Barcelona Birthday Boy

-O-

DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV

-O-

Aaron and Robert sat on a terrace in a nice bar in Barcelona, sipping on their beers.

Aaron held his glass up and Robert clinked it with his own, "Cheers!" he was smiling all over his face. He was so pleased that Chas had agreed to look after Liv for a couple of days, leaving Aaron free to come away with him. Chas knew how important it was for them to spend some time alone.

"Cheers!" Aaron replied. He looked so relaxed and Robert knew that the break was exactly the thing he needed at that point. His boyfriend could do with a bit of respite after the court case and the responsibility of looking after his sister.

Robert smiled lovingly at his boyfriend, "For our evening meal, we'll have to eat at that restaurant we saw earlier when we were out walking: looks like they serve up nice Catalan food."

"I didn't come here to eat cat food!" Aaron chuckled.

"Not cat food, you idiot," Robert had an exasperated look on his face, but it was only in jest, "Catalan food, it's a local speciality."

"Oh!" Aaron replied. He did not have a clue about the local cuisine, but he felt sure that Robert would be an expert, so he put his trust in him. "Mind you, we can do anything you want as it's your birthday."

Robert smirked, "It might as well be cat food, the way you eat. It's a wonder you didn't stick your tongue in the bowl to lap up the milk at breakfast the other morning."

"Sarky git!" Aaron grimaced in his usual way, "I thought we'd put that subject to bed. You're not the first one to comment on my eating habits."

"Oh," Robert was intrigued, "tell me more."

Aaron thought back to his first boyfriend, "I remember being in the cafe once, before it was rebuilt after the fire. Jackson saw me eating and I got egg down the front of my overalls. He said it wasn't very attractive."

"I bet he did!" Robert laughed.

"I'm surprised I ever managed to get a boyfriend when nobody likes to watch me eat."

"I wouldn't say that," Robert smiled at Aaron fondly, "it's nice to see you looking after yourself. If I see you enjoying your food, then that makes me happy."

Aaron smiled. He could see that Robert could not find fault with him. Possibly one of the first people that he had ever met who gave him unconditional support, "Well, we'd better get back to the hotel room and get changed for dinner."

"Yeah," Robert rose from his chair and Aaron was already standing. It always struck Robert that Aaron seemed to move with an effortless grace. He loved the bones of him.

Back in the hotel room, Robert phoned down to order breakfast in their room for the next morning. He told the person on the other end of the line to hold on for a moment and spoke to Aaron, "Are croissants okay for you?"

Aaron looked perplexed, "Croissants?" he queried.

"Yeah, bread rolls: they're made locally."

"Yeah, whatever!" Aaron replied.

Robert completed his order and they made their preparations to go out. Aaron was looking in the mirror and had just pulled on a shirt and was about to fasten it when Robert came up behind him. The older man ran his hands round Aaron's fit body and they came to rest on Aaron's well-developed pecs. He nibbled Aaron's ear as he gently squeezed the firm nipples, making Aaron gasp with pleasure. Aaron's face became flushed as the excitement mounted and he turned his head to kiss Robert. He moved around in Robert's arms until they were front to front and face to face. They kissed passionately and Aaron's shirt, which he hadn't even put on properly, was deftly removed by his boyfriend. Robert, dressed only in a bathrobe, shucked the garment away from his body and they fell onto the bed together.

"I thought you wanted to go out for dinner," Aaron said as they broke the kiss.

"Always thinking of your stomach you!" Robert teased.

"Not always," Aaron resigned himself to the fact that dinner would be a little delayed, "Oh well, the cat food can wait!"

Robert chuckled. He pulled Aaron on top of him and kissed him fiercely. Their lips parted and Robert gazed up into Aaron's blue eyes, "I love you, Mr Dingle."

Aaron giggled at being called that, he was still getting used to changing his name from Livesy, "I love you too, Mr Sugden. Happy birthday, old man!"

"Oi!" Robert said with a chuckle in his voice, "I'm not exactly ready to draw a pension yet."

"Good," Aaron had a cheeky grin on his face that Robert adored, "that means you can splash out and keep me in the style I deserve."

Robert turned serious, "You deserve the world Aaron and I'm going to make sure that you get it."

Robert was prevented from saying anything further as Aaron's lips crashed into his again, taking his breath away.

xxxxxxxxxx

Later that evening, they finally made it to the restaurant and had a lovely meal together. Aaron could not believe that he was now able to enjoy such dates with his partner, not having to hide away or get the feeling that Robert would need to dash away to his wife. Now, they could take pleasure from these romantic meals with each other, both knowing that they were a proper couple: able to freely share such times without being secretive or in danger of having their special moments interrupted.

They had consumed a few drinks with their meal and staggered back to their hotel. As Aaron fumbled with the key to access their room, Robert stood with his arm draped across Aaron's broad shoulders, squeezing his lover's strong arm as he eventually managed to open the door. They fell inside together, giggling and holding onto each other, as much for support as for companionship.

"Aaron," Robert's speech was slightly slurred, "I love you to the moon and back, do you know that?"

"You're drunk!"

"No, I'm not!" Robert replied, indignantly, "I want to marry you!"

"Yeah," Aaron nodded to himself, "you're definitely pissed out of your brain."

"Come here!" Robert pulled Aaron to him and in the process they fell onto the bed together, laughing and clutching each other as if their lives depended on it.

"I will you know."

"You will what?"

"Marry you."

Robert suddenly sobered up considerably, "You will? Seriously?"

"Robert, I don't know why and I don't know how, but I am completely devoted to you and I can never break free. So, we might as well make it official...if you want to."

"If I want to?" Robert could not believe his ears, "Oh, Aaron, you've just made this the best birthday...ever!"

"We'll have to come back here on honeymoon," Aaron snuggled against Robert for love and support.

"Yeah, we'll have to. This place has suddenly become very special to us," Robert had a dreamy, far-away look in his eyes. "What do I call you now, Livesy, Dingle or Sugden?"

"All you need to call me is yours," Aaron kissed Robert at length.

Robert smiled: to have Aaron in his life was the most precious birthday gift that he had ever received. For the first time in his life, he was content and happy. He knew that Aaron would ensure that it stayed that way...forever.