Lie To Me

Disclaimer - Emmerdale & its characters do not belong to me, they belong to ITV

A/N - Chapter 6! Let me know what you think and if you still want more!

One more bad excuse
Before you turn me lose
Give me something to remember you by
Couldn't you offer me
A little dishonesty
Promise me you'll try
You'll lie to me

- Shane Mack

Since Monday Aaron had been like a bear with a sore head. He was snapping at everyone. He was struggling to deal with Jackson's little bombshell and was taking it out on everyone else. He had been trying to deal with it all by himself and not let it spiral out of control but every night, whilst he lay in bed he could see vivid images of Jackson and this guy. He had never met the guy, but he'd conjured up an image of him just to wind himself up even further.

To make matters worse for the mechanic, on Wednesday, two days after Jackson had told him about his boyfriend coming for a while and how they would have to "entertain" him. Holly dumped him. He wasn't surprised. He'd seen it coming he just hoped it wouldn't. She dumped him because he was either too clingy at times or at other times completely blowing her off, she never knew where she stood with him. It had all been since Jackson came home, luckily though, she hadn't even put the two together

"We can still be mates" she told him and he'd scoffed, walked away and said "Don't wanna go out with you anyway" which in some respects was him being honest with her for the first time in their short relationship.

It was now Thursday and one day before Jackson's boyfriend was due to arrive in the village. If he was honest, the very thought of it was turning his stomach. He kept thinking of ways to get out going wherever he was going to be dragged on Friday night, to make this guy feel welcome. He didn't want to make him feel welcome, far from it.

As far as he knew, no one was aware yet that he and Holly had split up, no one apart from the Barton's. He hadn't even told Paddy because he would only get a knowing look followed by an "I told you so" from Paddy. He didn't want that. He couldn't handle that, not right now.

So he'd gotten up this morning, pulled on his clothes and headed to work, working through his lunch break because he didn't want to see anyone. He was also making sure he was either in the back of the garage or under some car because he didn't even want to catch a glimpse of Jackson as he came and went from his house.

Xxx

Jackson didn't know what he was doing. He had no idea why he had invited Darren to Emmerdale, they had just been talking on the phone, Darren telling him about his plans and then he was saying "Come to Emmerdale, I miss you" He did miss him but not in that way, he missed him as a friend. He knew why he was inviting him though; he was inviting him to wind up Aaron. It wasn't him, playing games but Aaron needed a push to come out and he hoped this would do it.

He knew Aaron wanted him because he wasn't stupid but what he didn't know and what he wanted to know more than anything was just how deep the feelings Aaron had for him really were. Jackson knew how he felt about the mechanic. He'd known ever since their holiday all those years ago and he still felt the same, no matter how many times he'd tried to move on. He would love Aaron Livesy until it killed him.

He had a plan. He knew if he made Aaron jealous enough he would eventually cave in and admit that he wanted him that he still wanted him but he was going tell him that they could only be together if he came out. He was 22 it was time he came out and he would help him, he would be there and he would be fine, he knew that most of Aaron's family would accept him coming out but Aaron was the only one who thought differently.

Xxx

Friday morning came all too quickly for Aaron and when his alarm sounded at half past eight he thought about calling in sick, locking himself in his room and telling everyone he was too ill to get out of bed let alone go out on the town but he knew that Jackson wouldn't believe it. He didn't want Jackson thinking he was avoiding going out on the town because of his boyfriend, that was the reason he didn't want to go but...he didn't want Jackson to think that. He still had to clue whether or not Jackson knew about him and Holly splitting, that would make it worse for him, if he did know and he didn't turn up. It would look as if he was hiding and he didn't hide and...if he was honest with himself he wanted to see what this guy looked like.

He was finishing work early that Friday, so at 2pm he downed tools and headed home. He had just made it to the end of the garage driveway when a taxi pulled up outside Dale Head. He couldn't help himself. He stopped and waited to see who was getting out, two seconds later a blonde haired guy got out, paid the driver then turned to him.

"Uh...Jackson Walsh? Do you know him?"

Aaron could only nod, as he looked this guy up and down. This was the boyfriend, this was his replacement. His mouth curled at the corners. He didn't think much of his replacement "In there" he said in a cold, unfriendly tone, before shoving his hands into his pockets and walking the rest of the way to Smithy.

Standing, assessing himself in the mirror Aaron must have changed clothes twenty times. He wanted to look good, he had no idea who for. Part of him was saying it was for Holly, to get her back but the other part of him knew why. He'd seen the boyfriend, he was good looking. He wanted to look good for Jackson and for himself, he didn't want some idiot showing him up.

A knock on his bedroom door alerted him to the fact he was no longer alone, it was Adam "finished tartin' yourself up?"

"Very funny" Aaron says, grabbing his leather jacket "where we headed?"

"Pub" Adam tells him "then town, Bar West, gay bar"

Aaron paled, he didn't want to go to a gay bar "I tried to say no but I was out voted" Adam says "plus, should be a laugh"

"Oh yeah, tons"

"Holly's still coming though; you're alright with that...right?"

"Couldn't care less" he tells his best friend "I just want to get drunk"

The two of them head out Smithy and cross the road "Have you met him then?"

"Met who?" Adam asks

"Jackson's...friend"

"Oh!" Adam says, getting it "No, not yet"

Aaron felt a little better, he wasn't the only one who hadn't been properly introduced "Everyone else already in there?" he asks nodding at the pub "yeah" Adam answers "they've already met him"

"Super" Aaron mutters under his breath as he steps inside the Woolpack, bracing himself for the night.

Xxx

The introductions had gone pretty well. Aaron hadn't snarled or made a sarcastic remark which he thought he would but he hadn't. Darren was the boyfriend's name and he'd insisted on buying them a pint. Aaron didn't want anything from him but instead of causing a scene, he agreed and let the man buy him one.

They were going to get a taxi into town but there was too many people and it would end up costing a fortune, instead they opted for the bus. The bus was packed, full of people just like them, headed into town for a night out. A few of them ended up standing, Darren and Adam were standing at the top of the bus and Jackson and Aaron, who had been last to get on were stuck at the bottom. As the bus was packed they had to stand pretty close to one another. So close that they could smell each other's aftershave.

"Having a good night?" Jackson asks and all Aaron can do is nod "what do you think of Darren?"

Aaron's eyes narrow at the question "What do you care what I think? He's your...boyfriend" he spits out.

"Yeah, he is"

"Though..." Aaron says "I could have sworn you said you were single"

"You were wrong then, weren't you?"

"Guess so" Aaron answers "Why are we going to a gay bar?"

"Why not?" Jackson retorts "you never know, you might find Holly's replacement"

Aaron looks away, looks over Jackson shoulder until Jackson starts speaking to him again "Unless...you've already found Holly's replacement?"

"Can I help it if all the women want me?"

Jackson smirks at that comment and replies "Just a shame you don't want them, huh?"

Aaron doesn't have an answer for that, what can he say? Jackson knows the truth. Jackson knows he's gay and he isn't even remotely attracted to any of the girl's he's dated or who he might date. Luckily for Aaron though, it's their stop and they're pushed off the bus by the rest of the group "come on guys! Hurry up!" Mia says pushing them off.

Xxx

Inside Bar West and Aaron is surprised to find he isn't as uncomfortable as he was all those years ago when he had first came. He knew why that was, he'd come here, now and then in the past four years. He never spoke to anyone, just has a pint then leaves as quick as he can.

He was irritated. He knew what was irritating him, everyone seemed to be having a good time, he was to if he had to admit it but...he was irritated. Darren was irritating him. They were playing pool. Jackson and Darren against him and Adam. Darren was the worst pool player he had ever seen but that wasn't what was irritating him, no. What was irritating him was the way this Darren kept touching Jackson. He knew it shouldn't have bothered him, after all, Darren was Jackson's boyfriend and he was just his friend but...it was bothering him, a lot.

After the longest game of pool any of them had ever played Adam and Aaron eventually wins "Loser buys the next round" Adam said, directing his comment at Darren.

"Fair do's" Darren says heading to the bar. Adam stops, looks at Jackson and Adam before saying "I'll help" Jackson's brows pull together, he found that rather odd but shrugged it off.

"Should have played with me" Aaron tells Jackson as they take a seat at their nearby table "you would have won"

"It's not all about winning you know"

Scoffing Aaron says "You're just saying that cause you lost"

Jackson smiles "Aaron" he says to get the mechanic's attention "Yeah?" he asks, looking back at Jackson, his deep blue eyes studying him.

"Jackson!" Holly and Mia exclaim running back to the table, grabbing his arms "dance with us" Aaron scowls, he wants to tell them to do one but instead he says "Not want to dance with me Holly?"

Holly gives him a look "You don't dance" she reminds him "anyway...no i don't"

"Uh...maybe later girls, yeah?" he nods at them "We'll hold you to that" they tell him before disappearing back onto the dance floor. Jackson would normally have gone but he needed to ask Aaron something whilst they were alone.

"What did you want?" Aaron says, reminding Jackson that he was still waiting.

"Will you do me a favour?"

Shrugging his shoulders "Depends what it is"

"Be nice to Darren"

Aaron groans outloud "I'm being nice"

"You're scowling at him every chance you get"

"Yeah" Aaron says nodding with a smirk on his face "that's me being nice. I haven't punched him"

"Please?" Jackson almost begs and Aaron's head tilts to the side, he doesn't like the way Jackson is asking him to be nice to his boyfriend, he can't be nice, not when he wants to be the one with Jackson.

"I'm not promising anything"

Xxx

In the end it was probably a good thing that he didn't promise Jackson anything because as soon as Adam and Darren returned to the table, he found that he was being highly sarcastic and really quite horrible to the guy.

"What is wrong with you?" Adam hissed at him, when the girls pulled Darren and Jackson onto the dance floor "You're being horrible to that guy for no reason"

"I don't like him" he states

"Why? What's he ever done to you?"

Aaron shrugs. Standing up Adam looks back at his best friend "Like I don't know" he says and steps away but he doesn't get far before Aaron is pulling him back "What does that mean?"

Shrugging out of Aaron's grip the farmer replies "what do you think it means?" before joining the other's on the floor, leaving Aaron alone with his thoughts.

Aaron was confused. There was something in the way Adam said what he said that had him thinking. Adam didn't know, did he? He couldn't, how could he? No, he was imagining it. Adam had no idea he was gay and he had no idea about him and Jackson because if he had, he would have said something to stop him from getting with Holly, right?

He sat alone at the table, drinking. He was still trying to have fun but his emotions and his feelings were getting more and more confusing with each passing hour. He didn't want to watch but his eyes seemed drawn to Jackson and Darren on the dance floor. They had moved away from Holly and that, they were on their own, Darren's arms were around Jackson pulling him into is body. Aaron had to watch as he whispered something in Jackson's ear which made him grin and nod excitedly. Aaron wanted to know what it was.

Suddenly the empty bar stool next to him was taken up. Turning quickly Aaron's eyebrows shot up in surprise "Can I help you?" he barked at the guy, who he had to admit, was kind of good looking

"You looked lonely"

"Yeah, well, I'm not now do one"

The guy to his left laughed "playin' hard to get, eh?"

"I'm not playing anything mate, do one will you?" he asks again, trying to keep his temper in check, this guy was clearly trying to hit on him but why? Was it obvious that he was Gay? Surely not, but then again he was in a gay bar so maybe the guy was just trying his luck.

"Got a boyfriend?"

"I'm not..." Aaron was about to say "I'm not gay" but the words died on his lips because he was and the way this guy was looking at him, he knew he was too.

Jackson who was on the dance floor and who couldn't keep his eyes off Aaron was watching. He watched as the guy sat down beside Aaron and begins to talk. He felt a slight stab of jealousy, someone else was hitting on him, right in front of him but he knew Aaron wasn't about to do anything. He was still well and truly in the closet.

He could see Aaron was getting anxious, not wanting the mechanic to do something he would regret Jackson slipped from the dance floor and made for the table.

"Everything alright?" Jackson asks coming to the table and picking up his pint. He sips it, watching Aaron and this guy from over the rim.

Aaron's eyes find Jackson's and they both just stare at each other, forgetting about the word around them as Jackson silently asks Aaron not to kick off. The guy who had been trying to chat Aaron up, looks between the two of them "Should have just said you had a boyfriend mate" he says slipping from the stool "not here to chat up someone else's fellla" he pats Jackson on the back "sorry mate"

"What?" Jackson asks, having not completely heard what the guy said

"He said sorry for trying to chat your boyfriend up" Aaron tells him "must think we look like a couple"

Jackson pulls a face "what gave him that idea?" he asks, he hadn't done anything apart from look at Aaron.

Aaron smirks "maybe the way you can't take your eyes off of me" the mechanic suggests and Jackson can only frown "Next time I'll leave you to get chatted up then will I? You can fly off the handle, lash out and pretend you don't want him to chat you up, punch him then end up arrested, I'll just let that happen will I?"

"You wouldn't do that" the younger man smiles, a smile full of satisfaction at the fact he knows that Jackson would always come, he'd always be there "you want me too much".

Jackson cursed himself silently for being too obvious; he'd always have Aaron's back. He'd always be there, if he could stop Aaron from getting into trouble.

Darren came by the table "Need a drink" he said to the two men, before picking up his pint and downing half of it "those two certainly like to dance" he says, referring to Mia and Holly.

Jackson nods then before Aaron knows what's happening Jackson has pulled Darren into an embrace and was kissing him passionately. Aaron's eyes can only widen as he watches Jackson and Darren go at it in the middle of the club, right in front of him. He's up, out his chair and heading for the bar as quick as his feet will move. He can't watch that.

Xxx

Getting drunk was the best way Aaron knew of dealing with his problems. Getting drunk and forgetting about them. Only he wasn't able to forget when his problems were being played out in front of his eyes. His biggest problem currently? Darren, Jackson's boyfriend and how they had been all over each ever since Jackson had come to the table, to see off the guy that was chatting him up.

He tried not to let it bother him but it was obvious and extremely clear that Jackson was all over Darren just to wind him up and it didn't help the fact that he'd made a pass at Holly only to be pushed away and told to sober up. He could sober up but it wouldn't stop him from still being who he is. He wasn't ready to come out but he wanted Jackson. He knew that, he couldn't lie to himself anymore. He wanted Jackson but it was more than that, he needed him.

He was sat at the bar, everyone else was either on the dance floor or at the table. He didn't feel like sitting there, he didn't want to socialise with him. He couldn't be nice to him.

From his position on the bar he could see the whole bar, that's when he watched as Jackson got up from the table and made his way towards the toilet. Dropping his bottle on the bar he followed the older man. They needed to talk; they needed privacy, where better than the toilets?

The toilets were quiet and Aaron stood against the wall waiting until Jackson had finished doing whatever it was he needed to do.

"Oh sorry" Jackson said as his body almost collided with Aaron's, it wasn't accidental, at least not on Aaron's part "It's alright" Aaron says as he backs Jackson up into an empty cubicle and locks the door behind them.

"Aaron!" Jackson hisses at him, trying to turn around, trying to get out of the cubicle only to be stopped by Aaron's arms.

"What are you doing?"

"We need to talk"

"And you had to drag me into a toilet for that?"

Aaron shrugs, his eyes roaming all over Jackson's body as he does so. Jackson licks his lips and tries to calm himself, he didn't want to be as effected by Aaron's proximity as he currently was.

Pinning Jackson against the cubicle door, their bodies were pressed flush against each other and neither of them seemed to care. Aaron certainly didn't. He'd longed to be this close to Jackson for so long.

Licking his lips, trying to gather up the courage and stop the churning his stomach. Aaron's lips find their way onto Jackson's neck, a moan escapes Jackson's lips. He's allowing himself to get lost in Aaron's touch.

"I want you" Aaron breathes, his lips trailing from Jackson's neck to his lips "dump him" he says "dump him and be with me"

Jackson came back down to earth with a bang thanks to Aaron's words, he pushed Aaron away "Be with you?" he asks and Aaron nods

"I will" Jackson says and he doesn't miss the grin that spreads over Aaron's face or the way it lights up "just as soon as you come out" Aaron's face drops and his grin is quickly replaced with a frown.

"Jackson!" he whines

"Jackson nothing!" Jackson says, pushing Aaron away from him "You want me? Come out. I'm not creeping about like all those years ago"

"Why not?" Aaron demands

"Cause I'm older now, I'm out. I want you but I'm not hiding us, not again. Not when you're asking me to ditch Darren for you"

"You don't want him" Aaron tells him

"Until you come out me and you isn't going to happen" with that said Jackson pulls open the cubicle door and slips out leaving Aaron standing there hating himself.

"Damn it!" he swears, punching the wall.

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