Daaron (3)
These are another set of moments that should have happened in David and Aaron's storyline on-screen.
Episode 7468 (after David and Aaron leave the Back-Lane Bar)
Once David and Aaron stepped out of the bar, David hurriedly booked a taxi on his phone, wanting to get home as quickly as possible.
"Ok, the taxi should be here soon" David announced before glancing around to locate Aaron. He noticed the younger man standing near the door, resting his forehead against the bricks, "Are you alright?" David asked cautiously
"Never better" Aaron retorted shortly, still feeling humiliated about what had happened inside the bar
"Sorry" David murmured hastily, "You've got a migraine, that was a stupid question to ask"
Aaron remembered telling that lie a few minutes earlier to excuse himself from the bar, and exhaled heavily as he stepped away from the building to face David, "No, I'm sorry" he apologised, "I shouldn't snap at you, it's not your fault"
David quirked an eyebrow, "You mean, your migraine?"
Aaron shook his head, "No, this epic failure of a night out" he replied bitterly
"That makes it sound like it was my fault" David remarked, referring to how awkward and quiet he had been earlier, "What happened? Did we upset you?"
"No, it wasn't anything you did" Aaron replied tiredly, "It was my own stupidity"
"What do you mean?" David asked
Aaron sighed, "Have you ever had an idea in your head, then suddenly found out that you were completely wrong about it, and ended up feeling like a massive idiot?"
"All the time" David replied casually, causing Aaron to snigger, "Why?"
"I kind of got the wrong impression about your brother" Aaron admitted before rubbing his face in chagrin, "It's so embarrassing"
"What 'wrong impression'?" David asked anxiously, wondering if it was what he had been suspecting since they had first met
"I'd convinced myself that he was interested in me, and I played up to it" Aaron confessed, which confirmed David's suspicions, "But he's clearly got his eye on Amy"
"His 'eyes', plural" David pointed out pedantically, receiving a glare from Aaron, "Sorry" he apologised sheepishly
Aaron smirked, "You really are different from your brother, aren't you?"
"Sometimes I question whether we're actually related" David joked before shrugging, "Look, even though Leo isn't into you, you've made him – well, both of us – feel really welcomed here" he assured him carefully
Aaron was taken aback, "I have?"
David nodded, "I spent the entire road trip here trying to get him excited about Erinsborough, and failed miserably" he began, "But you managed to turn that around in the relatively short time you guys have known each other"
"Oh, thanks, I'm glad I could help" Aaron replied with a small smile, feeling quite touched by David's words.
David returned the smile, and couldn't help but notice how attractive the other man looked with the lights from the bar shining down on him in the dark night. He tried to convince himself that it was perfectly normal for a heterosexual man to find another (openly gay) man attractive, but David couldn't quite shake the feeling that this was more than just a simple appreciation of Aaron's physical appearance.
David was stuck for words for a few moments as he was caught up in his thoughts. But fortunately, their taxi arrived and he took the opportunity to move away from the topic by opening the door for Aaron to climb in before him.
"Lassiter's complex, Erinsborough?" the driver clarified as David shut the door
"Yeah, thanks" David affirmed as he and Aaron strapped themselves in
David glanced over at Aaron, who was mulling something over until he suddenly asked, "So, if you're staying here for a while, what does that mean for your job?"
"I've had to suspend my residency at Western Sydney Hospital while my great-grandmother is recovering here" David replied, "I don't want to be stuck in limbo for too long, but she's my priority" he added, omitting the fact that he was actually more occupied with searching for his real dad
Aaron nodded, "I get that" he murmured, "Is she going to be ok?"
David smiled briefly, "I hope so" he murmured, "But until then, I guess you're stuck with us"
"You say that like it's a bad thing" Aaron scoffed, "But I think you guys are pretty cool"
David smiled coyly, "Thanks, but most of the 'coolness' is down to Leo"
Aaron studied him, "You know, aside from correcting people's grammar, you're cool as well"
"Thanks" David muttered, unsure how to respond to a cute guy complimenting him, "And ditto to you and Amy"
Aaron smiled, "Yeah, Amy's great" he replied, "She's like, the nicest girl on the planet"
David was amused, "That's a hefty accolade"
"Hey, I know whether someone's nice" Aaron retorted before pulling a face, "Unfortunately, I apparently don't know whether someone's interested in me or not, or whether they're gay or straight"
David almost sighed in relief that Aaron wasn't able to read him like a book, but realised that it would be a giveaway if he was to actually do that, "Sometimes we misread signals, it's no big deal" he replied hesitantly instead
"That's true" Aaron shrugged before nudging him, "Anyway, it looks like you've got some competition for Amy's affections now"
"What do you mean?" David asked
"Well, Leo is clearly into her, so you shouldn't wait too long to make a move" he replied
David shrugged dismissively, "We'll see"
Aaron smirked, "Ooh, you're confident" he teased, "Leo's no match for you, huh?"
"Leo can have anyone he fancies" David muttered sombrely
Aaron swallowed regretfully, realising that David wasn't being arrogant after all, "Well, so can you, it's just a case of choosing the right moment to go for what you want"
"You think so?" David asked
Aaron nodded before pulling a face, "Actually, my track record with relationships isn't that great" he began, "So, maybe you shouldn't take my word for it"
"Well, you seem like a good judge of character" David argued gently
Aaron snorted, "Apart from assuming that Leo fancied me, you mean?"
"That was an easy mistake to make, Leo is a charmer" David assured him, "Besides, I trust your judgement about Amy"
"Then you should go for it before your brother tries to seduce her" Aaron suggested, "I can tell that she's more interested in you than in Leo, but you still don't want to risk missing your chance"
David knew that he didn't want to have a chance with Amy. Of course, she seemed like a nice girl and he felt a connection with her, but he wasn't attracted to her. However, David wasn't ready to admit why, though the younger man sitting next to him was a clue. Once the taxi had arrived at its destination, and he and Aaron had parted ways, David made the decision that he was going to be as indifferent as possible about his feelings towards Amy and Aaron, so that he could avoid any difficult situations in the future.
Episode 7683 (after Tyler sends Aaron to make amends with David)
Aaron was annoyed by both David and Tyler as he made his way to David's apartment. The last thing he had been expecting was to talk to his boyfriend so soon after he found out that David had contacted Hamish behind their backs. However, Tyler had taken it upon himself to fix their relationship despite it not being his responsibility, and Aaron felt somewhat pressured into talking to David against his will.
Aaron took a deep breath before he knocked on the door of David and Leo's hotel room, psyching himself up for the conversation. David opened the door within a matter of seconds, but seemed surprised to see Aaron standing outside.
"Hey" David greeted in confusion, "That was quick, did you finish doing the dishes?"
"Uh, I wasn't actually doing the dishes" Aaron began uncomfortably, "Tyler and I were up on the roof when you called me"
David quirked an eyebrow, "So, why did Tyler answer your phone?"
Aaron avoided his eyes, "Because I didn't really want to talk to you"
"And you're only here because Tyler told me that you were on your way and that you've forgiven me?" David realised
Aaron shrugged, "Pretty much"
"Well, you don't have to stay if you don't want to" David assured him slowly, though he really hoped that Aaron would stay
"No, you told Tyler that you wanted to apologise to me, so I should at least hear you out" Aaron replied, "Although Tyler deserves the apology more than I do"
David nodded as he stood aside for Aaron to enter, "Yeah, I will apologise to Tyler properly once we've cleared the air" he responded, "But I didn't want to cross the line with any of you by sticking my nose in again"
Aaron considered this as he stepped into the apartment, "At least you've learnt something from yesterday"
"And I am so sorry for what I did" David apologised earnestly as he shut the door behind them, "I know it was stupid and selfish, and it's probably too late to fix things, but I really am sorry"
Aaron shrugged, "Well, it depends on how you plan to fix things" he pointed out, "What you did can't be undone; Hamish is in our lives now because of you, whether we wanted him to be or not"
David sighed, "I know, and I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to make things better" he assured him, "For your family and for us"
Aaron sat down on the sofa heavily, "I just don't get it, David" he breathed, "I mean, I understand why you'd want to contact Hamish, but to actually do it without talking to us about it first, why?"
"Like I said yesterday, I was just trying to help" David reminded him as he placed himself on the other end of the sofa, "But I obviously didn't think it through properly or consider the consequences, which I should have"
"What you should have done was to stay out of it" Aaron argued, "You managed to make our family problems all about you, because you thought you knew best"
David hung his head shamefully, "Maybe I did, and I was wrong" he whispered, "But you know I only had the best intentions, right?"
Aaron glanced away sadly, "That's the thing, I don't know what's been going on in your head" he murmured, "You were being so lovely and supportive these last few weeks while we were dealing with all this stuff, but did you start planning this from the moment I told you about Hamish?"
"No, of course not; this wasn't some calculated ploy to force Tyler to face his dad, or hurt your family" David replied angrily, "I saw how confused Tyler was about this whole thing and I thought that finding Hamish would help him, help all of you"
"Because finding your dad helped you" Aaron finished
David nodded, "Yeah" he whispered, realising bitterly how selfish he sounded
"But your situation isn't the same; just because it worked for you, doesn't mean that it works for everyone else" Aaron pointed out, "Tyler has been through so much, and you knew that he wasn't ready to meet his real dad, yet you still contacted him in the most underhanded way"
"I didn't mean to-" David began defensively
"Of course you did" Aaron argued, "You clearly planned this out in advance, based on what you wrote in the e-mail, and you deliberately went behind our backs when you sent it"
"And I'm sorry, but I never meant to hurt you, any of you" David replied beseechingly, "And I definitely didn't mean to be two-faced about it, please believe me"
Aaron held his gaze, trying to see the best in his boyfriend and realising that he was being honest, "Yeah, I do believe you" he replied evenly, "But nothing like this can ever happen again, you understand?"
David nodded, "Of course" he breathed, "I've learnt my lesson and I will never overstep the mark again, I promise"
Aaron scoffed, "Does that include your conversation with Elly?" he asked, "I know you told her what happened, even though it wasn't her business either"
"Look, I only went to her for advice on how to fix things between us-" David tried to explain
Aaron interrupted him, "Oh, so you made this whole thing about our relationship as well?" he questioned furiously, "David, this isn't about you or us, this is about my family trying to deal with these huge bombshells we've been faced with"
"I know, and I'm sorry" David replied earnestly, "I just wasn't sure of the best way to deal with it, I've never screwed up this badly before and I needed help"
"So, you went to Elly?" Aaron queried
David glanced away shamefully, "Not just Elly" he murmured before standing up and plodding into his bedroom
Aaron watched after him in confusion, wondering whether that was the end of their conversation. However, a few moments later, David returned and was carrying several books in his hands. David sat down in the same place as before and passed a couple of the books over to Aaron.
Aaron glanced down at them, "What are these?"
"Relationship-guidance books" David admitted sheepishly, "I bought them online about a month ago"
"Why?" Aaron asked in confusion
"Those first twenty-four hours after we got together were… intense" David began, "You know, we made love, your mum had turned up, you told me about your childhood, you managed to clear the air with her, and then you told me that you loved me"
"Yeah, I remember" Aaron murmured thoughtfully
"And even though I was so happy, I was also kind of freaked out; nobody had ever said those words to me before, and I'd never said them to anyone else either" David explained, "I started panicking about our future, about what could go wrong, so I bought these books to help me deal with conflicts"
"I'm guessing that none of them had any advice on how to deal with this situation" Aaron muttered as he flicked through one of the books
"Surprisingly, no" David retorted, "And I've realised how stupid it was for me to buy them, so I'm going to sell them on"
Aaron looked down at the array of books, "What are you doing, David?" he asked in exasperation
"Trying to fix this" David replied cautiously
"By making everything about you?" Aaron questioned derisively
"I'm not!" David argued defensively, then swallowed heavily as it occurred to him how much he had referred to himself during the conversation.
"You are, and I think that's the problem" Aaron sighed as he closed the book that was open, "Maybe we rushed into this"
"What do you mean?" David asked worriedly, "We took forever to get together, there was nothing 'rushed' about it"
Aaron took a deep breath, "Remember when you were in hospital after the Backpacker's crash?" he began, "And you told me that you needed to date other guys to figure out how relationships worked?"
David nodded, "And I did"
Aaron held up the books, "Well, you obviously didn't if you only bought these a month ago, instead of back when you were still learning about relationships" he pointed out, "I'm not sure whether you're really ready to be in this relationship yet"
"I am, that's why I'm getting rid of the books" David insisted, "I know there's no magic formula for dealing with relationship problems, every relationship is different; we need to figure out what works for us"
"And what is that?" Aaron asked despairingly, "Because we've been pretty hopeless with this from the start"
David considered this, "It's… giving each other time and space to think things through, so that we don't end up saying the wrong thing" he began before holding up his books, "And it's gestures like selling pointless books and singing love songs to each other on the karaoke in front of everyone"
Aaron smirked, "Well, you could do that if you wanted to, you've got a nice singing voice" he began, "But I'm not doing it ever again"
David smiled slightly and there was a lingering pause before he suddenly started singing, "I know when you look at me, you're feeling something. Your heart's broke but you still believe, all the nothing" he sang quietly, "And I wanna make it right, but I'm scared to walk the line"
Aaron sniggered, "That's from Angus' song, right?"
David nodded, "Yeah, 'Waves'" he replied, "I think it's kind of fitting, and it's a really special song to me"
Aaron nodded, remembering the music video that they had filmed together nearly ten months earlier, "Me too" he breathed before rubbing his face, "This whole thing is such a mess"
"I know, I've stuffed up" David uttered before shuffling closer and taking Aaron's hands in his own, "And I'll probably stuff up a few more times, but I will never stop trying to make things right"
"I know" Aaron whispered before kissing him gently and resting his forehead against the older man's, "You're an idiot, a really loveable idiot"
"I'll take it" David chuckled before pulling back, "So, should I go and find Tyler to apologise to him?"
Suddenly feeling guilty for how harshly he had been treating David, Aaron shifted uncomfortably and withdrew his hands from his boyfriend's, "Actually, he's meeting with Hamish as we speak" he admitted before awkwardly adding, "And he did tell me that he was ok with everything now, so he's already forgiven you"
"Really?" David questioned, "I still stepped out of line and caused a lot of problems for him"
Aaron nodded slowly, "You did, but Tyler's had a change of heart about his dad and wants to get to know him better" he replied, "So, I guess you were kind of right after all"
David shrugged, "It still doesn't excuse what I did or how I went about it"
Aaron shook his head, "No, but we'll get over it" he assured him, "What's important now is being there for Tyler; if this is what he wants then we'll support him"
David nodded, "And I'll stay out of it"
Aaron smiled teasingly and played with David's fringe, "Well, you are the expert on long-lost fathers, so we might be coming to you for advice further down the track"
"Are you sure?" David clarified, "I don't want to cause more trouble for you guys"
Aaron shook his head, "You won't, as long as you don't go behind our backs again"
"No, I won't, I swear" David assured him
"Good" Aaron breathed before cupping his face and kissing him again, "I love you, and we are going to get through this"
David nodded, "I love you too" he replied softly, and pulled Aaron into a hug. Although they had meant what they had said, they were both worried for the future. David knew that he had made some serious mistakes, regardless of the outcome, and he hoped that he and the Brennan's would find a way through this situation.
Episode 7705 (the day after Hamish is discharged from the Hospital)
As he made his way to The Waterhole for breakfast, Aaron was still thinking about the fight between Mark and Tyler the night before. He wanted to be objective about the situation, but having not seen anything particularly concerning between Tyler and Hamish despite Mark's allegations, Aaron wasn't sure how to feel or what to think. Approaching the pub, Aaron noticed someone who looked suspiciously like his boyfriend sitting at a table in the beer garden, though Aaron's view of the person was somewhat impeded by the pile of books surrounding him.
Moving towards him, Aaron became more certain that it was David who was sitting there, "Uh, hey" he greeted hesitantly, "What's going on?"
David glanced up and him and smiled, seemingly in relief, "Hey" he breathed, "I'm just studying"
"Oh, I thought you were building a fort" Aaron joked
David chuckled, "I needed some air and some food, so I came out here" he shrugged, "But I didn't want to be disturbed"
"Which explains the mountain of books" Aaron realised, "Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you, I was heading inside anyway"
David shook his head, "It's fine, you can join me" he assured him, "It's not you that I'm trying to avoid"
Aaron sat down opposite him and moved a few books to the table beside them so that he could get a clearer view of his handsome boyfriend, "I didn't realise you were trying to avoid anyone"
David nodded shamefully, "Yeah, Shane and Karl"
Aaron grinned, "Oh yeah, how did that chat with Shane go the other night?"
David exhaled heavily and let his head drop onto one of the books in front of him, "Kill me now" he mumbled
Aaron sniggered, "That good, huh?"
David lifted his head up, "I wish I'd never agreed to take over this campaign in the first place"
"To be fair, you didn't have much of a choice" Aaron pointed out, "Karl put your name forward to the Mayor"
David nodded, "And I was flattered at first, but I'm really regretting it now"
"It can't be that bad" Aaron argued sceptically
"It is" David countered, "It's a big, annoying responsibility"
"Hasn't Karl been helping you with it? Or are those meetings that you guys are having actually some kind of secret affair?" Aaron asked jokingly, "It would explain why we've barely seen each other lately"
"Of course not" David scoffed, "But that's the point, this is the first time we've properly spoken to each other in about a week, and I don't think I can juggle this campaign on top of everything else"
"I get that, but you just need to get your priorities in order" Aaron pointed out gently, "And you do have people around you who are willing to help"
David frowned, "I wouldn't exactly call it 'help'" he muttered, "Some people are… irking me with their suggestions"
"Karl or Shane?" Aaron asked
"Both" David replied, "Their ideas aren't exactly conventional"
Aaron smirked, "Are you really surprised?"
David shrugged, "I'm grateful for Karl's help and I was happy for him to make suggestions" he began, "You know, I've been humouring them, but Shane took it about a thousand steps further and gave me this" he added as he passed Aaron the folder that Shane had given him the night before
Aaron flicked through the folder, "Wow, he is committed to this" he muttered
"Which is what I have to be" David added, "I need to put my 'heart and soul' into it, according to Shane"
Aaron nodded, "Well, it looks like he's leading by example"
"Yeah, so I can't dismiss all his hard work just because I find his ideas a bit outlandish" David explained
"But you don't want to waste time examining them either" Aaron realised
"Exactly" David responded downheartedly, "Was he like this with Rolly?"
Aaron considered this, "He was passionate, that's for sure" he remarked, "That's not a bad thing, but I guess sometimes he can be a bit overeager and has a tendency to take control"
"That's one way of putting it" David muttered, "You know, he wouldn't let me leave, and when I tried to, he decided to ask me about my 'legacy', so I told him that I liked Karl's Durian-"
Aaron blinked at him in bemusement, "You what?"
"I mean, the idea he had for the statue" David clarified quickly
Aaron nodded in understanding, "But you don't?"
"Does anyone like the idea of a giant tropical fruit statue in the middle of the complex?" David questioned
Aaron hesitated, "Well, it's… different"
David nodded slowly, "That's the problem, I don't really 'get' their ideas" he sighed, "I don't want to let them down, but I can't please them both either"
"So, don't" Aaron pointed out
"But this is for the community, I need to look out for everyone's best interests, especially those who contribute to it" David complained, "Now you can see why I'm not cut out for this"
"Of course you are" Aaron argued, "Karl chose you to take over this campaign because you're the best person for the job; you're smart and you've got good connections, you just need to use your initiative to make Erinsborough the best it can be"
David studied him, "Maybe you should jump onboard too, you have more experience with this type of thing than I do"
Aaron shrugged, "I'm happy to help if you want me to"
David smiled, "Really? Oh, thank you" he responded before leaning over to kiss his cheek, "You know what? Shane actually suggested that you should be a part of it as well, that we should show 'unity'"
Aaron considered this, "That's not so 'outlandish'" he pointed out, echoing David's words from before
David pulled a face, "It was the only sensible thing that came out of his mouth the whole time"
"I can believe that" Aaron sniggered before standing up, "Look, I'm going to get us some food, then we can brainstorm ideas for the competition, how does that sound?"
"Awesome" David breathed as he moved some of his books off the table to clear more space for them, pleased that it seemed like the campaign was finally getting somewhere.
xxx
David's optimism didn't last long. Within half an hour of eating and discussing ideas, he felt as though he and Aaron were going around in circles with the campaign, to the point where they began to bicker over insignificant details. Eventually, even Aaron agreed that it was a difficult operation to orchestrate despite his previous experience.
David sighed, "Sorry, I feel like I've been bombarding you with all this competition stuff" he began as he closed his notebook that he had been jotting down ideas in, "How are things with you?"
Aaron let out a breath and rubbed his face, "Complicated"
"Do you mean what's going on with Hamish?" David clarified, "I thought he was ok"
"Physically, yeah, Hamish is fine" Aaron began, "But Mark thinks that he's trying to put ideas in Tyler's head about him"
David was confused, "What kind of ideas?"
"That Mark has anger issues, like dad" Aaron replied grimly
David mulled this over, "Well, I don't think I've ever seen him being violent, he doesn't seem like that kind of guy" he remarked cautiously, trying not to jump to conclusions
Aaron shook his head, "He isn't, not normally"
David sensed that there was more to it than what Aaron was saying, "But….?" he prompted
Aaron shrugged, "But things have been tricky lately" he admitted, "And our family does have a habit of putting up a front to cope with difficult situations"
"Are you saying that Mark hasn't been dealing with this stuff properly?" David queried
"I don't know" Aaron murmured, "Tyler thinks Mark caused Hamish's injuries by pushing him over when they were on the boat"
"Well, Hamish didn't say anything about that at the hospital" David recalled, "But what do you think?"
Aaron pondered this, "Mark wasn't happy about Tyler wanting to change his surname, and I know he hasn't been comfortable with Hamish's presence in our lives full stop" he began, "But I don't believe that he would have lost his temper to the extent of pushing Hamish over"
"What actually happened?" David asked
"Well, I wasn't there, so I don't know for sure" Aaron began, "Mark called me when Hamish was taken to the hospital, and he filled me in on what had happened afterwards"
"So, you only got one version of events?" David murmured
Aaron nodded, "Mark's been suspicious of Hamish for a while now, and he'd heard from Jack that Hamish might not be genuine about his donation to the Wellness Centre" he explained, "So, Mark decided to investigate the boat and he found some stuff about Indonesia, and now he thinks Hamish is hiding something"
"Like what?" David asked
"Well, Mark told me that Hamish said that it belonged to dad" Aaron began, "But I don't buy it, and neither does Mark"
David was puzzled, "So, he got angry and pushed Hamish over?"
Aaron shook his head, "Apparently, Hamish tried to stop Mark from looking around the boat and he slipped, which is how he got injured" he replied before adding, "Although, it seems like he wasn't that injured after all"
David shrugged, "His tests did come back clear, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything suspicious is going on" he pointed out, "I know this might sound a bit harsh, but having a fall at his age can be more serious than for someone of our age, even if it was just him 'slipping over'"
Aaron nodded, "I know, but he's ok now, isn't he?" he pointed out, "I just wish that that was it, but it's not; things are even worse than before"
"But that doesn't mean that either of them are to blame" David argued gently
Aaron shook his head, "I don't know what to think right now" he murmured before looking panicked, "Hang on, do you have to report this now that I've told you about Mark's involvement?"
David hesitated, "Hamish didn't tell me that Mark pushed him, and you don't know that he did" he began, "So, as far as anyone is concerned, it was just an accident"
Aaron smiled slightly and pinched his cheek, "Ah, look at you, bending the rules" he teased
David shrugged, "It's not the first time" he muttered, "Unless I have reason to believe that it was an actual attack, it's not right for me to start making accusations"
"Thanks, I just don't want this situation to get more out of hand than it already has" Aaron muttered, "I wish we could go back in time two months, to before everything got so complicated"
"Before your dad died?" David asked
Aaron nodded, "Before all of the revelations" he added before scoffing, "I almost wish those secrets had stayed secret, everything seemed so much simpler then"
"Aren't you slightly glad that this stuff is all out in the open?" David enquired
Aaron shrugged, "But what if it's not? What if there's more that we don't know about?" he questioned, "What if Mark's right to be suspicious of Hamish? Or what if Tyler's right about Mark's anger issues?"
"What if we stop wondering 'what if'?" David suggested calmly, "And focus on what is actually happening"
Aaron sighed, "We've barely managed to keep it together during all this stuff, and now Tyler's refusing to talk to Mark" he pointed out despondently, "Our family is falling apart and I don't know what to do"
David could almost feel his heart break for Aaron, and felt helpless, "You're caught in the middle"
Aaron nodded, "Like usual" he remarked, "I can't take sides here, it's not fair, and I haven't seen enough to make any judgements; all I want is for everything to go back to the way it used to be"
"But it can't" David pointed out gently
Aaron shook his head sadly, "So, I'm trying to look out for both of them"
"And you need to look out for yourself as well" David reminded him, "This affects you too"
"I know, and I thought that work might be a good distraction" Aaron began, "But Mark's been there practically every day lately, which is just a reminder of what I'm trying to forget for a few hours"
"I get it, but it's great that you're supporting him; he has been having a difficult time" David began, "The stuff with Paige and Elly, and now this thing with Tyler and Hamish; it's no wonder he feels the need to go to the gym to work out, and vent to you"
"Then I go and vent to you" Aaron added
"And then I go and vent to my patients" David joked, "No wonder they hate me"
Aaron chuckled, "They don't hate you, you're amazing"
"I'm glad you think so" David replied softly
"It's not just me, I know your whole family does as well" Aaron argued
David sniggered, "Funny you should mention that" he began, "My dad has apparently disappeared off the face of the Earth"
"What do you mean?" Aaron asked
"I haven't heard from him since he left" he replied, "So, I called Lucy a few days ago, but she hasn't seen or heard from him either"
Aaron was confused, "Wait, wasn't he visiting her?"
"Yeah, and Andrew" David responded, "That's why it's strange that there's been no sign of him anywhere, it seems like he never arrived in New York"
"Maybe he's just taking some time out somewhere else, somewhere isolated" Aaron suggested, "Sometimes when things get too much, it can be good to shut yourself off from the rest of the world for a little while, have some space"
David was intrigued, "You know that from experience?"
Aaron shrugged, "Kind of" he replied awkwardly, "But Paul can look after himself, so there's no point in worrying too much until you have reason to worry"
David considered this, "I guess, but he has been doing it tough lately" he murmured, "You know, all the stuff with Nick, Terese and Gary has hit him hard"
Aaron nodded slowly, "Yeah, it sucks when the person you're in love with is seeing someone else"
David glanced away sheepishly at what Aaron was implying, "Sorry"
Aaron looked regretful, "No, sorry, I wasn't trying to make you feel bad" he assured him, "I mean, I was the one who told you to date other guys, wasn't I?"
David smirked, "You just didn't expect one of those 'other guys' to be one of your exes"
Aaron considered this, "Well, that just made it more complicated… and weird" he agreed, "But I would have still felt bad, regardless of who the guy was"
"In that case, maybe dad should have some faith" David remarked, "If it worked out for us, it could work out for him as well"
"Maybe" Aaron mused, "But it'll be less likely once Gary and Terese tie the knot"
David grimaced, "Yeah, marriage is a big commitment, it's hard to get out of" he agreed, "It's just a shame that someone's going to end up miserable because of this, and it'll probably be dad; poor guy"
Aaron nodded slowly before glancing at him thoughtfully, "Would you want to?"
David was bemused, "Would I want to 'end up miserable'?" he queried
Aaron snorted, "No, would you want to get married?" he clarified
David was taken aback, "Is that a proposal?" he teased
Aaron hesitated, "It's a question" he replied simply, "If it became legal, do you see marriage somewhere in your future?"
"If it's something we both wanted and if the timing was right, then yeah; absolutely" David replied casually
Aaron thought about this, "When you say 'we', do you mean 'you and me'?" he enquired hesitantly, "Or a hypothetical future boyfriend?"
David studied him, "If I meant 'you and me', would you freak out?"
Aaron held his gaze, "If I said 'no', would you freak out?"
David shook his head, "No"
"Then no" Aaron answered
"Then yes" David replied
Aaron narrowed his eyes at him, "I'm confused"
David blinked at him blankly in return, "So am I"
Aaron mulled this over, "I think we just agreed that we could see us marrying each other sometime in the future, once the rest of society can see it as well"
David paused, "I think this is the most unromantic proposal ever"
Aaron sniggered, "Don't worry, I'll come up with something better when the time comes" he assured him
"I'm looking forward to it" David replied happily
Aaron smiled at the idea that David wanted to marry him someday, and that it was reciprocated. However, he knew that a wedding would still be a long way off for them, so he decided to just focus on the present and what they did have control over.
Episode 7721 (after Aaron decides to go to Paris)
David had offered to help Aaron pack some clothes for his trip to Paris, knowing that he should take advantage of the time they had together before Aaron left. David wistfully glanced around his boyfriend's bedroom – one of his favourite places, and one that he probably wouldn't be seeing for a while – whilst Aaron rummaged around in his wardrobe for clothes to take with him. Aaron passed David a few items of clothing to pack into his rucksack, which David reluctantly shoved in, much to the younger man's annoyance.
"Hey, I'm trying to save space" Aaron complained, "Roll them up and put them in carefully, thanks"
David frowned, but did as instructed, "Are you sure about this?"
Aaron blinked at him, "I do know how to pack clothes properly" he pointed out
David shook his head, "I didn't mean the packing, I meant this whole trip" he began, "Like I said before, you're gonna be trying to find a needle in a haystack; you don't even know that this woman is still in Paris, or that the building in the photo is even relevant"
Aaron shrugged, "Well, it's better than sitting around and letting Hamish manipulate Tyler even more"
David considered this, "But what if you don't find her?" he questioned, "I mean, are you going to give yourself a time limit for this, or are you just going to stay there in the hope that one day you'll track her down?"
Aaron knew that David had a point, but he didn't want to consider the possibility of something going wrong or him not finding her, "I don't know, I can't think about that right now" he murmured, "Look, I've booked a return flight for a few days' time, which is long enough to find the address or ask around; hopefully someone will point me in the right direction"
David loved his boyfriend's optimism, but sometimes it bordered on naivety, especially when there were other glaring issues to deal with, "Well, pointing might be the only way to communicate" he grumbled, "I mean, do you know any French?"
Aaron glanced away awkwardly, "I know some basics"
"Only being able to say 'bonjour', 'au revoir' and 's'il vous plait' do not count" David pointed out, "You can't expect everyone you speak to over there to be fluent in English. If you do happen to meet someone who knows this woman, then you need to be able to understand what they tell you, otherwise you won't be able to track her down and it'll be a waste of a trip"
"You think I haven't considered that?" Aaron questioned
"If you did, I doubt you'd still be going" David replied
Aaron narrowed his eyes at David, "What's that supposed to mean?"
David hesitated, "Look, you do have a habit of acting before you think, and this is the perfect example-"
"So, what am I supposed to do, David?" Aaron snapped, "We have this information, we have proof that Hamish is dodgy, so should we just ignore it and wait for things to get worse?"
David let out a breath, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you or stress you out" he apologised, "Look, you're right; if this woman can help uncover what Hamish is up to, then you should do whatever you can"
Aaron nodded, and David nudged him, "And I guess if worse comes to worst, you could always use Google Translate to deal with the language barrier"
Aaron sniggered, "That was the plan"
David smirked, "I guess it can't go much worse than it did when you used it to try to speak Japanese" he teased, "As cute as that was"
Aaron chuckled, "Well, this time I won't be trying to impress anyone's great-grandmother" he began, "Nor will there be any golf-carts involved"
David smiled slightly, "Just for the record, hiiobaa-chan was very impressed by that" he began before studying him pensively, "And so was I, even though I didn't act like it at the time"
Aaron nodded solemnly, "Yeah, I remember" he murmured
David sighed, "I'm sorry for how I acted back then"
"It's ok" Aaron assured him, "You apologised for that a long time ago"
"But that doesn't feel like it's enough" David argued before shaking his head, "I still cringe when I think about that day"
Aaron shrugged, "No, I get it" he began, "You were upset about the advice I gave you about your dad-"
"-That's no excuse for what I said" David interrupted, "There is no excuse for it, which I learnt at my dad's penthouse party"
Aaron shook his head, "That's different, you're nothing like Jezza" he countered, remembering what he had heard the homophobic guy saying to David about his relationship with Tom, which had led to their conversation on the balcony
"But you didn't know that back then" David pointed out, "I don't know why you even gave me the time of day, let alone actually liking me"
Aaron stepped towards him and took David's hands in his own, "Because I saw something in you, something special" he replied gently, "I still do"
Touched by his words, David reached up to kiss him tenderly, "I love you" he whispered against his lips
Aaron smiled, "Yeah, that's what I was getting at" he teased, "I love you too; and even though I hate having to go to Paris alone, I'm so glad you're here with me now"
David took an awkward step back and Aaron was confused, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing" David replied unconvincingly before shrugging, "It just sucks that I have to work, so you have to go to this big, romantic city without me" he muttered
"Well, there's not going to be anything romantic about this trip" Aaron replied, "But maybe next time, huh?"
"Maybe" David whispered, but was still uncomfortable
Aaron noticed and tried to meet his gaze, "Seriously, what's wrong?" he asked again worriedly
David glanced away, "Do you blame me for this?" he asked hesitantly
"What are you talking about?" Aaron asked
"Well, this whole thing started because I contacted Hamish" David pointed out, "If I'd just stayed out of it, he never would have come to Erinsborough in the first place or manipulated Tyler, and you wouldn't be going to Paris to track this woman down"
Aaron shook his head, "No, this isn't your fault, Hamish is the dodgy one" he assured him, "And, for all we know, he could have been plotting this for ages. Even if you hadn't contacted him, he probably still would have turned up here sooner or later"
"But I made it easy for him to find you" David argued, "And if I hadn't done what I did, this stuff probably wouldn't have happened"
Aaron studied him, "Weren't you the one who told me to stop wondering 'what if?', and to focus on reality instead?"
David shrugged, "Well, my reality is flying to Paris this evening" he remarked dryly, "So, you can't exactly blame me"
Aaron smiled slightly as he cupped David's face in his hands, "And mine is making me not want to go" he retorted before kissing him, "But this is for Tyler, for my family, and my gut is telling me that I need to find this woman"
David nodded, "I get it, if she can help then you need to do whatever you can to track her down" he agreed
"And you need to stop blaming yourself" Aaron retorted, "Yeah, you did the wrong thing, but what Hamish is doing is way worse, so we need to focus on stopping him instead of feeling guilty about what we could have done differently"
David grimaced, "Yeah, there is a lot of guilt"
"And it doesn't help anyone, does it?" Aaron pointed out
David shrugged, "Well, whatever does help, I'll do it"
Aaron glanced away, "Tell me that I'm doing the right thing" he began apprehensively, "And that I'm not a complete idiot"
David was slightly taken aback, "Of course you're doing the right thing, and you're definitely not an idiot" he replied, "Why do you doubt it?"
"Because you've had doubts from the start; about Hamish, about this trip" Aaron responded, "And all I've done is ignore them"
"That doesn't make you an idiot" David argued
"But I should have spotted the signs of what Hamish was doing sooner" Aaron replied sadly, "And I should have listened to you when you had your suspicions about him"
David let out a breath, "Sometimes it's hard to see things objectively when you're right in the middle of it" he reminded him, "Whatever Hamish is doing, he's been cunning about it, so it's no wonder that it's taken so long to figure out that something's not right"
"Well, Mark figured it out pretty quickly" Aaron muttered
"But that's the type of guy he is" David pointed out, "Mark didn't like Hamish from the start, so he was probably always looking out for anything suspicious in the hope of catching him out"
"And I wanted to give Hamish the benefit of the doubt, for Tyler's sake" Aaron murmured, "We've been too trusting"
David rubbed his arm comfortingly, "Hey, we've all done that" he assured him, "Wanting to see the best in people isn't a bad thing, it's actually one of the things I love most about you"
Aaron smiled grudgingly, "You always know the right thing to say" he replied before kissing him softly
"That's my job" David replied jokily after he pulled away, then glanced around the room, "So, have you got everything sorted?"
Aaron bit his lip before retrieving his mobile phone from his pocket, "Hang on, let me check" he murmured as he scrolled through the 'to-do' list that he had drafted for the trip, "Ok, I've booked my flights, packed all of my essentials including clothes and passport-"
"You mean, I packed all of your essentials?" David corrected
Aaron pulled a face before glancing back down at his list, "Oh, wait, I haven't told my boyfriend to stop being so pedantic yet" he joked before glaring at David, "Stop being so pedantic"
David smirked and held his hands up in a fake surrender, "Fine" he sighed, "It's not like it matters who did what anyway, as long as it's done"
"Exactly" Aaron agreed, "And I might as well have done it myself, considering the mess you made of it"
"Oh, charming" David retorted sarcastically before glancing at Aaron's list, "Hey, do you want me to give you a lift to the airport?"
Aaron shook his head, "No thanks, I'll just catch a bus"
"Are you sure?" David asked, "I don't mind taking you"
"But I do" Aaron murmured, "Airport goodbyes aren't really my thing"
David scoffed, "That makes it sound like you're never coming back"
"Of course I am" Aaron assured him, "But if you come with me to the airport, I probably won't want to get on the plane"
David considered this, "Yeah, I get that" he admitted, "And I feel the same"
Aaron wrapped his arms around David's waist, "Besides, I'd rather do our goodbyes here, while we've still got time"
David smirked, "Yeah, that works for me" he replied before kissing him again tenderly
Aaron rested his forehead against David's, "Everything's going to be ok, isn't it?"
David pulled away slightly but met his gaze, "We'll do whatever it takes to make it ok" he affirmed as positively as he could. However, they were both anxious about what Hamish was capable of, and knew that this trip might be the only way to resolve their current crisis.
Thanks for reading! I felt as though all of these moments should have happened on-screen, but I was particularly eager to write the one for 7683 because it was unacceptable that we didn't see any fallout to David's actions regarding Hamish. As always, if anyone has any ideas for one-shots, then please let me know. In the meantime, reviews are always welcome!