Aaron sat in his bedroom with Clyde dozing on top of his bed. His knuckles on his right hand were burning with pain as he continued to clench them. He'd stupidly lost his temper once more, continuously smashing his fist into the wall, wardrobe or anything that happened to come in his way as he flew round the room. He'd knocked over a few things in his little tornado of anger around the room. One of the things he'd knocked over was a picture frame from the wall. It wasn't nothing too expensive or fancy, just a standard glass covered print of the New York skyline. It was one of Jackson's things he'd brought with him when he moved in and there had been a space on the wall with an old hook still nailed into the wall, perfect for Jackson's picture. Not any more. The glass frame was shattered to pieces on the fall and the printed picture still laid a short distance from where it hung, on the floor. Pieces of glass were embedded into Aaron's burning knuckles. Another stupid move by him, he was too angry to notice what he was hitting out at.
"Aaron?" He heard Paddy call up the stairs, followed by the front door shutting behind him. "Aaron?"
Aaron didn't bother to answer. He hoped if he didn't the older man would get the idea that he didn't want to talk and leave him alone.
But he didn't. He could hear him walking upstairs and knock on his bedroom door. "Aaron, can I come in?"
Even if he said no, Paddy would still badger him. So from his place on the floor by his bed, Aaron flicked the bedroom door open enough for Paddy to stick his head through. Which he did, checking the cost was clear before walking all the way in.
"I heard about your little fall out." Paddy said breaking the silence.
"And." Aaron growled. He didn't want to talk about it. He knew he had screwed up again.
"And. . . I think you need to give Jackson space for a while, give time for each of you to think clearly." Paddy said sensibly. "Both of you have been through too much lately." Paddy added standing awkwardly by the door.
Aaron scoffed, like he didn't know.
"I heard about the drugs-."
"Don't start." Aaron warned. He'd been through it with Jackson. He wasn't going to with Paddy. He knew it would end sort of the same way.
"Aaron, you can't expect me to ignore it." Paddy reasoned.
Aaron fixed Paddy with a glare to show him he should just 'ignore it'.
"Fine then, but all I will say is; I will be very, very disappointed if you have involved yourself with drugs." Paddy quickly said before Aaron's glared intensified.
For the first time since stepping into Aaron's bedroom, Paddy took a look around the room. Surveying the damage that had been caused, a panel on the wardrobe had been split from sort of force and glass littered the floor on the left side of the room wear a picture had been broken. He noticed glints of blood amongst the glass and quickly swept his eyes over to Aaron.
"Aaron!" Paddy exclaimed crouching down to him and snatching his right hand in his.
"Ge'off." Aaron grumbled, trying to tug his hand out from the vet's grasp.
It was Paddy's turn to fix the other with glare as he didn't lessen his grip on the teen's hand, careful not to hurt him even more. He couldn't believe some of the stuff Aaron did sometimes.
"This is gonna need stitches." Paddy commented after awhile.
"No." Aaron said quickly. "It's fine." He tried to free his hand once more, but Paddy wasn't having any of it.
"Fine, but I'm cleaning it up." Paddy told him firmly, leaving no room for argument. "You'll have to come into the surgery; I'll be able to see the glass properly in there with the lighting."
Over in The Woolpack Jackson had began talking to Andy and Ryan about their spare bedroom going at their place. He was happy to hear they were willing to rent it out to him for a short while as soon as he wanted to move in. He thought it would be best if he wasn't in Aaron's hair all the time. They both needed time apart to think and clear their heads. There was too much going on, too much happening in their lives to really stop and think about where they were at. He really did care about Aaron, but right now he couldn't see them progressing any further if Aaron couldn't trust him. He wanted that more than anything.
". . .Great, I'll just go back to Smithy and collect a few things." Jackson said after explaining everything to the two guys.
"Yeah sure, mate. No problem." Ryan smiled at him as he took a sip from his pint. "We all know what Aaron get like at times but hopefully it won't be permanent. You really are the best thing to happen to him."
Jackson laughed. "I don't know about that."
"Trust me." Ryan assured him.
"Thanks." Jackson said. "I'll just nip back now then. It will take me a couple of hours to get things sorted."
"Yeah, no worries mate." Ryan said. "We'll either be there or in here. We'll sort of the rent and keys then."
"Thanks again." Jackson said before leaving The Woolpack and heading back to Smithy Cottage.
When Jackson let himself into Smithy Cottage he was surprised to find the place empty. He expected Paddy and Aaron to be at home. He wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or not. He took it as something to be thankful for, he didn't have the awkward situation of Aaron being there whilst he packed his things and moved them over to Andy and Ryan's. But inside he was disappointed that Aaron wasn't there, he wanted the reassurance that Aaron wanted him. He hoped that Aaron would be waiting for him, to try to change his mind. But he wasn't. He wasn't even upstairs when he went into their bedroom and began to pack. He did notice the broken glass on the floor and the split panel on the wardrobe another reminder of why they needed a break. Aaron's temper was something he needed to learn to control.
He jumped when he heard the bedroom door close behind him. He hadn't heard anybody come into Smithy Cottage so he didn't expect Aaron to be there behind him. The place had been empty when he got back. He didn't look to happy, not that he expected him to. He stared at anything but Jackson, keeping his focus to the floor. He noticed the bandaged hand most probably the result of lashing out on the bedroom furniture. Jackson couldn't help but pity him.
"You're packing." Aaron said more as a statement than anything else.
Jackson nodded his head as he continued to neatly place his clothes into a holdall.
"Is it because I didn't tell you about the drugs?" Aaron asked quietly.
Jackson didn't say anything. He didn't want to argue again.
"Jackson, answer me." The younger man pleaded.
"What do you want me to say?" Jackson said quietly.
"That this is all a dream." Aaron tried to smile, but it was forced. He wanted it to be a dream. He needed Jackson more than ever.
". . .I wish I could." Jackson sighed. "But we need this."
"No we don't!" Aaron exclaimed quickly.
Jackson shook his head again. "We do. We need space."
"You mean, you need space." Aaron corrected him.
"Aaron, don't. . ."
"No. I get that. You need space. You need time away from me. I understand." Aaron said unusually calmly.
"Not like that-." Jackson tried to correct before Aaron cut him off.
"Seriously Jackson, I understand." Aaron tried to smile again, still forced. He turned back towards the door.
"Where you going?" Jackson asked, he didn't like it that Aaron was being so . . .'okay' with everything. Surely he hadn't had that affect on him already with putting them on a break.
"Downstairs." Aaron said before he did.
Jackson was left alone for the time he spent packing a few things he would need while he spent a short while at Ryan and Andy's. He was unaware of what was really going on in Aaron's mind. He didn't know that the reason why Aaron had been so understanding of Jackson's need to put them on a break was because in a way he expected it. He should always expect it. Some way or another he was always left or given up on. He should of realized that he was all too much for Jackson. He didn't blame him. He would run a mile if he saw himself coming. He shouldn't have hoped that Jackson would stick by him through everything. It was too much for someone like him to go through with. Jackson was still young, he shouldn't have to be in such a serious relationship. Hell, he didn't think his first relationship would be that serious. But everything with Darrel had just speeded things up a little. He couldn't deny how much it hurt to know he'd been right all along, that Jackson would leave him sooner or later because he couldn't handle him.
"Right, that's me packed." Jackson called through to the kitchen from the bottom of the stairs, his suitcases at his feet.
Paddy stood from the kitchen table and went over to the young builder. "Are you sure you don't want a hand carrying those over?" Paddy offered once more.
"Yeah I'm sure Paddy. I've got my van." Jackson laughed but still thankful.
"I hope this won't be the last time seeing you here." Paddy told him sternly. He really didn't want to see the two boys break up. They were an odd couple but they worked.
Jackson shook his head. "I hope not as well Paddy, I really do." He told him. "It's down to Aaron now."
"That's what I'm afraid of." Paddy sighed tiredly.
Jackson laughed at the older man before picking up his suitcases and heading out the door. "I best be going. Ryan and Andy are expecting me soon."
"Alright then, see you around." Paddy said as he watched Jackson load his van up. He was on his own now when it came to Aaron.
A/N- hope you guys enjoyed this. Thank you for all the kind feedback I've been receiving. This is turning out to be an awfully long fanfic but I hope you are enjoying it and it's not becoming that tedious. I just keep thinking of more things that could crop up in Jackson's and Aaron's path.