– AARON & JACKSON –

– BORN AGAIN–

"Confliction"

This fanfic follows on the next day after Blind

Characters belong to ITV

...

Jackson frowned as he made his way downstairs; Aaron wasn't in bed beside him when he'd woken. He looked around the living room and kitchen, even outside the front and back he wasn't there, he thought have been having a cheeky cigarette on the step but he wasn't. Jackson knew all along he was still smoking but he realised that he couldn't stop him if it was what he wanted to do. He moved over to the kitchen table with help of his crutches and picked his phone up. No messages, nothing. Where was he?

Aaron was in fact sat on the steps to the cricket pavilion; he'd been there after waking up from the couch at six am. That was four hours ago. In that time all he'd done was think over and over what had happened with Amy the night before. He couldn't resolve it, he couldn't erase what happened it was done and he didn't know what to do now and to top it off he'd lost his phone too.

Aaron sighed when he saw Adam approaching; he shook his head.

"Alright lad?!" Adam called to him as the space between them became smaller. He stopped in front of him sighing as he did.

Aaron shrugged his shoulder. "Why you here?" he asked.

"Felt like a walk" he answered.

"On a Saturday morning? Yeah right Jackson sent you looking didn't he?"

"Yeah alright" he trailed off as he sat beside him. "You got me"

"Why?"

"Because he heard you coming in drunk last night, apparently he heard the commotion, you didn't wake him though, I kinda got the sense he couldn't rest till you were home safe" Adam smirked.

Aaron cocked his eyebrow. "Sounds about right"

"Hey" Adam frowned. "What you done to your hand?" he asked as he moved to grab it so he could take a better look.

Aaron moved it away. "I fell" he told him with a sigh, then turned to look at Adam quickly. "Why do you think I came here?" he snapped.

"Ahh right" he said with a nod and then began to stand. "Peace and quiet, sorry mate" he told him before walking away.

Aaron instantly felt bad and he sighed before speaking again. "No, Adam...Wait"

Adam stopped and turned to face him.

"Me...Me and Amy went out last night and we got drunk, got to know each other a bit and..." he stopped to get the courage he needed to say what he was about too. "She kissed me"

Adams eyes widened. "You what?"

Aaron didn't acknowledge his reply he just carried on quickly. "And I'm worried because I kissed back for a split second"

Adam frowned and sat beside him again. "You kissed her back?"

"Oh please don't keep saying it mate, I'm worried because of it and I dunno what I'm doing"

"Do you think you're bi?" he asked.

Aaron frown deepened and he shook his head. "No, no...I mean I still see how good girls look and stuff but it doesn't do anything for me but when it's a man that's when things happen...so no...I' am gay I dunno what the hell I was thinking"

"And you didn't just fall over did you?"

Aaron scoffed and shook his head. "No, got angry punched the bus stop when I got back to the village"

"You need to be honest with yourself, try and figure out why you kissed back"

Aaron shrugged. "I will, anyway I gotta go, got an interview at Bar West"

"Oh when did this come about?"

"Last night before I got overly drunk, they want staff, I asked, told me to go back for one, so I'm off"

"Ah right well good luck mate"

Aaron stood. "Cheers mate" he replied and walked off.

...

A few hours later Aaron arrived back in the village after successfully getting the job at Bar West, he'd be able to work it round his shifts at the pub he was confident about that. However although he now had a second job exactly what they needed his mood did not express any happiness or excitement over it. As he walked down the village he saw Amy standing at the door to Dale head talking to Jackson. He stopped and frowned.

"Hiya, just thought I'd drop this back Aaron left it in the bar last night" Amy explained.

"Oh right, you went out with him then?" Jackson asked.

Amy nodded. "Yeah we bumped into each other on his way to the bus stop, asked if I could tag along so off we went" she smiled.

"Cool, he sounded smashed last night when he came in, thought he was smashing up the house"

"No er" she frowned. "No he wasn't too bad, anyway I'm off tell him I'll catch up with him soon"

Jackson smiled. "Yeah no bother, see ya" he told her and walked back inside and closed the door.

Aaron continued walking down to the house with his hands in his pockets and his head down. Amy saw him as she walked up the village, as she passed him he didn't acknowledge her. She sighed. "Aaron...ah come on man, I'm sorry I told you last night, I just got ahead of myself"

He still didn't reply as he carried on walking down the village.

"Aaron!" she shouted after him followed by a sigh. She shook her head and continued walking.

Aaron walked into the house and shut the door behind him; this was the first time he saw Jackson since the previous day. Jackson turned to him. "Thought I'd never see you again you were out early this morning and you never came to bed last night"

"Slept on the sofa" he said as he hung his jacket up.

"Oh and is that it?"

Aaron frowned. "What else do you want me to say Jackson? I came home drunk and I didn't want to wake you what's the big deal?"

Jackson was taken a back; he wasn't expecting him to be in a bad mood. "There is no big deal; oh Amy brought your phone back you left it in the bar"

"Oh right, been looking for that everywhere" Aaron answered as he walked into the kitchen. He stood at the sink and took a deep breath before turning the hot water on. He waited a few seconds until steam from the heat filled the air; he then placed his knuckles under the tap. He winced and clenched his free fist as the hot water covered the cuts from last night's punch causing it to sting like crazy.

Jackson got up from the sofa and onto his crutches and made his way to the kitchen. "Right what's up your like a bear with a sore head" he asked him.

He didn't reply.

"Come on babe, did anything happ-" he stopped when he saw what Aaron was doing and he rushed over on his crutches. "Jesus Aaron what the hell are you playing at!" he pushed him out the way and turned the tap off.

Aaron breathed heavily. "I dunno cleaning it I suppose"

"Well then you haven't got a brain could have scolded ya!"

Aaron shrugged but luckily Jackson didn't see. "Yeah well, that's me all over isn't it, no brain?" he spoke sharply as he left the kitchen and flung himself onto the sofa.

Jackson moved into the living room and watched him. "Whatever it is that's bothering you, you can tell me you know"

"I know."

"Go on then" Jackson chuckled.

"I've been getting flashbacks of Victoria and Holly..." Aaron began to explain.

"Oh right and?" Jackson felt he needed to sit down, so he did.

"It confuses me like I've explained before to ya, but then I remember what I actually have in my life, who I have in my life and that's you, then everything's better, I'm reassured" he told him and Jackson smiled warmly at him.

"No, don't do that" Aaron shook his head. "Don't smile; you won't be in a minute"

Jackson frowned. "What Aaron? I can't try and help you unless you tell me"

"Amy kissed me last night when we were drunk and for a split second I kissed her back"

Jackson's frown deepened. "You what?"

"I don't wanna have to say it again, you heard me clearly the first time" he told him as he closed his eyes.

Jackson replayed what Aaron had admitted to him and he couldn't help but laugh. Aaron opened his eyes at the sound of him and he frowned. "Why you laughing?"

"Because it's funny; you and Amy?"

Aaron nodded.

"Oh god..." he calmed down and that's when it sunk in "I understand that you get confused at times Aaron but..." he shook his head. "You don't do that" he told him.

"You're mad aren't ya?" he began to stand. "I-I'll just leave" he made his way to the stairs.

"No Aaron!" Jackson yelled. "You can't keep running from things and lashing out like you obviously did last night by the look of your hand! You have to face up to your actions and live with it"

"That's what I'm doing!" he replied through gritted teeth. "You won't want me now so I'm going to pack...consequences I think is the term you were probably going to throw at me next..."

"No" Jackson sighed. "No I wasn't..." he pulled out his phone. "Come here please?"

Aaron turned around and walked to him as Jackson fiddled with his phone.

Jackson looked at him and stood up. "Alright..." he turned the phone around to show Aaron the image of a topless woman he'd found on the internet to which he just screwed up his face. "Orrr..." Jackson said as he lifted his t-shirt up which made Aaron smile cheekily. Jackson was happy and he nodded. "Sorted then"

Aaron frowned. "How can it be as simple as that?" he asked.

"But it is Aaron I saw your eyes light up when I lifted my top up, when I showed you the picture there was nothing but a scowl, I know you like men...to be honest long before you I've kissed woman on nights out when I've been smashed and they were mates too just like Amy is...babe please stop worrying and don't beat yourself up about it, don't kiss back next time"

Aaron smirked. "She won't be getting as close again"

"And I trust you" Jackson told him lovingly and Aaron put his arms around him tightly.

Jackson smiled and kissed his head.

"I wasn't cleaning my hand, I knew it would hurt...and I wanted it too...some sort of punishment I suppose"

"Well don't" Aaron just nodded. "Can I sit down babe, can't keep standing on one leg" he chuckled.

"Oh right yeah..." Aaron quickly moved away and they both sat on the sofa.

Jackson held his hand tightly to give reassurance that everything was fine and it genuinely was on Jackson's part, any feelings of guilt were down to Aaron to deal with. "So, where have you been all day?"

"I uh, was at the pavilion this morning then I left for my interview"

"Interview?"

Aaron smiled. "At bar west, I got it aswell, start tomorrow"

Jackson grinned. "Wow that's amazing I never thought I'd see you working there...wow babe that's amazing I'm so pleased for you, but will you be able to manage?" he asked.

"Yes Jackson" he nodded. "It'll be fine"

"Good, let's crack open some beers then, order a takeaway, I think we should celebrate" he smiled.

Aaron got up to go and fetch some beers.

"Oh and when I kiss you, definitely do kiss me back because I love your taste, and your lips are soo soft" Jackson was being honest but he was saying it to tease him too.

Aaron turned his head slightly and shook it.

"You can't expect me not to wind you up about it can you?"

"No, actually I didn't think you would but never mind" he told him as he walked back with a bottle of lager each and the takeaway menu.

TBC...