DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN EMMERDALE OR IT'S CHARACTERS, THEY REMAIN THE PROPERTY OF ITV1
Xxx
Aaron hadn't felt this jittery in ages. It had been three weeks since he had smacked Nathan one, and he was still on edge about a visit from the police.
Each morning he woke up, and he would go to work at the garage, and his head was always on a swival when the phone would ring or a car would pull up onto the forecourt and he didn't know who it was.
The worse part, was when there had been some trouble with young Sean, who lived across the road from the garage with his mother, and her live-in girlfriend. He couldn't help but do a runner for a few hours, paranoid that the police car that had pulled up out side their house was coming for him.
But it wasn't. It never was. And, although he still felt abit jittery, the more time there was between the assault and now that passed by, the less there was a chance of a backlash.
Today he washed his hands in the sink and locked up for the day, because Cain and Debbie had been on a buying trip for old motors.
He crossed the road and pulled out his mobile. No messages. He looked up to the sky...it was a nice warm August evening and he was feeling horny. The perfect night for a trip to the park.
He had reverted backwards, he knew that...but there was NO chance he was going to set foot back into Bar West again, the bouncers would know his face anyway. He was barred proberly.
As he walked into Smithy and threw off his trainers, Paddy and Rhona were having their teas. With glare for Rhona and a patt on the head for little Leo, he nicked a chip off Paddy's plate and disappeared up the stairs to get showered.
Xxxx
The celebration at Bar West was in full swing. At the bar Jackson loosened his tie and ordered in the drinks. His mate Gary put a hand onto his upper back, "well it's too late now mate...you're a married man now..."
Jackson laughed and looked at him, " yep! Got responsibilities now...feels kinda weird actually..."
Gary looked across to Nate, there was one big scowl across his face as he sat with his friends, "Well...if you don't mind me saying...but by the look on Nate's face, at the minute, your wedding night is gonna be a big barrell of laughs..."
Jackson laughed again with a quick glance to his new hubby, " It's him and Mum...had abit if a run in just now...something about her saying that he looked skinny in his suit...and then he shot back saying how fat she looked in hers...you can imagine the evils they gave one another!"
Gary looked around the club, " WHERE IS your Mum anyway..."
Jackson shrugged, as the barman came forward, " She's gone outside for some fresh air...last thing she said to me was 'If he calls me fat one more time, then he'll get a fat lip', blimey! Mums and inlaws, why can't they just get on"
Gary couldn't answer that, but he guessed that it wouldn't get any better. If they didn't get on now, then they never would.
Jackson paid for the drinks. Winked at the barman, and took the tray back to their table. Nate looked up to him, " is SHE back yet?"
Jackson shrugged his shoulders as he sat down, " No...it's ALL quiet on the western front...but...what I will say is..."
Nathan squirmed as Jackson pulled him close, because he knew what he was going to say, "be nice to her...for me...all you need to say to her is: you look really nice in that outfit of yours...and thanks for coming"
All those words stuck in the nurses' throat when it came to her...and there she was...LARGE as life coming towards them...a BIG smile spread across her face, and like her son, flirting with all the trade that went by.
"Ohhh THERE you are...anyone thought you was avoiding me..." she sang out loud as she sat down, refusing to look across at Nate.
Jackson handed his mother her white wine, " I just gotta round in...heres yours...and Nate was just saying to me that he liked your out fit...didn't yah Nate?" at the same time he was nodding his head at his mother and looking at Nathan.
Nathan looked at her with a false smile, " Yes...I was just saying that NOT everyone could carry it off...you know...you being a certain size..." Jackson jumped in, slapping his hands together " RIGHT! anyone want a dance..."
Hazel held her glare at Nate, " ARE you trying to be funny! Because if you are calling me f-"
Jackson stood up, " Right Mum ON THAT DANCE FLOOR YEAH!"
Hazel stood up, she glared again at Nathan as her son held her hand, and pulled up to the dance floor, " He's trying..." he told her, as they danced close, because it was a slow song.
"Well, I hate to see when he's not! Oh Jackson...I want my boy to be happy, but..."
Jackson shook his head, dismissing her concerns " MUM...I AM HAPPY...Nathan MAKES me happy..."
Hazel shook her head, not too convinced of it, " It's his poor mother I feel sorry for...she's lying sick as a pig at home...and he's not even bothered to look in on her...BLIMEY!...I hate to think if anything happened to you, he'd do the very same thing..."
Jackson frowned at her, " and WHATS gonna happen to me? Blimey Mother, just button it, will yah...Everything will be fine, we'll call in on Natalia on the way home..."
Xxxx
Aaron was in the park. He strolled around and hung around the bushes in the moonlight. It was not very busy. It was a warm sticky summers evening, and there was no one in sight.
Just his luck.
He hated to admit to it...and he tried to fight it, but what Nathan had said to him that night a few weeks back. About him being either too scared to step foot in a gay club, or just too plain ugly...he HAD been scared at first...who wouldn't be, stepping foot into a gaybar fot the first time...but was he ugly? He lost count of how many times he had looked into the mirror that night...trying to see if he would shag himself...he didn't, but that was just natural wasn't it, nobody would want to shag themselves.
And Jackson shagged him. Lots of times. Even IF Nate said that the builder had told him he was crap. He still came back for more.
There was movement in the bushes...a young lad came forward and smiled at him, a hand on the outline of his cock through his football shorts. Aaron didn't smile back. He never did. He just nods to the nearby bushes as to say 'follow me' The lad understood and pursued the machanic into the foliage for a bit of fun.
Xxxx
At the club, Nick stood up at the bar. He could see that there was a celebration well on the way...the civil partnership between Jackson and Nathan...the banner said it all.
After getting served, Nick put his bottle to his lips and took a swig of his beer. He then caught sight of Jackson pulling away from a kiss and cuddle with Nate, and come foward to get another round in. Nick watched him for a few moments, then moved to his side.
"Congratulations..." Nick said, holding out a hand to him.
Jackson glanced at him frowning " thanks for that...but...DO i know you?"
Nick hinted a smile as he looked away towards the dance floor, " Just that I'm a mate of Aaron's..."
Jackson shook his head and nods to the door, " You better go...I don't want ANYTHING ruining me and Nate's night, do you understand me?"
Nick watched Nathan as he fooled around with Stu and Danny on the dance floor, " and THAT makes you happy does it..."
Jackson found his comment abit out of order, and his face reflected it, " what? AND a mindless thug who likes to go decking people does?"
"Nathan wound him up..."
Jackson shook his head, " yeah, he proberly did...but Nathan winds alot of people up...but they don't all go around decking him, DO THEY?"
Nick leaned on the bar, " look...I'm not here to cause you any trouble and I WILL go if you want me to...but...he liked you...THAT was his crime..."
Jackson swallowed, " I liked him...I DID...I even thought..." and he felt bad about saying this of all days, "...that just maybe...JUST MAYBE...I might be making a mistake...MORE FOOL ME...because the way I SEE IT...however spiteful Nate can be, and I'm not stupid, I know what he can be like, he's worth TEN of that mindless thug"
And with that he was gone, heading into the direction of the gents. Jackson's comments surprized Nick, he really thought that the builder had been using Aaron as a bit of fun...which is what it was all supposed to be from the start...
...But did Jackson mirror Aaron's feelings...but was more clever at hiding them...
Nick shrugged the idea out of his head...TOO LATE NOW...Jackson was married..END OF.
Xxxx
Aaron closed his bedroom door and leaned over and put his low light on. He sat on his bed with a sigh. He checked his mobile. No messages.
But at the same time he scrolled down to Jackson's number and thought about calling him. It had been three weeks. Surely he would have calmed down by now.
He swallowed and pressed call...he put the phone to his ear and it went over to voicemail, maybe this way was better thought Aaron, as he heard Jackson's voice saying about leaving a message.
"It's me...it's Aaron...I were just calling to say sorry...and thanks...for not calling the police on me...because I thought you might...I didn't mean to smack Nathan one...but I did...he wound me up and I hit him...and you are right, there is no excuse for it...and, Nate, if you listen to this I am Sorry about smacking you one...but you won't have to worry, because I am not going to the club anymore...I'm gonna stay away...last thing you need is me hanging around...so I get it...I'm scum...and I should stay away...I really like Jackson...that was my problem, but he's not mine...I know that now...so'a...Jackson, I'll delete your number after this...we're over, end of, I know that now...have a nice life..."
Taking the phone from his ear, he faced Jackson's number again, but this time pressed delete. It was official...Jackson was out of his life for good now.
Discarding the phone to his side unit, he laid his head back onto his pillow, wiping away the tears...he hurt...he didn't know why...but he hurt.
The lad he met that evening...he was nice enough, but it wasn't the same...he had felt comfortable with Jackson, the builder always made sure what he did to him was okay...this lad was abit rough...too eager for his own sexual need...Jackson always put him before himself.
Could he find that again? Surely Jackson wasn't the only guy out there to make him feel...nice.
Maybe...just maybe one day...that guy would come along.
AUTHORS NOTE:
WE HAVE COME TO THE END OF THE FIRST 'PART' OF THE STORY , THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL MOVE ON SEVERAL MONTHS. HOPE YOU LIKED. x