DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN EMMERDALE OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. THEY ARE THE PROPERTY OF ITV.

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LATE-OCTOBER

"Fuck me yah bastard! Fuck me!"

Reece fucked Aaron even harder and the bed began to knock against the wall. Downstairs Nick was getting on with his worksruff and looked up to the ceiling. Aaron and Reece were 'at it' again. Even poor old Clyde whimpered abit when the mutt seemed to realise what Nick was thinking.

"That's right dog...whens it ever gonna stop, eh?"

Reece never stayed long. He was always down the first one down the stairs and out the door without a bye, kiss my arse or nothing.

Aaron and threwn on sweat pants and a Tshirt to come downstairs in. The first thing he did was, go to the fridge and drink straight out of the carton of orange juice.

Nick closed his works folder and looked up as Aaron came into the lounge and made a fuss of Clyde.

"Aaron...are you SEEING HIM or what? Or is he still shagging that girl from neck of the woods"

Aaron screwed his face up, " What Amy? That slapper...yeah, he's still seeing"

Nick raised his eyebrowes, "SHE'S the slapper?"

Aaron sat down in the armchair, "Yeah...she was the one who went with my Uncle Cain and he got her preggars. She had the babe and got it adopted...she'd drop her knickers for anyone her"

Nick sniffed back, "and you don't?"

Aaron screwed his face up again," what's THAT suppose to me?"

Nick shrugged.

Aaron jumped up, his face looking annoyed, "Come on...OUT WITH IT...you THINK I'm a slapper don't you"

Nick swallowed and stood up and faced him up...he was quite serious as he said; "the whole FUCKING scene thinks you're a slapper mate... I did warn yah"

Aaron didn't take it how Nick intended; "what? Are you jealous or sommit? It's because they can't get enough of me...my HOT stuff on that scene"

"Yeah and everyone wants aride mate" told Nick flippantly.

Aaron shook his head and thumbed to the stairs, "You know what...fuck you...I don't have to stand here and take this...YOU are just jealous because I have NEVER shagged you..."

Nick shook his head, "thought never crossed my mind...and if I did, I wouldn't, and do you what to know why...?"

Aaron swallowed looking at him and waited for the answer.

"...it's because YOU could be riddled with anything...I wouldn't touch IT with a 10foot barge pole" and with that he went to the kitchen.

Aaron looked to the floor...was he really that bad...?

XXX

Stu went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of white wine. He went and pulled himself a glass and took it into the lounge area of his flat and tried to get on with his college assignment.

Just as he was finally getting to grips with it, the buzzer went. He sighed and put the laptop to one side and went to the intercom.

For a moment he smiled to himself. Was it Jackson? But he had given the builder a key, so he could let himself in.

He grabbed the handset, "yeah..?"

"It's me..."

Nathan.

Stu swallowed. What the hell did he want? He didn't usually show up unanounced this time of the week.

"Well come on you tart, aren't you gonna let me in"

Stu pressed the door release and replaced the handset. Stu went and put the door on ajar and then pulled a second glass of wine.

Nathan came in and shut the door. He slinged off his leather jacket and sat down.

Stu looked at him baffled, "so...?"

Nathan raised his eyebrowes, "So what? Can't I stop by and see my best mate..."

Stu handed him the glass of wine, "Course...but you usually call ahead, like"

Nathan looked around the room, "Why's that?" he gave Stu a knowing grin,"is it because you've got some bloke hidden away..."

Stu blew out a nervous laugh, "course not, don't be daft"

Nathan settled back with his glass, " Good...three's a crowd. So...enough of the homework...lets have a good old catch up, eh?"

XXX

Aaron had locked himself in his room after the arguement with Nick. Nick had been good to him letting him stay with him.

Clyde was on the floor looking up at him with sad eyes. Aaron reached out his hand and rubbed the dogs scruff before hearing a knock on the door.

"Aaron can I come in"

Aaron sat up as Nick entered.

"Look if you what us to go..." began Aaron, swinging his legs around. But Nick shook his head, "I don't want you to go you big lummox, I just want you to be aware what you're doing to yourself"

"Yes, but you..."

Nick sat on the bed, "Look...I know what I do...I'm not into all that relationship shit, I never have been and i've never hidden it...yes I like a good old cruise down the park on a nice summer evening...the buzz it gives you when you are in nothing but a pair of shorts. I like the dark laybys too...the danger of it all...but I've NEVER shoved it in folks faces, Aaron...I stay clear of anyone I see down the club or the scene because It's them nasty buggers that spread all the shit about you..."

Aaron was listening.

"...and I'm careful too...and NEVER do anything without a rubber..."

Aaron sighed, and layed back down onto the pillow, "am I a slag? Is that what folk are saying about me?"

Nick decided to be honest, "...they call you the 'easyrider'"

Aaron went all cold, "What? Is that what they all call me down that club"

Nick hated to be brutal, but it had to be said, " Yep, afraid so...you're getting to the stage where blokes will pick you up and fuck you...but don't care what's in here" he pointed to his head, " you're an object not a person...nobody cares what you think or what you feel...you're just there for sex"

Aaron looked tearful.

"...it's like when there's house partys and barbies and that...when I was invited and you were not...folk don't like to be associated with you...that's why I always get 'you can come...but don't bring your mate'..."

"But it's not like that...I was just having fun...I'm not ready for a full on relationship...I tried that with Jackson and look how that turned out...I ended up hurting him and deep down...I felt bad...but in some ways relieved because it was over...I don't want to be in that postion again"

Nick smiled at him, "You don't have to be...just don't go over doing it...get a sex buddy if you have to...or a couple even...but just don't put it about like you have...because i'm telling yah, this scene is small...and your rep will stick to yah"

Aaron blew out a sigh. He felt like shit now. He looked up, "I best keep off it for a while then...maybe I'll just go back to the village or sommit"

Nick frowned, "You don't have to"

"Yeah I do...I need to think...my head completely mashed now...I hate meself...I used to hate being gay...and now that's coming back because I feel it"

Nick shook his head, "Aaron don't...don't fall backwards..."

Aaron started to pack up his stuff, "You're right...I am a slag...Maybe I'mm see you around..."

Nick couldn't stop him of course...you couldn't stop Aaron from doing anything.

The lad must've phoned that Paddy bloke from the village, because within the hour he had pulled up outside and Aaron was threwing his bags into the car. Clyde was jumping in the back.

And with only just a slight nod, Aaron was gone.

And although it seemed Nick had lost his friend, he hoped that somehow, he had done him some good...

XXX

Nathan and Stu had been chatting for ages. Nathan turned and said, "right it's time for me to take me med..."

He lifted his jacket and pulled out a plastic tray. Stu watched him as he placed it onto the coffee table and opened it up. There was quite a cocktail of drugs on show.

Nathan looked up and smiled at his mate, "Why don't you get yourself another bottle...but just a water for me...I need to take these..."

Stu stood, " I'll just go and grab some for you..."

Nathan watched him slink of to the kitchen, Nathan reached over and took Stu's blackberry phone from the arm of the couch. Making sure Stu was busy in the kitchen opening a bottle for himself and getting a water for him, he started going through Stu's texts.

"I knew it...just sums you up", he hissed.

Slapping the phone back onto the arm, Nathan sat back and watched Stu come back in. He handed the glass of water to Nate.

Nate smiled, "Cheers babe...hey, did I tell you...I saw Jackson with that Aaron guy...you know the one he buggered off to Spain with"

"Who...'Easyrider'?"

Nathan nodded, "yeah...they looked like they were getting it back on to me...not that I CARE...you know, with me and him getting a divorce and that"

Stu looked white.

Nathan stuck the boot in even more, " Well...pains me to say it...but, I suppose they are just giving it another go...goodluck that's all I can say...Aaron's a slut...and so is he...infact, there seems even more slags about than there used to be, eh?", he looked at Stu as he said it.

Stu just nodded and coughed. A nervous cough. A cough when you didn't know what to say.

Nathan took his meds and when he finally finished he looked up, and flicked fringe from his face, "So...hows YOUR lovelife going then Stupot...got anybody secretly tucked away?"

Stu looked right pissed off, Nate noted.

"No...there WAS a guy I was sorta seeing...but...well, it seems he was seeing somebody else"

Nathan flicked his nails and smirked, "Shame"

Stu turned away. It was never serious between him and the builder. But just lately he was getting these feelings for him. And Jackson had said that HE had feeling for him.

LIAR!

Easyrider slutty Aaron...that filthy tart.

Well HE won't know what's hit him!

XXXXX

More soon; As Aaron withdraws into himself, Nick gets Jackson to have a talk to him and he takes him out for a meal...When Nathan finds out, he arranges for him and Stu to go to the same place...