Another Aaron and Robert one shot from me, set directly after Tues 5th April's episode (which was so good!)
Robert sat at the bar, never feeling less interested in his pint than he did right now. He'd taken one sip and felt like pouring the rest down the drain. The police had been around that afternoon, saying Gordon had accused someone of bribing a witness statement against him. Robert wanted to admit it, but Chas had stopped him. Right now he was doubting that was the right choice.
"I can't do this any more," he said to himself. He turned and left the pub, walking to his car. He'd not drunk nearly enough to be over the limit and he'd never felt more sober than he could ever remember being.
"Robert, wait." He turned around, keys in his hand before he'd really registered that the voice belonged to Aaron. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to the police station," he said. "I'm going to tell them the truth. I'll keep you out of it. This was my mistake, and it's my fault so I'll take the blame. I'm not going to do anything that'll make this worse."
"No, you can't," Aaron said. "If you admit it, that's perverting the course of justice? You'll go to prison."
"Yeah, I probably will," Robert said with a shrug. "But… Aaron, do you think I care about that?" Robert said quietly, unable to stop looking at him, drinking him in. "If it gets you justice, it'll be worth it. A thousand times over."
"No, it wouldn't," Aaron said, shaking his head. "Look, I've been to prison, it isn't fun."
"Yeah, thanks for that," Robert said sarcastically. "You think that'll change my mind?"
"You can't just… chuck your life away. And you've no idea if it'll help the case anyway." Robert took a deep breath and turned away, with an internal struggle because he didn't want to stop looking at Aaron, not ever. But even so, he turned away from him, unlocking his car and opening the door.
"Stop it," Aaron said to Robert's back. "It really, really isn't worth it."
"Of course it is," Robert said. "Of course you are." Aaron wondered whether he'd have said that last sentence had he been actually looking at him. He didn't have the chance to reply when Robert turned to face him. "I was trying to help. At the time, I really was trying to help. I need you to believe that."
"I know," Aaron said. "It was your stupid way of showing you cared." Robert nodded, and got in the car. "Don't do this. Just sleep on it first." Aaron held the door of the car so Robert couldn't close it and leave. He wouldn't look at Aaron, instead staring out of the windscreen. He had to go to the police station or he'd lose his nerve. And he really didn't want to lose his nerve because he knew this was the right thing to do. "Get out of the car, Robert."
After a moment, Robert turned to look at him. "Aaron, I have to try and fix this mess. If this… if my stupid mistake lets him walk free, I… I won't forgive myself, and…" Robert shook his head, but kept looking at Aaron, wondering how long he'd be able to remember the exact shape of his face when he was locked up in prison. "and I couldn't expect you to forgive me either. I have to do this, and admit it. Let go," he added when Aaron showed no sign of moving away from the car door.
"Robert, if Gordon gets off, he gets off. He could walk free anyway, and then what've you done this for? I can't let this… I can't let him take you away from me as well. He's taken enough from me."
Robert froze, and for a moment he was sure he'd stopped breathing. From the look of Aaron, he had too. Robert managed to get his head together for long enough to ask, "Are you saying… is there hope? For us? Even after everything?"
"Of course there is," Aaron said, not even bothering to be subtle about it. "I meant it when I said I couldn't have got through this without you. I would never have been able to face it if… Don't do this. Please." It seemed as if neither of them were breathing, just staring at each other in the quiet silence of the night. Robert got out of the car, closed the door and stood staring at Aaron.
"If it comes to it, if we need it, I'll come clean," Robert said.
"Don't," Aaron said, shaking his head. "You don't have to do this for me. No good can come of this." Robert sighed and looked down. He wanted to help Aaron, and this felt like the only way he had to do it.
"Aaron…" The rest of the sentence died, as his voice had come out much softer than he'd intended and the way Aaron looked at him stopped his heart. Robert knew that he had to be the one to make the first move, after rejecting a kiss from Aaron a few weeks ago. And he wanted to, he really did but taking advantage of Aaron wasn't what he wanted. It would change their relationship permanently. But then Aaron took half a step towards him and he could no longer help himself. Robert kissed him, deeply. It had been so long since they'd kissed, that they both couldn't stop. It felt so good, especially when Aaron's hands slid under his jacket, pulling their bodies together. Robert enjoyed it for a few seconds before he backed off, knowing that this was moving too fast, especially in the middle of the street. It didn't stop him wanting Aaron though, badly.
"We should…"
"Go back inside and finish your pint," Aaron said. "Yeah." Both men walked back to the pub, not saying a word.
