A Simple Misunderstanding

[emmasi]

Story title: A Simple Misunderstanding

Type of story: Undecided

Main characters: Aden, Roman, Geoff.

BTTB rating: T

Proof read: No

Spoilers: Maybe for UK

Any warnings: Mild adult themes

Summary: Aden and Roman come to an awkward realisation about their relationship.

This was intended to be a oneshot, but I'm leaving the possibility open to continue it. I don't really have the time for it right now, but I'll see how Aden's storyline on the show plays out, and whether or not I feel the need to fix it

A Simple Misunderstanding

“Aden!”

Aden only just heard his name over the roar of the waves churning around his waist. He looked up from the water to see Roman walking down the sand to talk to him. Aden rolled his eyes and slicked his hair back from his face. He dove into the water again - he didn’t have to come running just because Roman told him too.

Roman watched the teenager swimming out into another set. He was in no hurry. He sat down on the beach and waited for Aden to come to him.

The old man wasn’t going away. Aden spat out a mouthful of salt water and trudged up to the shore.

“What do you want?”

Roman stood up. “I want to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“Miles tells me you were having trouble concentrating in his class the other day.”

Aden folded his arms. “What else did your boyfriend say about me?”

“I told you what Miles has been through, and you were still a jerk to him. Why?”

“He’s not the only one with problems, okay? If he can’t handle his job then that’s not my fault.”

“You could make it easier for him.”

“Why should I? No one ever makes it easy for me. No matter what I do I’m a ‘jerk,’ so if people are going to call me that then I might as well be one.”

“That makes a lot of sense. If you want to go through life having no one who likes you or respects you.”

Aden laughed. “Oh, I’m sure you like me well enough to make up for everyone else, don’t you Roman? I’m not stupid you know. I know why you’re so obsessed with me.”

“Why’s that?”

Aden shrugged. “You want me.”

“I want you?” Roman shook his head and laughed, astounded by Aden’s arrogance.

“What, you haven’t noticed? Seems like every time we meet, I’m all wet and shirtless and you just can’t wait to join me. It’s pretty obvious.”

“I’m with Martha, Aden.”

Aden smirked. “Yeah, I saw. But she’s not much of a cover if you’re trying to make people think you’re serious. You know she’s the town bike, don’t you? She’ll sleep with any guy that looks at her.”

Roman almost let Aden get to him. “You sound like you’re jealous,” he teased.

“Of you? Please, I wouldn’t want that skank. She’s probably diseased or something.”

“Of her,” said Roman. “Aden, I’m sorry if I’ve given you the wrong idea, but I only ever wanted to be your friend.”

“I’m not gay!” Aden yelled at him, glancing around to see that no one had heard. “You seemed like a nice guy, and you were interested in me, so I thought I’d give you a little thrill by flirting with you for a while, but you should know that a dirty old perve like you could never get someone as young and hot as me, so you can just stay the hell away from me from now on, okay? I don’t need you as a ‘friend’ or anything else.”

Aden barged past Roman and grabbed his towel off the sand. He threw it around his shoulders and continued up the beach. He wiped the salt water from his face as it began to sting his eyes, almost running Geoff down as they passed on the pathway.

“Aden,” Geoff could see that he was upset.

“Get out of my way, God Boy.”

“Aden, what’s wrong?”

Aden turned around. “You want to know what’s wrong?” he snapped angrily. “Irene’s little toy-boy has the hots for me!”

“What?” Geoff stared down at the shoreline in disbelief. “Roman? No way!”

“Why would I lie about something like that?”

“Aden, you think that everyone wants you! You thought that I wanted you, remember?”

“Yeah, and I bet you still do, but at least you have the decency not to follow me around leering at me whenever I get my gear off.” He pointed to the water. “Ask Roman why he went down there. Go on, ask him! He was there to see me! Why else would he do that? Why would anyone want to go near me if they didn’t want to have sex with me, huh? What else could I possibly be any good for?”

Geoff, put on the spot and fairly shocked by his enemy’s question, didn’t have an answer.

“Exactly,” Aden concluded. “So why don’t you go and throw yourself at him? Maybe that way I can keep you both off my back - literally!” He glared at Geoff and even more fiercely at Roman, and then continued on his way to the Surf Club.

Geoff stared after him. He wasn’t sure what had just happened. Roman was still standing on the beach, looking as though he really did have no other reason to be there. Geoff decided to go down and ask him what he was doing.

“Roman?”

Roman glanced at him. “Hey Geoff.” He noticed how wary the boy looked. “You didn’t happen to run into Aden, did you?”

“Is it true?” Geoff asked, feeling sick and scared and strangely excited. “Do you… like Aden?”

Roman sighed. “No, Geoff. Not in that way. Aden’s just got his wires crossed.”

“Aden’s only eighteen,” Geoff said quickly, in case Roman was lying. “You’re forty-something!”

“Thirty-something,” Roman corrected him defensively.

“Homosexuality is wrong! God forbids it! It’s sexual gratification without the object of procreation, and it always happens out of wedlock because God wouldn’t allow two people to get married if all they were getting married for was to have sex for gratification without ever procreating!”

“Geoff,” Roman leaned away, concerned about how fanatical the boy was getting, “Calm down.”

“It’s a sin! You shouldn’t be thinking about another man like that!” Geoff suddenly came over more scandalized than he already was. “That day on the beach, when you said those girls were watching me - were you watching me too? Is that how you knew that they thought I was…”

“Sexy?”

“Don’t say that!” Geoff held his shoulders, trying to cover his bare skin from Roman’s eyes. He cursed himself for wearing a singlet - why hadn’t he worn a jacket? Just because it was 28 degrees…

“Geoff, it’s not hard to see that you’re an attractive boy, but that doesn’t mean that I’m attracted to you. Even if I was, that wouldn’t be the issue. I think your views on homosexuality might be a discussion for another time.”

“But - !”

“The problem here is Aden. He’s a good looking kid too, but he doesn’t seem to think he’s got anything else going for him. He can’t understand why I’d even want to talk to him without wanting something out of him. You’re lucky you’re not like that, Geoff. You’ve got your friends, your family, your faith, so many things to ground you. You understand what if feels like to have people love you for who you are. Aden’s got none of that. I think it just scared him to have someone in his life that genuinely cares about what happens to him.”

Aden stood in one of the shower cubicles of the Surf Club. The door was closed - he knew no-one could see him - but he still felt completely exposed, naked under the scalding spray. His skin was turning red from the heat, but he felt cold. He had to hold himself to keep from shivering, and to keep his paranoia at bay.

What had he done? Roman was the only one, the only one that cared about him, and now he’d driven him away. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have thought that Roman would actually want to be with him? Aden understood now - it was only ever pity. Roman was only pretending to care because he knew that no one else would.

He put his back against the wall, wanting to slide down to the floor, but he didn’t. The gap under the door would truly leave him exposed if he did that. Instead he just stood against the cold tiles for a while until he found himself relatively cleansed - enough to go back outside and face a world now completely full of people who didn’t want him.

[martha-jack]

haha, Aden thinks Geoff and Roman want him, he thinks he's pure hot.

This is great, please carry on.

[Perry]

Well maybe they do want him MJ! Maybe Aden is right! How dare those boys confuse my baby!

I don't think I like where this is going but what can I say.... its a Gaden fic!

[Eli]

Oh my god, that's exactly what should be happening right now! Actually, with some luck it wouldn't surprise me if it did

He dove into the water again - he didn’t have to come running just because Roman told him too.

I like that, very in-character.

“I want you?” Roman shook his head and laughed, astounded by Aden’s arrogance.

I can picture Roman saying that to Aden.

“Get out of my way, God Boy.”

Haha, classic Aden!

Geoff, put on the spot and fairly shocked by his enemy’s question, didn’t have an answer.

Of course he doesn't.......

What had he done? Roman was the only one, the only one that cared about him, and now he’d driven him away. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have thought that Roman would actually want to be with him? Aden understood now - it was only ever pity. Roman was only pretending to care because he knew that no one else would.

Aww, poor Aden

Really great fic, but please don't let it end here, I'd love to read more and see where this goes!

[Evil_gummy_shark]

I love this, you got Aden down perfectly, I totally beleive he could think Roman wants him

[Luc]

Love this. It's so well written. Please continue.

[ezaz8]

It is very well written - I could imagine each of the charaters saying and doing those things. Would love to see where it goes....

[emmasi]

I wasn't sure if I was going to continue this, but I've been having story ideas that I know they'd never do on the show . So... could be something up sometime soon. (I don't like to commit to anything fic related, if you can't tell!)

Thanks for the replies

[Isobel]

Hey! I liked that a lot. So in character, I could totally picture everything clearly. More, I say!

“Miles tells me you were having trouble concentrating in his class the other day.”

Aden folded his arms. “What else did your boyfriend say about me?”

“Homosexuality is wrong! God forbids it! It’s sexual gratification without the object of procreation, and it always happens out of wedlock because God wouldn’t allow two people to get married if all they were getting married for was to have sex for gratification without ever procreating!”

“Geoff,” Roman leaned away, concerned about how fanatical the boy was getting, “Calm down.”

Was I supposed to find that funny? Well, I did. Geoff makes me laugh. Not his beliefs, just his innocence. Maybe laughs sounds harsh. But Geoff's just so precious.

He put his back against the wall, wanting to slide down to the floor, but he didn’t. The gap under the door would truly leave him exposed if he did that. Instead he just stood against the cold tiles for a while until he found himself relatively cleansed - enough to go back outside and face a world now completely full of people who didn’t want him.

I want you, Aden! Poor Aden....

More?

[Frogg]

Just found this. It's amazing. Have you ever thought about continuing with it because it's got me hooked. Your an excellent writer and very good with characterisation. Also am I right in thinking when you began writing this Geoff was going to end up being gay?