(Again a big big thank you to those who reviewed, means a lot, thanx ;-)
Chapter 12
Jeff was standing under the water massaging his neck and thinking when exactly he had developped that deeply intrigued and fuzzy feeling when it came to Mark, yeah he had always felt kinda weird around the Deadman, creeped at the beginning, intrigued, drawn to him, but now it seemed as if that had been taken to the next level, man, his brother had seen it coming, one of the many reasons they weren't talking to each other for the moment, Matt not having been able to understand when Jeff had told him he wanted to take the Undertaker out all by himself, without his older brother helping, and Matt having reacted more than pissed at that request and started imagining things Jeff had kicked him out for, and now…
Sighing he continued to mass his neck, the many aches being there again, his lower back hurt like hell and a general exhaustion had started to spread in his entire body, making standing in the shower a painful and tiring activity, it didn't take him long before he turned the water down and got out of the shower, Mark peeking through the slit in the door and nearly dropping backwards, yeah he had definetly seen right down at the sauna, there it was, glistering under the light, what he couldn't see was that Jeff had his cheeks flushed as he noticed the Undertaker gazing, and it had taken him aback, good he could control his body a little or he would have grown hard under that stare, he suddenly felt hotter than he had felt through out the sauna and embarrassement hit him pretty rapidly…
Looking away and turning quickly he started to dry off, Mark trying to focus on something else, feeling suddenly very bad, he had gone too far on this, he shouldn't have taken away that little privacy the boy had, and since when did he enjoy looking at males, Mark inhaled and tried to get his thoughts on something else, but unfortunatly that was the moment Jeff chose to get out of the bathroom, he could notice that Jeff was not looking at him and wondered what was going on, but apparently he must have been spinning his own paranoia because Jeff turned after he had gotten his pants on and smiled at him, even more shyly than before, "Hope there's hot water left", "Yeah, me too punk, or else you're in trouble", "Yeah whatever, I'm shaking", Jeff and Mark looked at each other, both confused and at a loss, Mark deciding this moment was the awkward to be kept going on walked in direction of the bathroom…
As Mark started to get undressed, his brother had just gotten out and was doing the opposite, getting dressed, thinking of his brother and how his behaviour towards Jeff was evoluting in ways he wouldn't have thought possible a day ago but got disturbed by a ringing, it took him a second to localize the phone and answer it, "Hello", "Hey, Glen, Dave here, listen, wanna go and shoot some balls waiting for the other's", Glen grinned and didn't have to think long about it, "You've got some ways to call things, sure, down in five", "Knew you'd like it, down in five it is", they both arrived in the lobby exactly four minutes later, grinning Dave started "Hope you ready for losing", "Yeah, in your dreams Batista, in your dreams", "There's even better things in my dreams, "Maybe you'll show me one day", "Uuuh, don't tempt me Kane", the look Glen gave him made him smirk, "Yeah, you're definetly tempting me there", "Me? No, never ever Dave, soo, where's that billiard table?", "The bar", "Then let's go", Dave started arranging the table as Glen came back with two beers, "So, ready…", "Yes, you can start, I'll beat your ass anyways", "Glen, I'll have to teach you humility I think", "Yeah, show me"…
When Mark got out, Jeff was lying on his bed, face down and his regular breathing prove he was asleep, head propped on the pillow, both arms resting underneath and body sprawled on the bed, he had just put on his pants for now, he was asleep no doubt about that but that couldn't keep Mark from first getting his leather pants on and then getting massage oils, at least the punk wouldn't object like this. To the Taker it was clear, it would help ease the pain, there was nothing else to be read into what he was about to do as he sat down carefully next to Jeff, who's back had turned nearly black and purple on some spots, and it took a lot from Mark to gentle his touch on them as he started to delicately massage his back and rub the oils in. A sleepy voice got him out of his dreaming, soft, raspy and amused "You're assaulting me in my sleep Taker, you should be ashamed", "Shut up punk, I'm trying to ease your aches here, a little gratitude please", "How did you know", "Eeeh, I'm the one responsible, I remember where I hit you, the way you move and the bruises, want me to continue", for a split second Jeff wanted to ask why he had peeked inside the bathroom but he couldn't bring himself to do it, not sure he wanted to know the answer and way to embarrassed for even continuing to think about the gaze, no, better forget Mark had done that, maybe it had just been coincidence that he had looked just the sec he had gotten out of the shower, there was no way the Taker would do such a thing in his mind as peaking volontarly…
In the room next door, Shawn was scotched to the wall, trying to hear what was going on in the other room as Hunter came out of the bathroom, "Really clever Shawn, you make a real nice painting, you completely lost your mind now?", "No, they are too quiet, the bickering stopped", "Leave them alone", "Maybe there's things going on in there", "Yeah, things you shouldn't be so eager to find out Shawn", "Why", "'Cause… I don't know, maybe there's really a connection and we shouldn't interfere, at least for the moment", "Uuuh, and why?", "Because you know as well as I do that Jeff's got some issues right now and just maybe Mark is the right guy to help", "Humm, good point, but I'm still gonna find out what's going on over there, with those two", "Whatever Shawn"
Glen entered the last one, grinning at Dave, "Yeah, beat your ass fair and square man, not so animalistic when it comes to billiard Dave", Dave sighed in defeat "Yeah, there's nothing left to add to this", "Yup, you really suck man", "Hey, don't you get evil, you just got lucky", "Really", "Yeah", they've got out and Glenn went to sit on the same bench he had been on yesterday with Jeff, lighting his cigarette, "That's gonna kill you", "No, I think it's more likely my brother will be my death", Dave laughed and got down next to him, "Talking about your brother", "Here it comes", more laughing, "You know what's going on with him and that Hardy-punk", "Not really Dave, you getting in the gossip camp too now", "No, I'm just curious as to what is happening between them", "Why", "Because I'm curious that's all, no other motives Glen, I like to keep informed that's all", "Well I'm just as lost as you on it, I don't know, never seen him like that before", "I'll try and get something out of him on the plane to Boston tomorrow", "Wow, you really are serious about finding out, good luck, hope you'll live to tell me too then", Dave smiled, "And you can try the same with Jeff", he took a puff of his cigarette joining Dave's laugh, "What makes you think he'll tell me something, we're not close you know", "I'm not close with your bro either", "Yeah, but closer than any of us is with Jeff, hell, this is the first time I remember him hanging out with us, normally you just see him on the shows and there he has that brother of his on his ass", Glen thought for a second before adding, "Yeah, that's kinda weird, where's Matt?", "How the hell should I know", "Dunno, you said you liked to keep informed", "Funny Glen, this subject has only become interesting yesterday, ask me in a week, I'll know… everything", "Yeah, you'll be a rotting corpse somewhere and your soul will be flying around, there's no way Mark will let you snoop around in his life", "We'll see", "Yeah", they stared at each other for a little while, wondering what took the others so long…
Hunter got finished and glared at Shawn who shook his head, "They really are way too quiet", "I don't believe it Shawn man, you're a real pain", "Yeah", "Get away from there", "Not until I know what's going on", "You won't know like that", Hunter sighed and took some stuff, "I'm getting out of here", "Wait", "Aaah, and now you move", "Yeah, I'll go and check on them", "Shawn please"
Jeff and Mark could hear some of the discussion that had taken place in the room next door, Jeff still lying and Mark finishing to rub the oils in, "Wow, Shawn really gets on my nervs", Jeff turned his head and glanced at Mark, "What's going on you think", "He lost it", "No, with us", Mark stared a sec at Jeff then got up making his way to the bathroom to get his hands clean, he noticed he'd started shaking a little and sighed to himself, "Mark?", Jeff had gotten up on the bed and was looking at him, "Nothing, I just gave you a massage, that's all, hell he should stop his childish games", "Whatever", Mark was amazed at the tone that the punks voice had taken and could have sworn that the answer wasn't what the kid had expected, but how could he explain something he didn't even start to comprehend, "Jeff", no reaction, Jeff just got his shirt and put it on, "Jeff", not even an aknowledgement that he was actually paying attention, "JEFF", Shawn just chose that moment to knock on there door, backing off a little and looking at Hunter, who shrugged his shoulders, "Man, don't look at me, I've got no idea what they are doing in there"
Inside, Jeff had just finished getting his shoes on and got up, passing Mark, still not sure he wanted to talk to him or not, he was so confused, that massage, that touch, he still could feel Marks hands on his back and it was slowly driving him crazy, and as if he wanted to just make it worse Mark put his hand on his arm as he passed him, making Jeff halt and inhale, for a little awkward moment nothing happened and then the second hand made contact with Jeff's hair making him shake a little, Mark was at a complete loss of words but didn't want Jeff to look this, hurt, yeah hurt, or depressed or whatever it was, all he wanted was to see sparks fly in those emerald orbs, and it took him a lot to admit "Jeff, I… I have no idea what's going on, I'm sorry", confusion, there was a lot of confusion in Jeff's eyes as he stared at Mark, who sighed and pulled him closer, hugging him to his chest as there was a second knock on the door, but both men preferred ignoring that for the moment and concentrate on what was happening with them even if they were not understanding the flood of feelings and emotions that cursed trough them, "Mark, Jeff?" and another knock on the door a little louder than before, Jeff pressed a second against Mark then detached himself, more lost than before and reached for the doorknob, his eyes still locked with Mark's…
"Guys, what's going on over here, you're deaf all of a sudden", Hunter stayed a little back and looked at them, Shawn of course all over them, "What happened", without taking his eyes of Mark at the beginning, Jeff went to collect what he needed and joined Hunter, Mark looking at Shawn and growling, "You've been annoying us for the past 20 minutes you idiot, that's what happened", Hunter sensed that they had interrupted something and cursed himself and the fact that Shawns curiosity had let them to disturb the two men, "You know what he's like Mark", "You could have controlled him a little", "Mark", "You should have", Hunter had the distinct feeling Mark was slightly pissed, "Sorry man", "Too late now", Jeff's cheeks had started coloring, he tried to inhale and exhale to get his nervs a little calmed but the touch of Marks hand still lingered on him and he jumped when Hunter put his hand on his shoulder, "You're ok?", "What… Yeah, I'm cool man", there was a thud, a loud one, and as they both looked inside, they saw Shawn dangling feet in the air against the wall and Mark in front of him, hand locked with his throat, "You stay out of my business Shawn, got that", Shawn still managed to laugh as he tried to make Mark loosen his grip "Man, I… Mark… Stop… Listen… Yeah of course… Never, neeever wanted to… eeehhhh… get you pissed…", Mark let him down, squeezing his shoulder "You stay out of my business, or I'll make sure you will, got that", "Yeah man, but you know, this is kinda weird you know", Mark got out of the room, desperation in his eyes, "Hunter, something, gag him, or…", Jeff had really to force himself to speak up, too many emotions, best was to shut them very deep and not to think about them, one more day and he would be alone, he interrupted Mark "We could pierce his tongue, the swelling won't let him speak for a while"
If Mark had ever blushed that was the moment, their eyes locked and he knew that Jeff knew he knew, why, he didn't know, but Jeff knew he had seen it, and turning away quickly he looked at Shawn trying to hide his emotions, "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea", "Noooooo guys, noooooo, thanks", Shawn rapidly moved behind Hunter, "I'm not that extreme Hardy, I let you do these things", "I don't have my tongue pierced", "Yeaah right", Mark had a feeling of inner combustion, the image of a little piece of shiny metal coming back to taunt him, with the question how it could be feeling, and shaking rapidly that thought he growled, "Then shut it, or I swear I'll ask Jeff to hand me over that stick in his navel and I swear I'll jam it trough your tongue myself", "Iiii, yack, how can you say such things, I don't want to have that one in my mouth", Mark felt very compelled to ask which one he'd prefer, but not wanting to bring that subject up and not wanting to put Jeff in a delicate situation he just growled, "Then just shut it man, how you can be this annoying I don't know", they all made it finally to the elevator and down, Mark glaring at Shawn and Shawn whistling for himself…
Dave sighed, "Finally, I thought I'd have to start chewing on you", "Ah, think you'd be capable of that", "Yeah", "with the nicotine in my bloodstream", Dave looked at Glenn before he burst out laughing, "Aaah, now that you're saying it, I'd rather stay away from you", Glen got up, grinning "A pity", "You're not saying", they both laughed at each other and one slapping the other and vice-versa waited for the others to join them, "Hey, you finally got here", "You guys bickering?", "No, playing", "Ooh ok", "Listen guys, Shawn wants his tongue pierced", Dave and Glen stared at him, "Really", "Nooooooooo I don't want to", "You know what to do in that case", Shawn pulled his tongue at Mark, "Man I'm glad you getting out of my face tomorrow", Glen decided to try to stop them, "Good, let's talk about food guys, not torture or bloodshed"
"Yeah, so, where are we going", "Maybe Japanese?", "You wanna fly to Tokyo?", Shawn could swear he was seeing stars after the blow to the head Hunter had just gotten him, "Man, you really are going to get gagged if you continue but I have to admit that sushi pleases me as an idea guys", "And how we'll find that restaurant?", "Asking at the desk", "Right", Dave went to go and ask and came back a couple of minutes later, "There's apparently a delicious Japanese restaurant half a mile from here, down that street", "Ah cool, a little walk before dinner", "We'll walk?", Mark turned to Jeff, "Yeah, you wanna take a cab for half a mile kid?", pulling a pout, "No, what happened to low profile", "A mile will work, plus it's dark already", "Yeah" Shawn made sure to be far from any hand "some will scare the people on the street in the dark though", Jeff took some steps, jumped on the bench and launched on Shawn, attaching to his back and making him nearly trip over, "Hardy", "What", as they were playing around, Shawn trying to get rid of Jeff on his back the others sighed, "Boys… Boys", Glen couldn't keep back the laughter, "Wow, bro you didn't even get close to killing him yesterday", "Shut up", Hunter decided helping Shawn and pulled Jeff off him, "You both stop it please", Jeff grinned "For now", "Yeah, for now punk, I'll get you", "Try", "Guys, stop it", Mark took hold of Jeff's arm as Hunter was doing the same with Shawn, Jeff feeling like someone had send bolts of pure energie through his arm and tried not to react too much "You both stop it, if someone sees us", "They'll laugh", "Yeah, at least we'll put up a show for them", Glen joined Hunter and grabbed Shawn's second arm who was trying to catch Jeff again and Dave did the same with Hardy…
They made it to the restaurant without casualties and even got a table, the waiter first surprised who was walking in and second the way they did, Jeff and Shawn were still launching little attacks at each other, "They don't bite sir, we'll restrain them, they won't disturb much", but apparently he wasn't of the very serious kind since he answered, leading them to a table, "We have chains in the back, if you need them, just say so", "Oh we will thank you", "Heard that guys, you'd better behave", smiling innocently Jeff got down on the chair, "I'm always behaving, and retaliating, so if he stops I stop", there was a squeeze on his knee and when he looked it was Glenn who had sat down next to him, "Stop it punk", "Glen", Mark's voice left no doubt to his brother that he didn't like the way he was touching Hardy but decided not to give the others reason for gossip on this and didn't comment it, merely slapped twice on his leg before letting go. They managed somehow to order, and thanks to the positions they had, Shawn and Jeff were bloqued and couldn't bicker at each other effectively, which annoyed them both to the point where a "truce" was called until after dinner…
On their way back to the hotel, Dave caught up with Mark who was walking with Glen, "The plane's leaving at noon I think", "You think", "I'm sure", "Good, we should leave around ten", "That late", Mark gazed over to Jeff who was talking to Hunter, "Yeah, wouldn't want to wake the punk to early would we", Dave was a little amazed at his words but wasn't about to comment it any other way, "Don't use Hardy as an excuse for sleeping long Mark" ,"I wasn't you bastard", Dave grinned at the protectivness that had yet again sourrounded the Taker's voice and answered, "Yeah, whatever, you guys leaving what time tomorrow", Hunter answered, "I think around one", Glen adding "One thirty actually, do you never check things properly", "No, I've got people like you taking care for me of that", Jeff sighed softly, "Actually it's 13:35 guys", "Funny", they made it back to the hotel, "One last drink guys", "If it's not gonna end like yesterday" Dave sighed "I'm not ready to take another alcohol-infused bickering night", "Me neither", "Watch it Glen, you kinda started it yesterday", Shawn got some glares "Hey, you won't make me shut up forever", "Oh we will, one day we will"
They got down, "What are we drinking guys", "Beer", "Yes, me too", "Everybody", "Yes", Hunter stood, shaking his head, "No way, I'm not gonna be the one getting all the drinks today, I've had it with getting up and walking around, someone else", he pushed Shawn up, "You go, you've been tiring us for over 24 hours now, time to redeem", Shawn grinned as he went to the bar and ordered, not only beers but a variety of shots, the more colorful the better and whistled, "Yo, a hand over here", Jeff sitting on the end got up and joined him, thinking of a bad joke, "You kidding me", "Nope, a rainbow, you know rainbows right", a glare "What's that got to do with it", "Rooh, smile Hardy, take them", sighing he took the platter with the shots and got back to the table, "Ho ho ho, noooo", Dave suddenly felt his stomach turn seeing the dozens of glasses, "Don't yell at me, your man arrives", "No way, he's lost it", Glen took a weird yellow looking booze and smelled, "Humm, not that bad", Shawn arrived with the beers, "I've got us a rainbow guys", Dave snickering "We had already one and that was fine, what's that, that's disgusting", Jeff tried a purple one and smiled, "Hummm, violet, not bad, they're Vodka-shots, actually really not that bad", "See, next time before discussing it you'll remember I have good taste Jeff", "Pfff", Mark took a red one same as Hunter, "Wow, disgusting", Hunter shook his head "Not that bad, Dave wanna try", "No, really not thank you", Jeff tried getting a green one but Mark beat him to the glass, "No, try red, green's mine, probably apple", "I like strawberry too", Jeff let go of the green one, his emerald gaze melted with Mark's as they each took their glasses, Glenn trying blue, "Shawn, don't you ever do that, I've never seen my bro drink such things, I'm shocked", Shawn laughed like a madman, "I knew that"…
It was something after midnight when they got up to go to sleep, knowing they had yet another exhausting day tomorrow, Dave asking "Yo, what time down?", "9:30 leaves time for breakfast", "Ok", "See ya, night", they got out and left Dave alone, who somewhat had hoped for Glen to join him but was just as relieved he hadn't, not sure were that came from and blaming it on the connection between Mark and Jeff, they all started to get affected, he only grinned as he went inside his room…
Shawn just smiled at them, Mark glaring, "One word", pointing him, "No, just nighty night guys, sweeeeeeet dreams", Hunter shoved him inside, "I'll keep him off the wall", "Do whatever you like with him Hunt, I don't care as long as I don't have to hear him", Hunter laughed, "You can bet on that, night guys", "Night"…
Jeff had headed straight for the bathroom, he little dizzy from the silly shots and his racing heart, not sure what was going to happen now, too conflicted, those feelings were all too conflicted, too sudden, really, he wondered if they were really sudden or if the realization just was, too powerful too, Mark's eyes managed to send him into the weirdest reveries lately. He splashed his face, brushed his teeth and got out, Mark sitting on his bed, legs crossed in a somewhat meditating state, grinning, Jeff approached, blame it on the shots, all on the shots and went down in front of him, contemplating the other man's face before poking him on the cheek, asking "Yo, you're in communication with the dead or what, seems I missed that part last night", there was a deep sigh and Mark opened his eyes, staring at him, "Hardy, why are you like that", "Like what", "Like that, coming over here, poking me, asking questions worth of Michaels", Jeff grinned even more, "Well, there was talk about ressemblance…", "There's none", "You just said…", "Argh punk", "Yeah whatever Deadman", Jeff got up to move over to his bed only to feel a hand catching his wrist and Mark get up behind him, he could swear his heart stopped beating for a moment, for a long moment, he even stopped breathing, concentrating on the touch and the brush of warm air in his neck as Mark moved closer…
He could feel tremors run through the body in front of him, so responsive, he was so responsive butMark just didn't feel ready yet to claim that response, to go into it, to seek for more, he let go of the hand and moved to the bathroom, hating himself for the move he had just made, for not knowing how to continue, hell, he didn't even know what it was he wanted from the kid, and he wasn't sure Jeff knew either. It took him a couple of minutes to come out, not sure what to say…
Hunter had made a sign to keep it quiet to Shawn the second he closed the door, then started to whisper, "Pssshhhh, let's not let them know we're snooping on them", Shawn just grinned and shook his head up and down, rubbing his hands making Hunter laugh…
Glen had gotten ready and was laying in bed, wondering if he should call a certain number, after all Dave was known for being on the wild side on some issues, and he didn't mind wild, but fatigue got the better of him and he snuggeled in his covers, thinking he could always do it another time…
When Mark had closed the bathroom door Jeff had snapped out of his dreaming, not sure what just had happened, he let himself fall backwards onto Mark's bed and sighed, trying to get his heartbeat back to normal, he had never felt like that, at least never with a man, and certainly not with someone like Mark and yet, Mark responded… He grabbed the pillow behind him and sat up, crossing his legs pillow in his lap, playing with the corners, decided to wait there for Mark, whatever would happen would happen…
Mark felt his heart stop when he was Jeff on his bed, he had hoped to come out to a dark room with a sleeping Jeff, but unfortunately he seemed pretty awake, and pretty aware that he was standing there and pretty too, Mark scolded himself for such a thought, apparently his brother had been right about the cuteness of the Hardy-punk, but now there was no Glen, he had to to this on his own, Mark hated himself right now as he slowly walked towards the bed, "Jeff", "Humm", "I… I've got no idea what's going on", next door there were too very smiling blondes sitting glued to the wall, grinning Shawn whispered, "I was right all along", "Ssshhhhh, they'll hear us", in the other room Mark had gotten down next to Jeff sighing, lost and shaky, "That's my pillow punk", "Yup", "yeah, so…", "So…", "Stop repeating what I say Jeff", "You did too", "Jeff", "What", "I… pffff", Mark scratched his head, "What are we doing here", "I don't know, sitting?", "Jeff", "Yeah, what, you asked", Mark somewhat felt compelled to quiet him, and if Jeff had added just one more syllabe he would have kissed him to get him quiet, and that thought scared the shit out of the Taker…
"We should go to sleep Jeff", he saw a flicker of hurt, rejection perhaps and shook his head, what was wrong with that kid, and got up, taking him by the arms and lifting him up too, then uncovering the bed and pushing a very amazed Jeff back down, "I swear you'll get the better of me punk", he went to the other side and went down too, laying confortably and then pulling Jeff down in his arms, "Can I have the pillow back punk?", his anchor, the only thing that kept Jeff from screaming, shaking, smiling, jumping and who knows what, he couldn't think clearly for the moment and kept clutching the pillow, "Yo, Jeff", an emerald gaze melted with Mark's green eyes as he held the pillow to him, not quite believing what was happening, "Thanx", putting it under his head, Mark got back to getting confortable, turned out the light and snuggeled Jeff closer, who relaxed a little even if his heartbeat was out of control, Mark's arm in his back gently caressing the spot where it hurt most, smiling when he felt Jeff getting confortable in his arms and tentatively putting his arm over Mark's chest before murmuring, "Goodnight Mark", "Night punk", "It's Jeff", "Yeah, but I like punk better", there was a small sigh from Jeff, before he pinched Mark where his hand lay on the chest "Hey", Marks free hand went to entwine with Jeff's, there were no more words exchanged, both men trying hard to figure out what was happening, letting the soft touch of the other's skin and their breathing lullaby each other in a deep and cozy sleep…
(Yeah, it got the better of me, it evolved to have it's on life lol and now they're in a bed together… Will be a very nice waking for both of them)