Dark Saviour

Chapter 27 – Simple Confessions

….

Judgment Day

"You really should go talk to him."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I've said what I've needed to say. There's nothing left."

"Are you sure about that?" Matt asked, as he got ready for his upcoming match.

"Yes, I'm positive, Matt. Besides, he doesn't want to see me anyway," Jeff said, looking down at his hands. "So, I will avoid him as he has been avoiding me. Maybe after he wins tonight, he'll come find me."

I highly doubt that, Matt thought to himself. To Jeff he replied, "Maybe."

"If he doesn't, then it's his loss."

"You got that right," Matt smiled, winking at his younger brother. "If he's going to let a fine catch like you get away, it is most definitely his loss."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jeff asked, turning to face Matt.

Matt smiled mischievously. "Nothing."

"Matt," Jeff said in a warning tone. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing," Matt answered, unable to hide the guilty look that graced his features.

"Come on, tell me," Jeff pleaded, a smile creeping across his own face as he sat next to Matt and shoved at him playfully.

"Oh, come on. You can't tell me you don't see it."

"See what?"

"Geez," Matt said, shaking his head. "I can't believe you don't see it."

"See what, Matt?"

"The guy obviously has a crush on you," Matt stated, his smile broadening at the look on Jeff's face.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jeff replied, shaking his head as at his brother. "You are seriously messed up."

"Why don't you believe me?"

"Because you are being absurd. Mark doesn't have a crush on me. He's not gay."

"Have you asked him?"

"No . . ."

"Then how do you know that he's not gay?" Matt asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I just know. I mean he was married."

"Your point being?"

"He was married, Matt," Jeff repeated. "That's my point."

"So were Rey and Shawn. Now look at those two. They can't keep their hands off of each other," Matt replied, smiling at Jeff. "Hell, you've even dated a few girls yourself. Mark could have done the same thing."

"You're fooling yourself there, Matt," Jeff said, refusing to believe his brother.

"Oh, come on. You can't tell me that the idea never crossed your mind."

"No, it hasn't," Jeff retorted, thinking back to the picture he had found of Taker and Chris. "And even if it did, I know that I wouldn't stand a chance. I'm no fool."

Matt rolled his eyes at his brother's simple mindedness. It would honestly take a fool to miss the signals that were being sent by both Jeff and Undertaker. "I'm afraid that you are a fool then, Jeff. And so is Mark."

"Will you just drop it?" Jeff sighed.

"Never," Matt smirked, earning himself a smack upside the head. Shrugging it off, he looked at his brother, his expression serious. "So, do you want me to ask him if he likes you?"

"What? No!"

"Aw, why not?" Matt asked. "Aren't you curious?"

"No."

"Well, I am. So, I'm going to ask him any way," Matt said as he got up and headed toward the door.

"No! Matt, please don't!" Jeff yelled, getting up to follow him.

"Why not?"

"Because, I don't need him to know that I'm gay."

"I'm sure he already knows," Matt laughed.

"How would he? Did you tell him?"

Matt shook his head as he patted Jeff on the back. "He was there when you yelled at me that you slept with guys, remember."

Jeff's face turned red as he remembered that day. "Maybe . . . maybe he didn't hear me."

"Jeff, I'd be surprised if he didn't hear you. I'm sure the entire world heard you."

Jeff's face turned an even darker shade of red at that. "I didn't yell it that loudly."

"Yell what?"

Both Hardy's turned to find Edge standing by the door.

"Where did you come from?" Matt asked, his own face turning red.

"Um . . . I walked in through the door. That's how normal people enter rooms here you know," Edge answered as he looked at the two brothers.

"Right, well . . ." Jeff muttered, desperately wishing he could shrink down into an insignificant speck.

"So, what did you yell at him, Jeff?" Edge asked again.

"Nothing."

Edge rolled his eyes as he shook his head. "Sure."

"Honest."

"Say it one more time and maybe I will believe it."

"He was yelling at me when he told me he was gay," Matt answered.

"Matt!" Jeff cried. He couldn't believe his own brother just ratted him out like that.

"What?" Matt asked innocently.

"Why would you say that?"

"It's the truth."

"But still . . ."

"Don't worry about it. I already knew that."

"What?" The Hardy's said in unison.

"I already knew you were gay."

"How?" Jeff asked. Even as the words were out of his mouth, his mind brought him back to the exact moment Edge was referring too. "Right . . ." he grimaced.

"I was there the morning after," Edge replied as he shrugged his shoulders, not catching Jeff comment.

"The morning after what?" Matt asked in confusion, looking between the two men beside him.

"The morning after the New Year's party," Edge answered.

"What happened after the party?" Matt asked, turning to look at his brother.

Jeff shrank back a little, averting his eyes. "Um . . ."

"You didn't tell him?" Edge asked.

"Tell me what?"

"Yes . . . I did tell him. It was one of the things I yelled at him," Jeff sputtered as he continued to avoid Matt's gaze.

"I can't believe you yelled that at him," Edge said, laughing at Jeff's obvious discomfort.

"Yelled what at me?"

"Well, I did only tell Matt that I was gay a couple months ago and I was angry," Jeff said in his defense.

"He didn't know?"

"You guys going to tell me what you're talking about?"

"Adam's talking about when I slept with Jericho," Jeff replied, finally answering Matt's question.

"Oh."

"I'm still surprised that you yelled that at him, Jeff," Edge stated, shaking his head. "What did he do to piss you off that much?"

Jeff shrugged, not really wanting to go into the details of that particular event either. He may be angry with Undertaker currently, but he wasn't that angry with him.

"You can give Jeff a break. He was only yelling because I made him angry. I mean, I only did find out that he was gay when I tried to stop him from marrying Mark," Matt answered, smiling devilishly.

"You're married to Mark? Our Mark? Mark Calaway?" Edge asked in disbelief.

"No," Jeff replied.

"But Matt said . . ."

"He thought I was getting married," Jeff interrupted. "In actuality, Mark was going to a friends wedding and I tagged along," he explained, slightly surprised how easy it was to talk about it.

"Wait? You mean to tell me that Mark was at a wedding . . . voluntarily . . . and you didn't take pictures?"

"Actually, he didn't just go to a wedding voluntarily. He was the best man," Matt replied.

"And I repeat, you didn't take pictures and forward them all to us because?"

Jeff shrugged. "I didn't have a camera."

"Doesn't your phone take pictures?" Edge asked.

"Yeah, but I didn't think of that at the time," Jeff answered sheepishly, knowing full well that there were pictures from the wedding and that he even owned a few of the ones that Undertaker had been apart of. There was even one with both him and Taker in it. But no one needed to see those . . .

"How could you not think of it? I mean, Mark was in a tux!"

"He didn't wear one initially. But I'm sure he was glad that I changed his mind after he was asked to stand in the wedding," Jeff replied.

"Wait! You mean he wasn't originally supposed to be in the wedding?" Matt asked.

"Um . . . no," Jeff said, looking away.

"So, why was he?" Edge looked at Jeff, his curiosity evident.

"You promise not to tell anyone?" Jeff asked,

"I promise," Matt and Edge replied, each holding up a hand and crossing their hearts.

"The original best man got sick at the last minute, so Keith asked him to fill in," Jeff explained.

"Keith?" Matt and Edge asked.

"Mark's friend," Jeff answered. Both Matt and Edge nodded in understanding.

"So, did he look good in a tux?" Edge asked.

"How should I know?" Jeff replied, looking at Edge, his brow furrowed.

"Hey, as a fellow gay guy, I'm allowed to be curious aren't I?" Edge said innocently.

"Of course you are," Matt answered. "And between you and me, I think Mark looks better in jeans."

"Is there another Hardy looking at the sexy Deadman?"

"What? No," Matt said, blushing horribly. "Can't a straight guy give his opinion?"

Edge exchanged a glance with Jeff before replying. "Hell no."

"Why not?"

"Cause straight guys don't say things like that," Jeff answered. "Obviously you're hiding something from us."

"I'm not hiding anything!" Matt exclaimed, horrified at what they were insinuating.

"Oh, yes you are," Edge smiled, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Come on. Tell us," Jeff said, watching closely as his brother moved uncomfortably away from them.

"There's nothing to tell," Matt insisted.

"You know what this means, eh, Jeff?" Edge asked, glancing over at the younger Hardy.

"That I do," Jeff chuckled.

"What? What are you two talking about?" Matt asked, panicked.

"It means that we've got a Hardy in the closet," Edge laughed.

"I'm not in the closet . . . or any other closet," Matt retorted, still backing away from Jeff and Edge. Luckily, he was rescued when a stagehand opened the door and announced that his match was next. Without a single word, Matt quickly slipped out of the locker room, leaving Jeff and Edge alone to burst out laughing.

After a while, both men were sitting on a bench, holding their sides as their laughter slowly began to die. It was Jeff who was able to speak first. "Oh boy, that was fun."

"I'll agree with you on that," Edge said, panting slightly. "Just like the good old days."

"Though it's kind of unfortunate . . ."

"What's unfortunate?"

Jeff turned to look at Edge, smiling lightly. "Matt is so going to kill me for that."

"I'm just glad it's you and not me," Edge smiled back as he leaned against the wall.

Jeff shrugged. "That's the price I pay for having an older brother."

"That's why I'm an only child."

"Sometimes I wish I was."

"I'm sure having an older brother isn't all that bad," Edge mused.

"How do you figure?"

Edge smiled. "You've got someone else to blame when you accidently break something."

Jeff laughed. "That's true."

"Of course it is," Edge yawned.

"Are you going to make it to your match against Mark tonight?" Jeff asked as he stretched out his legs, trying to hide the bitterness he felt.

Edge nodded, stifling yet another yawn. "Of course I am. I have to."

"Just as long as you think you can survive against him."

"I'll survive," Edge shrugged, not catching Jeff's guarded expression. "I only have to tap out."

"Really?" Jeff asked, looking at Edge in confusion. "That's it?"

"Yeah," Edge replied, closing his eyes. "Simple and easy."

"Tell me about it. I would have thought that you would have had at least a three-count match."

"I think that's the next Pay-per View," Edge replied hesitantly. "But I'm not one-hundred percent certain on that. The details haven't all been worked out yet."

"You mean this feud is going to last until the next Pay-per view?"

"No," Edge shook his head before replying cautiously. "It's going to last the next two Pay-Per Views."

"Ouch," Jeff winced, not catching Edge's nervous tone. "That's a long feud."

"Yeah, well," Edge shrugged, trying to make light of the situation. "When they see a good feud and have nothing better going on, they have a tendency to drag these things out."

"True enough," Jeff nodded, before leaning his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

"Yeah," Edge sighed as he followed Jeff's lead.

Both men fell silent, their eyes remaining closed. Neither bothered to open their eyes when they heard the door open. Thinking it was Matt returning from his match, Jeff asked. "How did it go?"

"How did what go?"

Jeff opened his eyes to see Shawn standing in front of him, a look of confusion on his face. "Sorry, Shawn. I thought you were Matt."

"Why would you think that?" Shawn asked.

"Because he left a while ago to compete," Jeff replied. "And since he didn't tell me whether or not he was going to win tonight, I'm curious as to how it's going."

"Then why aren't you watching it?" Shawn said, moving over to the monitor and flicking it on. Instantly Matt's theme filled the air. Jeff stared at the screen as his brother's hand was raised and the United States Championship was handed to him.

"About bloody time he won a title," Jeff smirked.

"Yeah, I was beginning to wonder if he'd ever win again," Edge added.

"What do you mean?" Jeff asked.

"Sorry, but your brother was in a rut."

Jeff nodded after a moment. "Yeah, he was,"

"What, you're not going to defend him?" Shawn said.

"Hell no. My brother's a big boy, he can take care of himself," Jeff replied.

"I sure hope so. He is the older one," Shawn replied, as he rummaged around in his bag. "By the way, have you guys seen Glen?"

Both Edge and Jeff shook their heads. "Nope."

"Darn, I was hoping to catch him before my match."

"Why?" Edge asked, sitting up.

"Because I wanted him to take Bob tonight."

"Bob?" Jeff and Edge asked in unison, exchanging a confused look at each other.

"Yeah," Shawn replied, pulling out a rubber chicken. "Bob."

"I thought he was Fred?" Jeff smiled, watching Shawn hold the rubber chicken by the neck.

"No," Shawn answered, rummaging through his bag again to pull out yet another rubber chicken. "This is Fred."

"Right," Edge sighed, shaking his head at Shawn. "So, Fred finally decided on a name for his friend?"

"Yeah," Shawn smiled. "Though it's surprising how long it took for him to decide on a name."

"I can only imagine," Jeff replied, rolling his eyes.

"Can I ask why you're giving Bob to Glen?" Edge asked, trying to muffle his laughter.

"Because Fred's not happy sharing his bed with Bob. So, I asked Glen if he would mind taking him for a bit so that I don't have to worry about Fred killing Bob in the middle of the night," Shawn explained.

"Fred wants to kill Bob? How?" Jeff asked, confused by the very notation.

"I don't know. He won't tell me," Shawn answered. "But I don't want Bob to die, so I've got to go find Glen. Will you watch Fred for me?"

"Sure," Edge said. "I'm sure Jeff would love to watch Fred for you."

"Me? Why me?" Jeff asked, sitting up quickly to stare at Edge in disbelief.

"Well, I certainly can't watch him."

"Why not?"

"Because I have a match coming up soon," Edge answered as he got up to leave.

"Would you watch him for me, Jeff?" Shawn pleaded.

"Fine," Jeff sighed, rolling his eyes. "Hand him over."

"Here you go," Shawn smiled, handing the rubber chicken known as Fred over to Jeff. "Just remember that Fred likes to be held by his neck."

"I'm sure he does," Jeff retorted as Edge burst into a fit of laughter.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Shawn asked innocently.

"Never mind," Edge said, trying to muffle his laughter. However, when he was unable to regain control of his composer, Edge excused himself and quickly left the room.

"I think something's wrong with him," Shawn stated once Edge had left.

"You may be right," Jeff agreed, silently grateful no one had noticed how tense he had gotten when Edge had walked in the room. Apparently I'm a better actor then I thought . . .

"Well, either way, I'm going to head out and look for Glen," Shawn said as he headed to the door. Before he left, Shawn looked over his shoulder at where Jeff sat. "Behave Fred," he said sternly before he left.

Jeff held up the rubber chicken in one hand, looking at it with a raised eyebrow. What the hell am I going to do with a rubber chicken? Choke it?

….

A/N: So, Bob is going to stay with Kane. Wonder how well that's going to go. But at least that means that Fred won't kill him . . . lol