DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN EMMERDALE OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. THEY ARE THE PROPERTY OF ITV.
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EARLY-NOVEMBER
For those who requested it.
Aaron bit his bottom lip as he glanced at his phone again that jingled on the side. It had been the second time. The second call from Jackson.
Chas came in from the bar area, "Right, that's all the bottling up done...so...you'a...gonna be answering that?", she gestured her hand at the phone.
Aaron shot her a glare, " NO!"
Chas frowned at him and then got on with making her self a cuppa. Aaron snatched up the phone and dove upstairs to his room.
He closed the door and jumped back onto the bed. The phone jingled again. This time it was not a call but a text message. Pausing at first, Aaron looked at it, then grabbed it and took a gander at the screen.
1 message...from...Jackson.
For fuck sakes, what did HE want? Why was he pestering him. Clicking his tongue, he did think about not reading it and deleting it, but only for a split second. He scrolled across with his thumb and opened the message.
Can we meet?
Aaron screwed his face up. WTF? WHY did HE want to meet for? For a chat? For no strings sex? For a KFC?
Deep down, he felt bad about Jackson. Still. There was him leading the bloke on, making him think that he knew his own mind, and that he was ready to commit himself to one bloke. But he was wrong. He wasn't ready, and he hurt Jackson big time in the process.
So, feeling bad...he decided to text back, and meet him.
XXX
"so why are you meeting him for?"
Stu sat there on the unmade bed surrounded by his coursework books and notes.
Jackson went over and kissed him on the mouth, "Me and him need a chat...we haven't really had much to say to eachother since that disaster of ours in Spain...so...now it's time"
Stu screwed his face up, "he seems okay to me...everybody knows how HE likes to put it about abit"
Jackson pulled on his works hoodie and raised his eyebrowes, "yeah THAT'S the problem! He needs telling, he's getting a bad reputation"
Stu smirked, "Oh come on! Everybody KNOWS he's known as 'easyrider Aaron'"
Jackson tilted his head at him, "Yeah...but nobody deserves to be the butt of everybody's jokes, do they"
Stu sighed out, " I suppose not...see you later...", he followed the builder to the door.
Jackson smiled and they kissed again on the doorstep, "Will look forward to it...", he teased. Stu stopped him before he left the flat, "Hey...maybe we can talk later about you moving in..."
Jackson was agape, "Errrrrrrrr...yeah...about that, erm...I think it's abit too soon, mate", Stu backed off, "Oh, right...well...look, forget it", he laughed it off with a wave of the hand, "...just me rushing things...you take us much time as you need to"
Jackson shook his head, gave him a farewell wink and a smile, and was gone.
XXX
Nick had brought in his car earlier. Aaron hadn't said two words to him, it looked like he had something on his mind.
It was lunch time when Nick returned to the garage. Aaron had finished with the car and it was ready and waiting on the forecourt.
Aaron came forward. He waved some paperwork out in front of him, " All done...there's NOWT wrong with it, but I'm charging you for a full service...anyways, that way It'll teach you to not to go wasting peoples time"
Nick scratched his head, "Yeah...it was sort of a way of talking to yah..."
Aaron shrugged, not bothered, "Well...it's YOUR loss"
Nick took the keys off him, but before he jumped back into the motor, he looked over the car roof towards the machanic, "Hey Aaron...everything alright?"
"Yeah" shot Aaron, his face bordering a death glare, " Why would it NOT be!"
"Just earlier...it looked like you had stuff on your mind...you know, when I stopped by earlier to drop the car in..."
Aaron huffed, "Oh for gods sake! It's Jackson...he wants to meet so I'm meeting him...end of...now you can go...ARE YOU ALWAYS THIS NOSEY!"
Nick stretched his arm across the roof of the car, "I'm just trying to be a mate...that's all...so where are you meeting him then? You know, with you not 'doing' places like Bar West no more"
Aaron stuck his hand in his overalls. He looked troubled. And was silent. And didn't say nothing in response to Nick.
Giving up, Nick sighed and jumped into the car, Aaron looked up and watched his mate drive off.
Aaron bit into his lip and wanted to kick himself.
WHY WAS HE BEING SUCH A PRATT TO EVERYBODY!
XX
The Shopping Mall in Hotten was busy as Stu and Nathan walked through towards Topshop.
"So...you are okay with this then...", said Nathan as he looked around for a nice new shirt. Stu shrugged at him, " Course I am okay with it, Jackson just needs to tell Aaron a few home truths that all...you know with all he's been getting up to"
Nathan gave him a filthy look, " Riddled..."
Stu smirked, "But I'm sure Jackson will make him see sense"
Nathan flicked through some shirts and rolled his eyes, "Who cares if he doesn't, that little slut of a thug deserves all he gets..."
Like YOU should know, thought Stu, but didn't dare say it for the risk of causing a scene. Nathan clicked his tongue, one eye on Stu, "So...where are they meeting up...Bar West is it?"
Stu strugged. He hated the idea Nathan thinking he was out of control of the situ.
Nathan laughed, " Ohhhhh, I see...HE hasn't said owt to you...so, it's quite possible that he's probably sucking Jackson's cock off as we speak"
Nathan moved across to the opposite aisle. Stu shook his head at him, " Take that back! He's not...it's not like that with him"
Nathan sighed theractrically, " Ohhh, I'm messing with you...he's probably not...", then was a pause, "...yet"
Stu grimaced. Nathan could be such a bitchy queen at times. But was there something in it? Jackson didn't want to move in...WAS IT because of Aaron?
Nathan glanced over his shoulder as he flicked through some skinny jeans, he could see Stu was quite rattled and feeling paranoid. He smirked to himself and carried on with the spree.
XXX
Aaron stood at the bar. Everytime the doors to the Woolie opened, he thought it would be HIM. HE was late.
Outside, Jackson parked up the van and hurried inside. It was just as Aaron downed his pint to leave.
Jackson came bundling in and patted his back, " Sorry about that! My job over ran mate..."
Aaron shrugged, "Too bad...I've gotta get back to work"
Jackson screwed his face up, "You're joking aren't yah? All I want is 10 minutes of your time"
Aaron pulled a face and pointed at his watch, " You did...and you failed to show...end of"
Jackson stopped him by placing his hand onto Aaron's stomach. "GET YOUR HAND OFF ME" he hissed.
Jackson leaned in, "Or what? You'll hit me again? Like you did in Spain?"
Aaron took in a couple of deep breathes and sat down on a stall. Jackson smiled, "That's better...pint, is it?"
"I've had one"
"Well I haven't, so you won't mind if I get one in, will you"
After getting his pint in, Jackson sat down. Aaron sat in silence. Jackson took a sup and looked around him, then at Aaron, " So...it's back to being around here is it? Back to the sad little life you so wanted to get away from..."
Aaron felt like belting him, "What's IT to you?"
"Just saying...your little mate came to see me...told me a few things...had the nerve to tick me off infact...PITY he doesn't know ALL the facts, a?"
Aaron swallowed.
"Look...you...putting yourself about...it has to stop"
Aaron snapped his eyes up to meet Jackson's, " You what? And that's coming from you? "
Jackson looked puzzled, "I'm not putting myself about...infact I've got meself a nice little lad to keep me satisfied and out of my mothers hair...it's YOU who seems to be running out of blokes to shag at Bar West...", he quibbed.
Aaron shot him a glare, " I'm NOT! It's no where near that"
"Then you KNOW you have a rep then? Break it now Aaron, or you'll be stuck with it, I'm sure your Nick has said the same"
Aaron looked at the floor. Jackson sniffed back and downed his pint, " You know what? Stuff this...I don't even know WHY I come"
Aaron looked up to see Jackson ready to leave, he stood up, " Jackson wait...please"
Jackson narrowed his eyes, " Why? What is there left to say...I came here to talk some sense into yah, but now I wish I never bothered"
"Look...I'm sorry okay...I'm sorry about Spain and that..."
Jackson swallowed and his eyes looked to the floor. Aaron felt choked up, "...I wasn't ready for it...ANY of it...not really, not deep down..."
Jackson swallowed.
"...it was all too fast...I felt, trapped I suppose...and I know that's NOT an excuse for what i did...but..."
Jackson finally looked up and saw that Aaron was looking clearly upset, the machanic wiped his eyes with his hand, and was getting conscious of folk staring at him.
"Look...come on, I'll take you out for a bite to eat...my shout...see if we can sort this all out and be friends yeah?"
Aaron looked at Jackson, then nodded and followed out to the van. From behind the bar, Chas and Diane stood watching them leave, "What was that all about pet?" asked Diane, "I thought your Aaron wasn't seeing that fella no more?"
Chas stuck her tongue into he cheek and pouted in disapproval, "No...nor did I..."
XXX
Jackson drove them into Hotten and they decided on a burger king. That was Aaron's favourite. As they laughed and shared a joke together, Nathan happened to walk by ladened with shopping bags. He stopped to arrange the bags so they weren't so tight on his wrists, and when he did so, he looked into the window and saw them together.
Aaron and Jackson.
Nathan smirked and instantly backed out of site. Behind the corner Nathan dropped the shopping bags and was on his mobile, "Hey Stu...it's me...look, sorry about earlier...I was just being my catty self as per...look...why don't you come back into town and i'll treat you to a nice hamburger...fatty I know, but needs must...oh GO ON! You know you want to...excellent...well I'm actually here at the burger king on Level street...great, see you in five..."
Nathan licked his lips and smirked to himself.
Now, all he needed to do was sit back and watch the fireworks. Yes, Stu knew Jackson was meeting Aaron, but did he KNOW that it was a nice cosy meal for two. All chatty and jokey together.
It looked like they'd never been apart and Nathan thought back to his own jealousy.
Well, it was Stu's turn now...
XXXX