AARON LIVESY

-The Chase-

"Lingering Past"

The following morning Aaron woke up with a splitting headache, but there was one upside, he was lying next to a naked fit very sexy lad. The sight of him sent shivers through his body; just like the affect Jackson had once had. Aaron took time to just look at him properly. Jason was built had big arms a hard chest and a rippled stomach but not too much, Aaron liked it…well who wouldn't?

But it wasn't all about that, he had blue eyes just like his own, he remembered that right he hoped! A strong jawline which was covered with short stubble; he had fine, straight dark brown hair. And on his chest, just above his right nipple, one he so vividly remembered paying attention to the previous night had a joined up handwritten styled tattoo which said Never forget, Aaron frowned, he wondered what it meant, he'd ask him at some point. Then as he looked back up at his face, he saw a scar going down in a line from his hair line to just above his eyebrow it was faint that was why he hadn't seen it until now.

Aaron smiled when Jason began to wake and his blue eyes opened, he had remembered correctly. "Morning" Aaron said quietly and then leaned into him and kissed him passionately.

"Mmm" Jason sounded at response to the kiss and he smiled back at Aaron when they parted. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"I've got a splitting headache, overall though I'm good, great even...I-I just don't understand a few things"

"What like?" Jason said as he ran his fingers slowly down the side of Aaron's face and over his stubble, he loved it, he had the perfect face, though there was a mysteriousness to him, something maybe he hoped to learn about.

"Like you'd be interested in me enough to make love, have sex or whatever with me the way you did last night...it was…"

"Romantic?" Jason asked with a grin

Aaron couldn't help but smile. "Well yeah..."

"Because I really like you Aaron, I wanted it to mean something; it did for me I hope it does for you?"

Aaron nodded. "It did, I-it does, and I mean that"

In response to Aaron's answer Jason kissed him passionately and Aaron kissed back just as eagerly. When they stopped Aaron started to sit up and he swung his legs round and off the bed "Where are you going?"

"Time to get up" Aaron explained as he placed his hand on his forehead, he frowned and swallowed hard. "Start work today as part owner of the garage, signed the papers yesterday… get me eh? You don't have any paracetemol or anything do ya by any chance? My heads killing me"

"Yeah course I'll get some" he told him as he quickly got out of bed, running out along to the kitchen completely naked. When he walked back in with a glass of water and two tablets he handed them to Aaron and put some boxers on.

"Cheers" Aaron thanked him before swallowing down the tablets.

"Err listen Aaron I...I couldn't help but notice last night and I didn't mention it obviously cause we were busy but...t-t-those scars?" he asked.

Aaron frowned and looked away. "O-o-oh err" he stuttered then sighed, he was nervous; he swallowed hard and shook his head. "They're nothing" he told him as he got to his feet and picked up his clothes from the floor.

"Did you hurt yourself?" Jason asked he was merely interested.

Aaron started putting his clothes on. "Yeah" he said as he let out a deep breath. "But I don't wanna talk about it"

"Alright that's fine, is it something to do with that Jackson bloke you mentioned?"

"Err yeah…J-Jason please…"

He immediately backed off, he could see Aaron had tensed up and seemed really uncomfortable. "Yeah, course sorry none of my business" he said with a gentle smile.

Aaron turned to face him once he was dressed. "You don't have to apologise…I jus-" he stopped and sighed. "I'm not hiding anything I'll just tell you in my own time"

Jason nodded accepting that. "Course Aaron, its fine really I was just curious"

Aaron smiled and nodded. "I live in Emmerdale outside of town…so if you want, you'll find me there" he explained. "Just ask anybody they'll tell you where I am…but just please avoid the pub…"

Jason chuckled. "Why?"

"My mum owns it, well half but she's a right one…you might not get out without being interrogated"

Jason laughed properly then. "Serious?"

"Oh yes"

"Well seen as I know you work at the garage I'm sure I'll find ya…can't be that many hot guys in a village that size…you'll stick out" he smirked.

"Oh no, there's a few…"

"Oh aye?"

Aaron laughed. "Not gay…"

"So you're the only-" he stopped instantly. Aaron just had to give him a look.

"Seriously don't even go there mate!" Aaron told him as he laughed then slapped him on the arm playfully. "Right then" he leaned up and kissed him on the lips quickly. "I better go, catch this bus…I'll see you later then hopefully"

"Count on it" Jason told him with a smile as he watched him walk out of his bedroom.

…

"Well well, you're early" Debbie smile as Aaron approached in his overalls. "Been a while?"

Aaron nodded. "You have no idea how much I've missed oil and grease under my finger nails" he told her sarcastically.

Debbie smirked. "Come here a sec"

Aaron nodded and followed her inside the garage.

"I've made a change to the paperwork, have a look over it" Debbie explained.

Aaron took the sheet of paper and read it quickly. When Debbie saw he was near the altered part she waited for his reaction with a smile. He frowned and quickly looked at her. "Fifty percent?"

Debbie nodded, her smile beaming. "Yeah well why not? Dad's always out for parts, or away to auctions, yeah you'll have to go sometimes but at least I can have you here when he isn't…it makes sense Aaron…I know I can be a bit of a bitch sometimes but I still saw what you were going through with Jackson and then Ed…which was completely different I know but pain is pain and you didn't deserve it, I just thought that you deserved this, for someone to give you a break for once" she said with a smile. "So what do you say business partner?"

"Wow…yes…yeah I say yes" he chuckled. "This means a lot to me Debs, you have no idea" he told her with a smile.

Debbie smiled and watched him; his eyes were filled with tears. "I know it's just a backstreet garage but he would be so proud, you know that don't ya?"

Aaron nodded and chuckled as his tears dropped. "Yeah, he would" he replied with a nod.

"Right then well I've got to get off to the hospital with Sarah so…the place is yours, I'll show yo-…well" she frowned. "I was gunna say I'd show you the admin side but you used to do that anyway"

Aaron nodded. "Sometimes yeah, but I remember" he told her.

"Well then, nothing for me to do" she smiled, placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

Aaron smiled and watched her go. "Thank you Debbie"

"You're welcome" she called to him.

Aaron stood with a smile on his face as he looked around the garage, it was his and Debbie's and he was going to make this work, it was his livelihood now not just a job, not something he could turn in for whenever he liked like he used to a few years back, no he saw things a bit differently now.

Lunchtime arrived late, he'd been run off his feet all morning, and his headache hadn't shifted and he felt dizzy every now and then but he ignored it and kept working, when the sudden back log of jobs had been done, he sat down and looked in the cash box and counted the money and the cheques, he pouted very pleased with himself and locked it away again. He needed some food; hopefully it would help get rid or ease his headache at least. He grabbed his keys and locked the garage doors behind him before walking up to the café.

When he walked in he started coming over all strange again, but he ignored it and smiled at Ali as she left. He walked to the counter and Bob and Ruby were stood chatting. They saw him and turned to face him.

"Ahh so you're back at the garage then?" Bob asked.

"Never… Bob really? He's wearing the overalls it's not difficult to see" Ruby replied sarcastically.

Aaron smirked. "Yeah and Debbie's new business partner aswell just had a rush on so late lunch for me…" he frowned and hissed in pain.

"You alright mate?" Ruby asked as she rushed around the counter to him.

"Yeah, yeah I just…" his face was strained and he was holding his head.

"Don't worry, just here…sit down" Ruby guided him to the sofa seats and lowered him down.

"What's wrong Aaron?" Bob asked.

"I was punched last night and I fell back hit my head" as he said that Ruby looked at the back of his head and saw the deep red swollen area that was stitched. "Went to hospital but I woke up with the biggest headache going and since I started work I've been feeling dizzy and stuff…"

"It's probably concussion, you have to rest Aaron" Ruby told him.

Aaron nodded. "I will later, I just need a minute"

"Hey what's happening here?" Charity asked as she walked in.

"He's had a funny turn" Bob explained.

"Oh…you alright Aaron?"

"Yeah I will be, all this over a guy eh? Pointless"

Ruby smirked. "Was it really?"

"Yeah, tried to make Flynn jealous didn't I?"

Charity smirked then when she heard it was Flynn.

"But his new boyfriend got a big angry at me and punched me so I fell, hit my head…dickhead!"

Bob chuckled. "I'll get you a coffee eh mate"

"Yeah make it strong"

"Got ya" he replied as he walked back around the counter.

"It's alright you get back to work he'll be fine with me" Charity explained to Ruby as she took her bag off from over her shoulder and moved to sit next to him.

"So…" Charity sighed and turned to face him. "He knocked you back for good this time?"

"He didn't have the chance, I told him I'd had enough and that his new guy was welcome to him"

"Brave"

"Yeah well he spoke to him about Jackson…"

"Ahh" Charity's tone said it all. It was wrong anyway even if it wasn't Jackson, but it was and well…she just knew how much he meant to Aaron and how much he suffered afterward.

"It wasn't his place"

Charity put her arm around him and rubbed his arm. "No, course it wasn't, you will be alright you know"

"I know it's just a headache"

"I didn't mean that…"

"N-No…I am but some days are still harder than others and with Flynn…I just didn't think he'd do that…I wanted him but that was gone in a split second, I've given up on him…but there's someone else who I really like…"

Charity's jaw dropped. "You dirty dog"

Aaron chuckled as Bob put down his coffee on the table. "He's nice, really nice…he cares though…interested…lik-"

Charity nodded. "Like Jackson was?"

Aaron frowned. "Yeah"

"I'm glad this new guy has the qualities that you're used to that you like but don't compare him to Jackson Aaron cause it'll come round and bite you in the backside"

Aaron nodded; he knew that, he had to stop doing it. "Everything's just a reminder though"

Charity smiled. "There always will be, that's what you have to get used to…how are you feeling about the Ed stuff now?"

"Ed who?" Aaron chuckled.

"Now you might be able to fool some people with that but not me, and certainly not your mum, she's worried about you ya know, you came back from that holiday and she's hardly seen you, she doesn't know how you are really…come on Aaron, he abused you and he pushed you down the stairs in the woolie for god sake"

"Yeah I know and I don't need reminding…"

"Alright I might be a bit extreme here but is that why you haven't been back much, to the pub?"

"What?" he scoffed and looked away. "Don't be stupid, I did sleep there a couple of nights"

"Yeah but you don't seem to be living there, it's just a room to you…look I-I know what happened in that room your mum told me about the night Ed snuck in…"

Aaron swallowed hard and flashes of being held up by the neck against the headboard by Ed's hand came to him quickly.

"He's gone Aaron"

"I know!"

"Well then suck it up and move on, he can't hurt you anymore…" she told him and sighed. "I know how you'd rather your life be if you had a choice and that it would be Jackson coming through that door to have lunch with you, but it can't and won't be happening, Ed was horrible, he's gone, you and Flynn both messed up…now just, just for once be happy will ya?"

Aaron smiled when he came through the door. "I will"

Charity saw the unknown face walk up to the counter. "Oh what a hunk…shame I'm married put it that way…"

"Yeah well lucky for me he's gay…I'll be happy Charity I promise…Jason over here" he beamed with a huge smile and when Jason turned he grinned back at him.

"You dirty dog" she repeated.

Aaron nudged into her and smirked. "You're just jealous"

"Yeah you're right there kid, I'll just slip away, get what I came in for and leave, enjoy your day boys…"

Jason smiled and waited for her to get up so he could sit down, when she was stood she pointed at him. "Hurt him and you're dead"

Aaron's eyes widened. "Charity!"

"Well the lad has to be told…don't mess with the Dingles eh?"

"Oh god I'm so sorry" Aaron told him as she walked to the counter.

"Don't worry about it" Jason chuckled as he sat down then kissed him on the lips, a kiss that lingered for a few seconds.

A year or so back Aaron would never have done that, and just now he hadn't resisted because he wasn't bothered about other people anymore.

"How's your day so far?" Jason asked with a smile.

"Yeah" Aaron nodded. "Better now you're here"

TBC…