Moving In
A couple of people suggested that I continue on from Moving Out. Aaron and Jackson have now found their own place and are about to move in. This isn't smutty or angsty I'm afraid. For once I wanted things to go smoothly for them
Disclaimer: ITV own all the characters in this fic. But I decide what they do
"Is that it?"
Aaron stood in the kitchen of Smithy with two sports bags on the ground and a hold all over his shoulder. Paddy couldn't believe that he'd not accumulated more in the 3 years he'd lived with him.
"Yeah...why...whatcha expect...I'm not flipping Paris Hilton you know" Aaron's tone was defensive. It was clear that he was on edge.
Paddy cleared a bundle of bubble wrap and newspapers off a chair. Hazel had brought a large supply of various wrapping materials, permanent markers and cardboard boxes with her. It was clear that her enthusiam had irritated Aaron and Paddy felt the need to have one more pep talk with him before he moved out.
"Come on, tell your uncle Paddy what's bothering you" he mocked.
"Don't patronise me Paddy"
"I'm sorry. Really I am. I just got carried away." He was sorry. He sometimes forgot that Aaron was no longer the scared little kid with a filthy tongue that was inflicted upon him all those years ago. He was now a young man who, despite trying many times to spoil it for himself, was now about to start a new life of his own.
"I know that something's bothering you though Aaron, I can read you like a book. I thought you'd be bouncing off the walls"
"When have you ever known me to bounce off the walls?" Aaron smiled for the first time that day.
"Fair point. So what is it?"
"It's nothing. I am looking forward to it. In fact I can't wait for me and Jackson to have our own space. It's just it's a big move and I don't want to stuff things up"
Paddy pulled off his glasses, a sure sign that he was about to attempt to say something profound.
"You won't stuff things up Aaron. Actually no, you might stuff things up...or Jackson might...or I might with Rhona. Things happen, people make mistakes, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't take chances if that's what our heart is telling us"
"Patrick Kirk when did you become the fountain of all knowledge!" Aaron quickly perked up. "Me and Jackson have been through this already and this is what we both want, I'm just a bit..."
"Nervous and irritible?"
"Maybe just a little bit"
"I'd never have guessed. And you know if and I mean IF you ever need anything I'll be here. This is a huge thing you two are doing and there are going to be teething problems so there's no shame in asking for help. I'm just at the other end of the village"
" I know." Aaron shifted nervously where he stood and put down his bag. "Paddy, um...you know I can never repay for what you've done for me. You gave me a place to stay when nobody else wanted anything to do with me and you've always been there for me. I've never had that before. I just wanted to say...thanks" Aaron's eyes welled up with tears as he spoke. He bowed his head, Paddy had seen him cry many times before but Aaron still looked at it as a sign of weakness. When he looked back up and across the kitchen he saw the man he'd come to think of as his father with his head in his hands at the kitchen table.
Being affectionate was never one of Aaron's strong points. Maybe now was the time to make an exception to that rule and for the first time he could be the strong one between him and Paddy. He stepped over to the edge of the table
"Paddy"
Hearing Aaron's voice above him Paddy raised his head, his cheeks burning with embarrasment as tears rolled down his face.
"Come here you big idiot"
Aaron out-stretched his arms and Paddy got up and embraced him. They held each other for a few moments, a gesture which meant more to both of them than any words.
Jackson had been packing up the last of his stuff all morning. His mum was helping him - hense Aaron was staying down stairs. Hazel Rhodes was a force of nature. She oozed goodness but she was incapable of taking no for an answer. Since arriving at Smithy earlier in the day she had wrapped and packed everything in her line of vision, poor Paddy having to pull some of his belongings from the depths of boxes. Aaron was relieved to have got his packing done quickly. He didn't really own much, well not compared to Jackson anyway. He wasn't the sentimental type so he didn't hold on to old tat for the sake of memories. He stuffed his clothes all unfolded, some unwashed into bags. His ipod and laptop were safely in the new house already and that was it, packing done.
Hazel didn't stand on ceremony. She had no qualms about rooting through her grown up son's underwear, passing comment about whatever particular style of boxer she happened to be holding in her hands at the time. Jackson was careful to empty the contents of the bedside locker before she could get to it. There were certain things that were taboo, even for a mother and son as close as them.
"Right then, I think that's it" Jackson put his hands up his hips satisfied at a job well done. His mother was sitting on the bed behind him and was quiet which was totally out of character for her.
Just as he turned around to investsigate Hazel's vocal cords sprang back to life.
"I promised myself I wasn't going to cry. I said to myself I said Hazel he's a grown man and has to make his own decisions but you're still my little boy, you always will be" she patted her eyes with a tissue dabbing away tears.
"Mum, I moved out of home 4 years ago and you moved in with Bob months ago. It's not like I'm leaving you, in fact the new house is nearer to the cafe than this place is" Jackson knew his mum liked a bit of drama. She had a heart of gold but she did have a tendancy to overreact to situations.
"Jackson Bernard Walsh are you accusing your mother of being a drama queen"
"Yeah, but I love you for it"
They hugged each other, neither of them feeling the need to speak again. Hazel had reservations about Aaron from the start, some of them were justified but she knew Jackson adored him and over time she had come to realise that Aaron loved Jackson too, even if he didn't wear his heart on his sleeve.
Two hours later and everything had been transported the short distance from Smithy to the new house. It hadn't taken long once they'd listened to the end of Hazel's monologue about when she and Jerry moved into their first home together. Jackson had pottered around the kitchen and Aaron sat with barely concealed disgust on his face as she tormented them with the intimate details of their first night together. Paddy being Paddy didn't know where to look and listened obediently.
They deposited all the bags and boxes in the kitchen. Hazel immediately began the unpacking only to be stopped in her tracks.
"Hazel it's ok, we were kind of going to do that ourselves" Aaron was nervous about getting on the wrong side of Hazel. It had taken him the best part of 2 years to finally win her over but he was aware that one false move would make this progress meaningless. He looked to Jackson for reassurance.
"Aaron's right mum, it's our place so it's only right that we do this on our own. You don't mind do you?"
She did mind. But she also understood what they were saying.
"Of course I do, it's only natural that you two would want to do things your own way. My two boys are all grown up"
Paddy looked at her shocked
"Two?"
"Yeah two, you'll have to share this one with me" she said as she grabbed Aaron by the cheeks and squeezed.
"I think we'd better be going Hazel" Paddy could barely conceal his laughter but he could also see the signs of stress on Aaron's face. She bamboozled the poor kid at the best of times and he wanted to make sure that this wasy a day he remembered for all the right reasons.
Hazel and Paddy were gone in minutes. She did protest but Paddy could be quite masterful when he put his mind to it and didn't take no for an answer. When the house was finally silent the boys stood amid their belonging and smiled at one another. Without speaking they moved towards one another and kissed. For the first time since Jackson moved into Smithy they were free to do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted. They didn't have to look over their shoulders in case a curious toddler or geriatric receptionist interrupted them.
There was no urgency between them though. Their tongues gently danced in one anothers mouths and while their arms were wrapped around one another neither of them attempted to stray. They were happy and in love. They were together and after the long road they had travelled together that was enough for both of them.
Aaron was first to pull away.
"Come up stairs, there's something I want to show you"
"Aaron Livesy have you got something smutty up there. Is that why you wanted everything to stay down here"
"Just shut up Jackson and come with me" they held hands and walked up stairs and into their new bedroom.
It was pretty basic up there, they couldn't afford luxury on their wages. There was a built in wardrobe in the corner, a dressing table which had seen better days and two lockers at either side of the bed which already had a duvet on it, something Jackson didn't remember seeing when they went to view the house originally.
"Well?" Jackson was confused
"What do you think of the furniture" Aaron was trying to be clever. He wasn't much good at it Jackson thought to himself.
"Why don't you test drive the new bed"
"Only if you come with me" Maybe this was Aaron's roundabout way of looking for sex.
"JACKSON SIT"
Jackson stood at the foot of the bed, and gave a final look at Aaron. He wasn't sure if this was a practical joke and he was pretty sure he wasn't going to like it. Slowly he sat down with a feeling of impending doom in his stomach.
As soon as he hit the mattress it began to move in waves around him as he sank into it. He laughed aloud and threw himself fully back into it. He closed his eyes and felt like he was floating. It was only the sound of Aaron coughing that brought him back to his senses.
"A water bed?" not the best line Jackson could have come up with but he was still in shock
"Yep, do you like it?"
"Of course I do but how can we afford it"
"Well we can't. Actually I can't. I'd heard you talking about wanting one and seeing as we were getting our own place I thought I'd treat you to it. But...it was way out of my price range so Paddy stumped up the cash. Apparently it's my inheritance!" Aaron figgited nervously, he wasn't used to romantic gestures and didn't really know what to do with himself. "So what do you think?"
"It's good. No it's great. There's just something missing..." he struggled to pull himself back up and sit on the edge of the bed.
"What" Aaron was convinced he'd messed up again.
"You" In an instant Jackson jumped up and grabbing Aaron by the waist band of his trackie bottoms pulling him towards the bed and they both fell into it's centre. They smiled and held each other tight, both of them getting used to the new sensations around them.
They didn't get any unpacking done that night. There was plenty of time for that.
The End