"Yeah, yeah. Hold on won't you?" Irritated, Jeff Hardy shouted at the unknown person who was knocking on his hotel room door, while he pulled on a T-shirt and loose pants, and dried his hair somewhat roughly, having just got out of the shower.

Finally he pulled open the door. "What?"

The blond on the other side of the door smiled apologetically. "Sorry Jeff, I didn't realize you were busy, I'll come back later..."

Jeff's frown almost broke into a smile. "No, it's OK. Come on in." He stood back from the door, then slammed it behind his friend. "So what's up?"

Chris Irvine made himself comfortable on the couch and grinned at the younger boy, somewhat forced. "Well, nothing really. I was just bored."

He surveyed the room: there were clothes everywhere, shoes thrown into a corner and wet towels draped over chairs and in piles on the floor. No wonder Matt refused to share a room with his little brother any more.

"Oh, OK." Jeff looked slightly bemused. "You don't mind if I get changed do you? I just grabbed the first thing I could find when I heard the door."

The blond laughed. "Whatever. But Jeff, do you have any clean clothes left? It looks like a hurricane's been through this room."

"Hurricane Hardy." Jeff giggled, pulling off his T-shirt, to replace it with one that was tight and black, more like his normal ring attire. "Does this T-shirt look OK?" Not stopping to hear Chris' opinion, he pulled off his pants to put on a pair of silk boxers and jeans.

"That's better." Finally Jeff flopped down on the couch next to Chris, his wet hair falling in colored strands over his face. "So what's everyone doing now? I'd have thought you'd be with Adam."

The Canadian looked down at his hands and his voice went quiet. "We're finished."

"Chris I'm so sorry." Jeff exclaimed. "What happened?"

"He's been screwing around. I found out last night. He said if I couldn't handle it then I should leave, so I did." There were tears in Chris' voice.

"Oh Chris." Jeff looked genuinely upset for his friend. "I can't believe it. I thought you two were happy together."

"No. I hadn't really been happy for a while, so it was probably for the best that I found out. It still hurts though, the thought that he would lie to me. The betrayal." Chris finished bitterly.

"I know." Softly Jeff touched the Canadian's cheek. "You didn't deserve that."

"So I came around, I guess, to see if you wanted to go out and get very drunk." Chris tried to lighten the mood but the tone of his voice betrayed that he wasn't up to it.

"No." The multi-colored haired boy refused. "It's not what you need. I know what happens when people do that. You'll get all miserable, then you'll go and try to get him back, make a fool of yourself and end up hating yourself. Trust me." Jeff forced a smile. "I know from miserable experience."

"Really?" Ever since Chris had joined the WWF, he'd never seen Jeff with the same person for more than a week. He'd heard all the rumors about how Jeff would sleep with anyone, heard the other guys calling him a little slut. But Chris had always got on well with Jeff. He didn't know whether the rumors were true, but he did know that Jeff was, yeah a little crazy, but he was a damn good listener and friend, which is why Chris came to him.

"Given my reputation, people find it hard to believe that I could actually feel something for someone." Jeff's frown became more pronounced. "But trust me, it's not what you need."

"Do you know what they say about you then?" Chris asked in surprise.

"Matt tells me when it gets really bad." He admitted quietly. "Mostly I don't care what people say. I just wish, sometimes, that they'd know the real me. Adam's always been the worst, saying stuff. I should kick his ass, especially cos of what he's done to you."

"Don't on my account Jeff."Chris smiled. "The relationship was never worth that. I mean, when I think about it, all we had was sex. We hardly talked, we had nothing in common. I'm surprised we lasted this long."

"It's a shame." Jeff murmured. "You come up to New York, and first thing that happens is that you're in a relationship with a fuck up like Adam. I should have warned you, but it seemed for a while like he'd changed...."

"Why?" Wide-eyed, Chris looked up at his friend, who had walked over to the window and was staring at the view of the city, his back to Chris.

"It doesn't matter." Jeff waved away the inquiry and the room descended into silence. Chris sat and watched Jeff for a while, then walked over and stood next to the younger boy. Looking into his eyes, he spotted the tears that had streaked his pale cheeks.

"What is it Jeff?"

The (former) blond shook his head.

"Please?" Tenderly Chris slipped an arm around his shoulder. "It's OK, it really is."

Shaking, Jeff buried his head in Chris' shoulder. "I'm sorry." Was the muffled whisper "you come round here depressed, and I'm the one who ends up crying."

"Why Jeff?" Cautiously Chris slipped his other arm around Jeff's waist, pulling his incredibly close. Irrationally, he breathed deeply Jeff's scent, and it made his knees go weak.

"Please don't ask me." Childlike, Jeff looked up at the slightly taller blond. "Please."

As Jeff's eyes were brimming with tears again, Chris assented, resting Jeff's head on his shoulder and suddenly, gently, kissing his neck. Then he realized what he was doing and broke away.

"Shit Jeff I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." Chris was mortified, and was about to leave, until he saw Jeff collapse onto his knees, breaking out into heart-rendering sobs. Immediately he knelt down in front of the younger Hardy and took his two small hands in his own, squeezing them lightly.

"Jeff, what is it? What's wrong? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Just... don't break your heart like this."

Eyes swollen, Jeff's green stared into Chris' blue, which themselves were starting to fill with tears.

"Chris? I'm sorry. I just thought... I was wrong, I'm sorry." Jeff's tears flowed anew.

"What? Please, tell me what..." Chris was more than slightly concerned.

"Promise you won't hate me?" Chris nodded." "I thought, when you kissed me... it was cos you liked me... Cos, when I'm with you... it's not about sex... not that I wouldn't like to... it's just that I feel like I'd be safe with you ... like you want me for me and not just an easy fuck." These statements were punctuated by sniffs, but Jeff never removed his gaze from the man in front of him.

"Oh little Jeffie." Chris pulled Jeff (and himself) to his feet, and immediately slipped his arms around the slim boy. "I do like you. I was just scared because I thought that I was taking advantage of you when you were upset. Jeff, I can talk to you like no one else. You would be safe with me darling. I'd never hurt you."

Jeff reciprocated his embrace, looking into Chris' tear filled eyes with a face that radiated innocence but eyes that betrayed years of hurt.

They remained this way for a while, just resting their heads on each other's shoulders, then Chris spoke again. "Jeff?"

Smiling slightly, the younger boy looked up. "Yeah?" His voice was as soft as an angel's.

"I feel so happy here." Chris sighed contentedly. "With you. Like this."

"Me too." Jeff's face was beaming in happiness and he looked at the taller wrestler, almost begging to be kissed, giving Chris total control.

Cautiously Chris allowed his lips to brush Jeff's, tasting the sweetness of his mouth as he allowed his tongue to explore. Jeff put his hand on Chris' neck, intensifying the kiss, his other hand beginning to explore Chris' body. But the older man pulled away, leaving Jeff pouting in disappointment.

"Jeff, it's not that I don't want you. It's just that... I want to prove to you that I'm not with you just for sex... that I want you for who you are." Chris explained, caressing Jeff's face tenderly.

"So... it's not that you don't want me?" Jeff didn't seem convinced. "I mean, I understand if you don't. Jesus, a fuck up like me, who would?"

Chris kissed him again, and then reassured him. "You are not a fuck up. And you have no idea how much I want you. But I can't let myself do anything. I can't. I just want... to be with you. I just want you to know that I'm serious. I won't mess you around."

"OK..." Jeff seemed completely unconfident with the situation. "I've never been in this position before. It's just, I don't know how else to show you how I feel."

"Put your arms around me." Jeff did as he was told. "Now you're showing me. Just being here, when I look into you eyes, I know."

"You are so amazing." Jeff almost laughed. "You've already made me so happy."

They were disturbed by hammering on the door, then Matt's voice rang out. "Jeff, we're all meeting in the lobby in ten minutes. Tell Chris if you see him."

They both stifled giggles, then Jeff looked serious.

"Chris, don't tell anyone you're with me." The Canadian looked disappointed, but Jeff continued, "It's just, you know what my reputation is... I don't want it to affect your reputation in any way, so let's leave it for a while, yeah?"

"I don't care about my reputation," Chris began, but Jeff stopped him with a kiss.

"I care, so please?" Jeff looked so sweet Chris could hardly say no.