When Love & Hate Collide

Title: When Love & Hate Collide
Author: Adelaide Elizabeth Morgan (falconkenobi@aol.com)
Author Web Page: http://www.aemslash.co.uk Obsess, Much?
Fandom: RPS - Good Charlotte/Mest
Categories: Joel Madden/Billy Martin. Drama. Angst. A/U
Rating: R
Archive: Yes to list archives. All others please let me know where so I can come and preen, okay?
Thanks to: You, for reading this. Paul, for being patient and understanding when I disappear into the computer room for days on end to write. Taco & Megs, as ever, for the beta
Disclaimer: The members of Good Charlotte & Mest are real people, and the events in this story are just that - fictional, figments of my sick and twisted imagination. Hell, call it a fantasy if it makes you feel better. Whatever. No rumours should be started in regards to any events in these works of fiction. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes and no money is being made out of it.
Summary: Benji is an actively homophobic jock. Do he and his gang have anything to do with the recent spate of violent attacks on gay teenagers in town? And how does he react when he finds out that his own twin brother, Joel, is gay?


“What the hell is going on in here?” Robin demanded, grabbing Benji by the collar of his jacket and pulling him off Joel, forcibly stopping their fight. She dragged them apart, holding them at arms length. “I’m waiting,” she continued, one eyebrow raised as she looked from Benji, to Joel, and back again. When neither son answered her, both glaring at the other, she stood them next to each other, hands on her hips. “Let me make this very simple for you then. Either one of you tells me what’s going on, or you are both grounded for the whole summer!”

“What?” Benji exclaimed in disbelief, his eyes widening. “You can’t do that!”

“Yes, Benjamin, I can. And I will unless I get an answer.”

“He started it,” Joel replied sullenly, arms crossed over his chest as he continued scowling at his brother.”

“I don’t care who started it, Joel.” Robin replied, shaking her head in exasperation. “And, I think that at 15, you’re much too old for such a childish response.” She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose between thumb and forefinger when her sons lapsed into silence once again. “I can’t deal with this now,” she decided. “Benji; you will go into the kitchen. Joel; you will go to your room. Both of you will sit down and get on with your homework. And I don’t want to hear a single word out of you, either of you, until after dinner. Is that understood?”

“Yes, mom.” Benji and Joel chorused sulkily, picking their bags up..

“Good, now get out of my sight!”

**********

“Joel, honey, what’s wrong?” Robin asked, watching Joel push his dinner around on his plate with his fork. He sighed at her question, fork clattering to the table as he dropped.

“Paul’s in hospital,” Joel replied quietly, staring at his hands. “He… He was beaten up at the weekend. The police think it was the same gang that worked all the other kids over.”
“He deserved it,” Benji muttered.

“Benjamin…”

“Well, he did mom! Him and all those other fucking fags got everything that was coming to them!”

“That is enough, Benjamin!” Robin exclaimed, placing a calming hand on Joel’s arm when she sensed him tensing in the chair. She frowned, eyes narrowing at the muscles quivering under her touch. “Joel?”

“I’m fine,” he ground out between clenched teeth.

“And suddenly, it all makes sense,” she muttered, keeping her hand on Joel’s arm. “How is Paul?”

Joel shrugged, pulling his arm away from Robin. “The doctors say he’ll pull through. Me and Billy were…”

“Billy and I,” Robin corrected.

Joel sighed and rolled his eyes. “Billy and I,” he repeated, “were going to go to the hospital tomorrow, after school. If that’s ok?”

Robin nodded, relieved when Joel picked up his fork again. “Of course.”

“I still don’t get why you wanna hang out with a queer like Paul Thomas,” Benji commented, still shovelling food into his mouth. “I mean, hang around with a fag for long enough and people are gonna start to wonder…”

“For the last time, Benji…” She trailed off as Joel shot to his feet, chair skidding backwards and he leaned forward on the table.

“Fuck you, Benjamin! Just… just…. Fuck you!” he screeched, turning on the spot and running up the stairs, slamming his bedroom door shut behind him.