AARON & JACKSON

-1912: The Aftermath-

"Explode, Detonation!"

The rest of the day was going by quite nicely; both boys were spending it together in the city shopping after Jackson, earlier that morning after their talk decided Aaron needed more clothes. As they walked through the city passing the designer stores Aaron wasn't particularly bothered but at least he had something more appealing to look at in Jackson. He hadn't failed to notice the expensive clothes Jackson was picking from the shelves. Aaron frowned at him and Jackson just chuckled. "Hey if you want to buy clothes like you have on that's fine…" Jackson told him then his voice quietened. "Not that there's anything wrong with them…I did fall for you in them" he said with a smirk and then a wink. "Really resisting the urge to rip them off you right now actually" he spoke in an even quieter tone, his smirk still on his lips.

Aaron chuckled. "Jackson" he hushed. "Behave!" he told him quietly as he laughed again. "The clothes are fine, keep moving then I hate shopping…well…I've never really shopped before but yeah this isn't tickling my fancy" he coughed. "But you are"

"Now who needs to behave?" Jackson told him as they walked through the store. Aaron followed him with a smile on his face.

As they wandered slowly around the store Aaron looked around and saw a man staring at them, he frowned and turned away and tried to zone in on whatever Jackson was talking about, he couldn't. "Sorry, I wasn't listening"

"I said do you like this?" Jackson asked as he held up a crisp white shirt.

"For me?" Aaron scrunched his face.

"No, me you idiot" Jackson replied.

"Oh, oh yeah, yeah…" Aaron replied absently as he turned and looked over at the man again who was still looking over at them. He frowned, let out a deep sigh and left Jackson's side and headed over to the man. He ran his hand over his mouth as he stopped. "Is there a problem? Only you're staring at us"

The man smiled and it unnerved Aaron. "I'm a reporter for the New York times…"

Aaron rolled his eyes and stepped away.

"N-No please just hang on a second"

"No" Aaron replied sharply as he headed back to Jackson.

"Is something wrong?" Jackson called over.

"No" Aaron told him as he returned to his side. "He's a reporter"

"Ahh" Jackson sounded and gave a disapproving look to the man.

"W-wait p-please just give me a minute…w-what you went thr-" the reporter didn't have a chance to finish his sentence because Aaron jumped down his throat.

"What we went through is absolutely nothing to do with you! You wouldn't even be able to comprehend it; now me and my brother are shopping, buying more clothes because we lost them in the sinking so if you don't mind leave us alone before I make you!"

The reporter was lost for words, the stuttering gave it away. "I-I I didn't" he stopped with a sigh and bowed his head slightly before backing off.

"Good one gorgeous" Jackson told Aaron quietly and as he turned to look at him he saw the state he was in. "You're shaking…" he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Just relax it's alright"

"No it's not alright, he has our names Jackson he thinks he can get a story out of us for money well I'm telling ya if I see him again I won't be responsible for my actions"

Jackson nodded. "Alright, alright hopefully you won't see him, come on lets go get a late lunch, I've dragged you around enough shops" his cheeky smile won Aaron over as it seemed to relax him and he smiled back and nodded his approval. They headed to the checkout, paid for their items and left.

Aaron and Jackson had been home a few hours and spent the rest of the afternoon cuddling together on the couch talking but that ceased as Jackson got up to make some food, Aaron offered to help but Jackson had told him he didn't need help and for Aaron to simply relax.

"No, at least let me do something"

Jackson rolled his eyes; he wasn't going to relax until he could do something. "Alright, alright you can take the rubbish out or the garbage as these Americans call it"

Aaron smirked. "Fair enough" he grabbed the bin bag and headed along the long corridor and opened the front door and walked down the steps to the small garden and turned instantly where the bin was, he lifted the lid and placed the bag inside. As he did so he heard a rustling and he placed the lid back down quickly and turned around. "Who's there?" when no response came he turned and started walking back up the set of steps to the house. "You're getting jumpy Livesy" he mumbled to himself.

"Brothers you say?" the voice was familiar and Aaron sighed and turned around to face the reporter.

"Excuse me?"

The reporter grinned and walked further up the footpath and Aaron could see him better now, the night was quickly setting in "I'm very good at tracking people down"

"Good for you" Aaron responded.

"And for tracing people's steps…"

"What do you want a medal?" Aaron asked sharply with a frown on his face.

"Seems some information I have on you two differ slightly"

"Oh and how is that?"

"Well…" the reporter took in a breath and bit his lip before speaking again then squared his shoulders and looked up at Aaron properly once again. "Neither of your parents match" he smiled again which unnerved Aaron just like it had earlier in the store. "Which begs the question, brothers?"

"I don't know what you've got in your head but it's a load of bullshit"

"Really? Nice comfy house you've got here…especially surprising when you're poor and were a third class passenger on the Titanic…you're not brothers at all, in fact I think your both lovers…" he said disgustedly at which point Aaron stormed down the steps and stopped inches away from the reporter.

"Yeah? Where's the proof?"

"There isn't any, but I do remember what I overheard in the store earlier…something about ripping each other's clothes off?" he blew out a breath. "Not exactly the words brothers exchange is it?"

Aaron shook his head, his jaw was clenched and he could feel his anger building. "Do you not think we've been through enough?"

"Oh" the man frowned. "I don't know…I couldn't possibly comprehend what you went through remember"

Aaron lowered his head and shook it.

"I would however if you told me your story"

Aaron quickly looked up at the man with narrowed eyes. "All of this for our version of events?"

"Yes, the press are having a field day over this disaster…and while it is saddening it's a money maker and unlike you and your lover in your big house some of us have to earn our money and I'll do what I have too"

Immediately Aaron grabbed the reporter by his collar and tightened his grip. "If you've got any sense at all, once I let you go you will leave and never come near us again because I'm telling you I can be quite volatile when I want to be" he jolted him backward sharply before pulling him closer again. "I could cause some serious damage to that pretty face of yours" Aaron smiled but his anger still showed. "I'm very, very dangerous when pushed and I don't take kindly to threats!" he yelled then shook him again. "You got that?" he yelled again as he pushed him back releasing his grip at the same time.

The reporter stumbled back but regained his balance and he didn't move which angered Aaron even more and he walked toward him quickly. "I said go! I don't want to talk about what happened" As Aaron's rampage began Jackson stopped at the doorway and when he realised what was happening he quickly ran to him but it was too late. "… It's completely broken me and for you to come here threatening us so you can get our story is disgusting!" Aaron's voice rose higher and higher with each word. "You make me sick!" he screamed before punching him in the face.

The man's nose was surely broken and the blood was pouring fast. Aaron stopped and stared at the damage he'd done, he was shaking, and he'd lost control – not the first time in his life however but still unnerving each time.

"Jesus!" Jackson stared and swallowed hard. "What have you done?"

"Take that as a warning, next time I'll do worse" Aaron told the reporter who quickly scarpered. Jackson frowned and grabbed Aaron by the shoulder and dragged him inside.

With the slam of the door the argument well and truly began. Jackson stormed along the corridor into the kitchen with Aaron following. "What did you expect me to do?" Aaron demanded.

"Not that!" Jackson shouted back as he stopped and leaned against the sink.

"Well I'm sorry to break it to you Jackson but what you saw back there! That's the real me, when I get angry I lash out"

"And stuff the consequences aswell by the looks of it!" Jackson was fuming with Aaron, his chest rose up and down quickly with each breath he took.

Aaron tutted as he frowned. "That little weasel isn't gunna do anything!"

"And how do you know that exactly!" Jackson turned quickly and shouted in his face. "What he was doing was wrong I know that but hitting him?"

"He somehow overheard us in the store earlier, he knows were not brothers! He was using that to get our story"

Jackson looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes for a second. "This is ridiculous! You do know what could happen if he calls the police?"

Aaron shrugged which fuelled Jackson's anger further. "PRISON Aaron! Or they send you back to the UK; I don't know how it works…"

"I couldn't give stuff, I'm not going to stand by and let someone use our sexuality for a bargaining chip, who gives them the right! It wouldn't happen to a straight couple would it? Oh no because that's alright!"

"I know that but if he had his way and sold the story…" Jackson sighed and spoke calmer. "It's just best if people think we're brothers…"

"You think we should don't ya?" Aaron asked.

Jackson sighed and averted his eyes from Aaron's uncomfortably. Aaron eyed him slowly and he frowned in response to Jackson's words. "So you'll live your life behind that fucking door then?" Aaron screamed and point behind him along the corridor to the door. "I'm not ashamed Jackson, I used to be but not now, I couldn't give a damn what people think, who decides what's right and wrong? The bible?" Aaron scoffed. "Give me a break; it's a load of crap…"

"No Aaron!" Jackson yelled. "It's just the way it's got to be! We don't fit into society!"

"You sound like your mother! And worse you sound like you're not bothered that we have to hide"

"Well I'm not" Jackson told him with a shrug.

"Well I thought you were a better man than this! This isn't the life I imagined for me and you Jackson…" Aaron slowly stepped closer to him and looked him in the eye. "If this is love, then I don't want it" he told him and quickly turned and stormed to the front door.

Jackson quickly walked after him and caught up to him as he was about to leave the house, grabbing his arm before he could get away. "You need to calm down Aaron"

Aaron flung his arm away from Jackson releasing his grip. "Get off me"

"No!" he tried to grab him again but Aaron fought hard not to let him. "I can't let you go out there alone"

"Well maybe it's for the best, don't want to cause you any more shame now do I?"

"WHAT?" Jackson hissed and grabbed him again. "That's stupid and you know it"

Aaron shrugged and made a move to step down onto the first step but in his anger and erratic state he missed his footing, Jackson scrambled to get him but it was too late and Aaron fell, he missed four steps and crashed onto his back and hit his head as he hit the pavement below.

"Oh god!" he breathed quickly and ran down the steps. Meanwhile someone stopped at their gate double checking over a sheet of paper then looked up. He frowned. "J-Jackson, is that you?"

Jackson looked toward the voice and his eyes widened. "Adam?"

"Y-yeah" Adam replied with a smile as he pushed open the gate and walked to him. He then saw the body lying on the footpath and he swallowed hard. "W-What the hell happened?" he asked as he knelt down at Aaron's side as Aaron began to groan.

"W-We were arguing…"

"Yeah I heard something from down the street"

Jackson nodded quickly and continued. "He was storming out and I tried to stop him, it all happened so fast, I wasn't touching him I swear to god…he missed his footing I think…"

"Alright, don't move him, go and call an ambulance"

"I don't want a bloody ambulance" Aaron grumbled in his groggy state and then his eyes began to open slowly and close again.

"His heads not bleeding…maybe that's a good sign…" Jackson said.

"Yeah, maybe…" Adam replied. "Call the doctor then? Surely they do house calls?"

Jackson nodded and scrambled to his feet and ran back in the house, leaving Aaron in Adam's care.

Adam smiled as he looked at him in his dazed state. "I never thought I'd see you again" he told him as he took his hand and squeezed it tightly. Aaron simply groaned in response, unaware of who the voice belonged too.

TBC…