"Morning, sleepy head," Robert whispers into Aaron's ear as he runs his hands through Aaron's loose curls as they fall uncontrollably over his forehead.
"Mmm," Aaron moans, "Morning." He leans up to capture Robert in a slow sloppy kiss.
"What time is it?" Aaron stretches his long arms above his head. Robert momentarily sidetracked by the sliver of skin shown at the base of Aaron's shirt. He licks his lips, hungry to taste that bare skin, then comes back to reality when he sees a waiting Aaron, looking amused.
"7:30," he whispers out and licks his lips, readying himself for another kiss.
"Coffee," Aaron say, just as Robert's lips were about to make contact with his. Aaron smirks and starts to sit up, but is caught by a sly Robert, who pulls him back down onto the mattress.
Aaron giggles as Robert rolls over on top of him, peppering his face with kisses and nuzzles. "Liv will be up any minute now," Aaron says, trying to push Robert off of him. He laughs at Robert's antics and pushes him a final time.
Robert gives in and huffs while he rolls off of the other man. He lays on his back, trying to get himself under control. He's focusing on his breathing when he retorts sarcastically, "Merry Christmas to me." This causes Aaron to laugh uncontrollably at the other man, and chokes out between fits of laughter, "Let's go have coffee love."
Robert sighs, "Coffee, right." He rolls off of his side of the bed and pulls up his red plaid Christmas pajama bottoms and pads out of the room, down the stairwell, and into the kitchen. Aaron content with the domesticity of the moment, walks up behind of Robert and wraps his arms around his waist. He leans his chin on Robert's shoulder and pulls him tight to his body. "Merry Christmas, Rob." He whispers into Robert's ear.
Robert leans back into the embrace and closes his eyes, reveling in the feel and smell of Aaron. "Merry Christmas, Aaron." He reaches his left hand back and captures Aaron's head to pull him into a slow romantic kiss. Robert humming into Aaron's mouth, drinking in the familiar scent of Aaron.
They break away and start the task of making coffee. Aaron dealing with the coffee maker and Aaron grabbing the mugs and adding their sugar to the bottom. Once the coffee has finished brewing, the duo sit in contented silence, enjoying the warm liquid and the familiar person's body next to theirs.
"I thought Liv would be up by now," Aaron says as the clock strikes 8:00.
On cue, he hears the familiar foot steps as Liv comes dragging into the kitchen, her grey dressing robe left untied as she sits down in the chair. She lays her head onto the kitchen table and groans loudly, clearly annoyed with having to get up so early.
This causes the men to laugh as Aaron sits a cup of coffee in front of her. "Never too early to have a cuppa," Aaron jokes. Liv lifts her head up, just enough to cock her eyebrow at her annoying brother, then lays it back down on the table and lets out a groan. Aaron snickers and nudges the cup closer to her.
"Looks like morning people run in the Dingle family," Robert quips, earning a mock slap from Aaron.
Robert and Aaron spend the next few moments tickling and mock slapping each other, playing around, while Liv rolls her eyes at her brother's antics. Finally, she decides to drink the cup while trying to figure out who she wants to silently strangle first. She looks from Aaron, who has a giddy smile on his face, to Robert, who looks like a teenager in love, and mentally gags at them. "Get a room." She quips and leaves the table to get ready for the rest of the family.
Once everyone was caffeinated, the small family moves to the pub where the rest of the Dingle family is waiting for them to join in the festivities. Robert wraps his arm around Aaron's shoulder and smiles to himself. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he belonged with a family. He felt wanted and loved and that was something he wasn't used to feeling. He panics slightly when he remembers that he's only in a tee and pajama bottoms, but relaxes when he sees pretty much everyone else in the same state of undress he's in. He takes in the scene and smiles, again, to himself.
Aaron cocks his head to the side, after catching a glimpse of Robert smiling, and smiles back up at him."How are you doing?" He asks wrapping his arm around Robert's waist. "Perfect," he answers.
Aaron leans his head onto Robert's shoulder and whispers, "I'm glad." Aaron places a soft kiss at the base of Robert's jawline and then heads to the bar for another cup of coffee.
Chas, with her liveliness, starts to hand out Christmas gifts and Robert's genuinely surprised when he receives one from her. She smiles, "You're a Dingle now," and continues her task of handing out the Dingle gifts.
Robert smiles excitedly and opens the large box that Chas handed him, only to be handed a second box from Cain. He takes a deep breath and looks to the older man, who holds up a bottle of beer and takes another sip. Robert looks to Aaron, as if asking what he should do, but only receives a shrug in response.
Robert opens, what turns out to be 16 gifts, from various Dingles and has a momentary sense of panic when he realizes that he hasn't any gifts to give in return. Aaron notices and whispers, "It's ok, I remembered for us," and nods as each person is opening their respected gifts. "Sorry," he whispers out. Aaron places his hand on Robert's knee and gives it a slight squeeze, "I got it."
Robert deems the "Ugly Christmas sweater" from Chas his favorite gift, even though it was given in jest. He slips it on over his t-shirt and walks around the pub, mingling with the Dingles, happy with his new found family.
Vic and Adam come bounding in and hands out their own pile of presents for each person and stops in front of Robert. Vic smiles and gives him a warm hug and a peck to his cheek. When she pulls back, she hands him a small box and says a cheerful, "Merry Christmas Rob." Robert smiles and nods to Aaron, who's handing her a HUGE box for her and Adam to open. "Merry Christmas," Robert says back.
"Happy Xmas (So this is Christmas)," comes on the radio and Aaron grabs Robert for a short dance. Robert comfortably slides into Aaron's embrace and pulls him closer as the two forget they're in public. For that moment in time, Aaron and Robert exist and the whole world revolves around them. Robert slowly leans his head back to rest his forehead on Aaron's and whispers, "So, this is what Christmas is all about?" Aaron smiles and nods.
"Are you happy?" Robert starts, "I mean, here, with me?"
Aaron leans up and catches Robert in a slow kiss. He breaks and whispers against Robert's lips, "I love you."
Small tears threaten to spring to Robert's eyes as he's finally heard the 3 words he's longed to hear.
Robert closes the space between their lips and gives Aaron another sensual kiss. His hands come up to cup Aaron's face as he pulls the other man closer into the kiss.
"I love you too," Robert answers and the 2 pull apart when they hear Chas clear her throat behind of them.
"Merry Christmas love," Chas says as she hugs Aaron and then pulls Robert into a group hug.
"Merry Christmas, mum." Aaron smiles and looks to Robert, who's awkwardly trying to pull away from his mum. Life was good.