The Stars | Aaron Hotchner

Chapter 7: The Challenger

You were currently on your way to the Pentagon Row outdoor skating rink with Aaron, skillfully dodging his questions as he tried to figure out where you were taking him. It would take about half an hour to get there, but the rink would be open all day, so you weren't worried about the time.

Stealing glances out of the side of your eye, you checked out Aaron as the two of you enjoyed the radio, and each other's company.

He was wearing jeans and a caramel quarter zip sweater, his hair looking particularly fluffy in its natural state. When he first got in, he tossed his jacket in the back and you couldn't help the smile that appeared as you imagined him wearing the seemingly uncharacteristic puffer jacket.

The jacket was hilariously stuffed, but he said he was bringing it in case it was going to be colder than he anticipated. It looked like a large version of a child's jacket, especially as it easily doubled the size of the wearer with all of its insulation. You did want to see him in it though, believing that he would look absolutely adorable.

He saw your grin as you thought about it and asked what you were thinking about. You replied with a simple "nothing", turning up the radio as some oldie's songs were on the air.

Aaron wasn't oblivious. He caught every time you glanced at him and watched your fingers flex on the steering wheel as you periodically straightened your posture. Your behavior was a sign of nervousness, of struggling with self control. His senses were telling him that you returned his feelings, but his logic dictated that he was simply reading too much into things. Perhaps he was misinterpreting your friendliness and teasing as flirting, leaving him unsure of what to make of the last few weeks and hesitating in making a move because of so. He needed to be sure that you felt the same.

When Aaron met Haley, all he knew was that he wanted to impress a girl and whatever happened, happened. He was young and honestly, one of the nerds in school. It was understatement to say that it was a surprise when she-- one of the prettiest and hottest girls on campus-- accepted his invitation to a date after their performance in Pirates of Penzance. He was relieved to find a significant other that his family approved of, and whose family accepted him, especially as both sets of parents were practicing Catholics.

She was first first everything. His first kiss, first date, first time... He had the love story everyone dreamed of, marrying his high school sweetheart right out of school and going through most of his adult life with her. He stayed with her through college, moved out of his parents house to live with her, had a kid with her, and yet, she still cheated.

But, he went on loving her, because she was the only romantic connection he had ever known. And when he knew that she was cheating-- knew, because he had realized months earlier-- he took it as a reflection of his own character. He believed he wasn't being enough for his wife and son, and that was why she sought out someone else to fulfill her needs.

So he kept loving her, let her see another guy and let her think she was getting away with it because he thought she would stop as soon as he was enough.

But she didn't, and then she was taking Jack away from him in the divorce, and he still loved her because how could he stop? Loving her hurt, but Aaron had equated love to pain all his life, starting with his father.

However, you were different. Whatever he was feeling was different.

He didn't have the urge to impress you, not even when you first met. He was the one that was sought out, saving him from the painful process of fumbling his words to ask someone out, only to be rejected as he had been several times when he was younger. There was a sense of ease whenever he talked to you, the distinct absence of fear creating this feeling of safety from being lashed out at, verbally and physically.