted to try and escape the intruding light. "Go away…"

The older Hardy chuckled again and tugged at the strands of purple hair that stuck out from the mound of bedding. "Wakey-Wakey Jeffie…"

The lump groaned again and rolled away from the offending hand. Matt rolled his eyes, the amused smile still on his face. The amused smile turned into an evil smirk and he jerked back the covers, completely unveiling his little brother to the bright sun.

Jeff grimaced and curled into a ball as his protective covering was ripped away. He grabbed a pillow and covered his head with it. "Ah, man… go away…"

"Uh-oh sounds like someone body's got himself a little bit of a hangover," Matt teased, raising his voice to torture Jeff some more.

The younger Hardy bother pulled the pillow tighter around his head. "Stop shouting…"

Matt chuckled softly and decided to show some mercy, in favor of finding out what exactly went on last night. He sat down on the bed next to his little brother and patted him on the arm.

"All right, what happened?" The older Hardy asked softly, keeping his voice at a level that would not hurt Jeff's head.

"Dang if I know..." Jeff slowly lifted the pillow and looked at his brother tiredly. "I remember bringing the painting down to Hunter, him dragging me off to the bathroom to change into some nicer clothes, and after a few martinis it all got kinda fuzzy from there..."

The amused look disappeared from Matt's face. "You were around Hunter while you were drunk?!"

"Stop shouting Matt!" Jeff pleaded, covering his ears.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Matt lowered his voice once more, but kept the same harsh, warning tone. "But Jeff that was stupid to be around him in that state, he probably took advantage of you."

Jeff shrugged. "Well, my ass isn't hurting, that's a good sign."

Matt grumbled at how lightly Jeff was taking this. "Still that was stupid Jeff; you might not be so lucky next time!"

"Matt, I'm a big boy and I can take care of myself." Jeff groaned as he knew his older brother was heading for a lecture, on responsibility.

"Well you didn't take very good care of yourself last night considering you loaded yourself up to a blackout around a man who molested and practically raped you barely a month ago!" Matt snapped, although he looked more worried than angry at Jeff this time.

The younger man sighed and buried his face into his pillow, knowing deep down that his older brother was right.

Matt sighed patiently and patted his little brother on the head. "Just be more careful next time, Hunter can be a dangerous guy when he sets his mind to it."

Jeff lifted his head from the pillow and nodded, and then yawned and rubbed his aching head. "Got any Tylenol?"

"Yeah, but why don't you go take a shower first, it might help to clear out the cobwebs." Matt pulled Jeff out of bed.

"Not a bad idea," Jeff yawned again as he meandered into the bathroom.

It was not long after Jeff stepped into the shower and turned on the water that there was a loud knock at the door. Matt answered it and found Triple H standing there. Even though Hunter had not taken advantage of Jeff the previous night Matt still had not forgiven Hunter for his conduct toward Jeff after Armageddon 2007. With such animosity still poised at Triple H, the older Hardy brother greeted him with a cold, "What do you want?"

Hunter was a little taken aback by the iciness of Matt's voice, but in favor of keeping the peace, he brushed it aside. "I was just wondering if Jeff's alright. He was pretty wasted last night."

"He's taking a shower, he's a little bit hung-over, but I've seen him worse." Matt shrugged casually, but kept his gaze stern. "Do you know how he got back to his room last night?"

"I helped him back when I saw that he was really out it." Hunter said plainly.

Matt folded his arms across his chest and leveled the older man with an intense glare. "And what else?"

Hunter held up both hands defensively, but spoke calmly. "Nothing... absolutely nothing happened."

Matt closed his eyes and took in a deep breath and let it out before stepping out into the hallway with Hunter and closed the door part way behind him. He opened his eyes; none of the intensity from before had diminished.

" I have no choice but to believe you. Maybe this whole thing between you and Jeff is perfectly innocent," Matt's gaze softened for a few seconds, but then grew even harsher. "But I swear to God Hunter if you are playing some kind of sick game with my little brother, I don't care who the fuck you are, if you are in this just to hurt him or humiliate him, for your own sick pleasure. I will hunt you down and rip off each and every one of your appendages starting with your dick!"

Hunter's mouth fell open in shock at the sheer nerve the older Hardy had to talk to him like that. He growled and glared back at Matt, but managed to bite off a retort when the door opened behind matt, to reveal Jeff.

The younger Hardy brother was wearing one towel wrapped around his waist and drying his hair with another towel. Hunter couldn't keep himself looking over Jeff's body several times, following several water droplets as they wound there way down Jeff's lean form.

Matt's expression darkened when he noticed Triple H was virtually ripping off Jeff's towel with his eyes.

Jeff glanced between Hunter and Matt and could easily read the bad vibes between them. The younger Hardy folded his arms across his chest and gave his older brother a stern, but slightly amused look. "You yelled at him didn't you?"

Matt immediately had the expression of a child that been caught with his hand in the cookie jar and looked away. "No…"

"Look at me when you lie to me, Matt…" Jeff let out an exasperated sigh, but still looked somewhat amused.

Matt looked back at Jeff, rolling his eyes. "I didn't really yell… Exactly…"

Hunter gave the older Hardy brother and incredulous look that said, "Like hell you didn't."

"Pay no mind to my brother," Jeff chuckled and patted Matt on the back. "He gets like this whenever he thinks I've done something stupid. It's his big brother instincts, he can't help it."

A small grin crossed Hunter's face. "I guess I can't be too mad then."

For the sake of peace Matt lowered his head, feeling guilty "I'm sorry if I jumped the gun a little bit."

"I guess if I were Jeff's big brother I'd be overprotective too." Hunter shrugged affably. "Jeffie's a pistol."

Matt actually laughed at that. There was one thing both he and Hunter could relate to, understanding how much of a handful Jeff could be sometimes.

Jeff laughed along, a little embarrassed. "Yeah… But that's why y'all love me."

All three shared a laugh, before Hunter turned to leave. "Well I just stopped by to see if Jeff was all right. I guess I'll be on my way then."

"Wait Hunter," Jeff called after him.

The older man stopped and turned back to Jeff. "Yeah?"

"Um, thanks for taking care of me last night." Jeff looked, gratefully. "I underestimated the power of that champagne. Anyone could have taken advantage of me like, I'm glad you had the self-control not to."

Hunter shrugged casually. "Yeah well, there's no fun screwing someone who's unconscious." But then he turned a little more serious. "Also, I made a promise to you and I intend to keep it."

Jeff smirked. "Maybe you're not such an asshole after all. By the way, did Stephanie like the painting?"

"She loved it. She wants to hang it over the fire place in our 'special' den." Hunter smiled.

"Anything to help add some extra spark to a marriage," Jeff chuckled.

"I thank you for that, I got some extra Valentine's Day love for it," Triple H winked. "Speaking of Steph, I need to get back; we're going out for a late lunch together."

"Well don't let me stop you," Jeff nudged him.

Hunter nodded and turned to leave, but as he walked away he stole a glance over his shoulder back at Jeff. Hunter felt a small twinge in his groin when he saw the younger Hardy's towel almost fall from around his waist. Much to the older man's disappointment Jeff managed to catch it before it revealed too much.

Even still, one thing was evident. Hunter's lust for Jeff, the Rainbow-Haired Warrior, had not diminished one bit…

000

In the next chapter, Hunter has an interesting proposition for Jeff… What will it be…?