Title: Forever
Part 20
Author: SlasheR
Rating: NC-17
Warnings(in no particular order): M/M, Rape, Graphic Sex, Violence, BDSM,Angst
Characters: Matt Hardy, Christian, Gangrel, Edge, and Jeff Hardy Disclaimer: I don't own any of these wrestlers, and none of this ever happened. I'm sure that in real life, Gangrel is very nice.

Part 21

Blinding, intense pain.

Matt bit the pillow to keep from screaming as the soapy cloths touched his open wounds, squeezing Jeff's hand tightly. Shane and Christian really hated putting him in so much pain, but Christian knew it would be far worse if it got infected.

They worked slowly, talking to Matt in soothing voices, using their free hands to rub his shoulders and the backs of his thighs, anywhere they could reach that wouldn't hurt him. Jeff was talking to him too, kissing away his tears, but Matt couldn't hear a word any of them were saying. Finally, the cloths were pulled away, replaced by a soft, fluffy towel as Christian dried him off.

He jumped as cold hands touched his aching ass.

"Shane!! That lotion's cold!! You've got to warm it up first--like lube, or do you just put cold lube on guys too?"

"I don't *put* lube on guys...I'm a bottom!"

"From now on, warm up the lotion!"

Shane started rubbing the sweetly-scented lotion into Matt's red butt, the touch soothing. Matt relaxed, turning his head to face Jeff and loosening his grip on his younger brother's hand. By the time Shane was done, Matt could hardly feel the pain in his back and ass, and tears were no longer running down his cheeks. He wasn't hurt anymore--just exhausted.

"Ok, all done. You wanna go to sleep now, Matt?" Matt just nodded.

"Alright, we'll leave soyou can get some sleep." Matt shook his head.

"S-stay?"

"Of course we will, big bro. You want us in the bed, or on the chairs??"

"Chairs...except Jeff, stay on the bed with me."

Jeff smiled. "Okey-dokey." He slipped into bed, snuggling up against Matt. "You wanna blanket?"

"It would probably hurt..."

Christian left for a minute, coming back with a folded up blanket.

"This one won't hurt. It's really soft." He draped the blanket over the brothers, smiling as they curled up together. A little bolt of jealousy ran through him. Why couldn't he and Edge have a relationship like that?

There were no chairs in the room, just a big, plushy couch. Christian and Shane lay down together, after getting a blanket. Matt and Jeff were having a whispered conversation, but Shane and Christian were too tired to let it keep them awake.

"Matty, why are you doing this?"

"Jeff, you know I'd do anything to protect you, anything to keep you safe and warm and happy, right?"

"Yeah."

"Imagine if I didn't. What kind of life would you have if I cared about my hair, or my teeth, or my clothes, or my boyfriend more than I care about you? How would you feel if you were the bottom of my list of priorities?"

"Alone, I guess...kinda scared...maybe nervous."

"That's how Christian feels. And to make it worse, he was getting the shit beaten out of him every night by the boyfriend that Edge loves more than he loves Chris. Christian doesn't have anyone to look out for him, and I feel like I should do something."

"Okay....hey, Matty?"

"Yeah?"

"You know where we're gonna fly tomorrow?"

"No, but I can find out."

"Philadelphia."

"So?"

"ECW, Matt!! I got us tickets."

"Oh." Matt had to smile at Jeff's sweet innocence. Jeff was always getting crushes like these, so Matt was used to the sweet obsessiveness.

Snuggled up with his brother, his boyfriend and best friens right there, Matt knew he could make it through this.

After all, Christian did it with no support, and he got through it, so it should be a piece of cake for Matt...shouldn't it?