Since the beginning of January, I've got back into Emmerdale after quite some time not watching it. I'm really rooting for Aaron and Robert, so that's where this short piece has come from. Set sometime this week.

At the scrap yard, Aaron was leaning against a car, staring into space when he heard footsteps approaching. He turned and saw Robert's familiar shape approaching. He closed his eyes for a moment because he really wasn't in the mood for an argument. Not today.

"What do you want?" Aaron asked.

"Good morning to you to," Robert said. "Do I have to want anything?"

"No, but you usually do."

"I want to talk," Robert said.

"I'm busy."

"Five minutes."

Aaron paused. Even now he couldn't resist the pull of Robert. And he really should, because no good came from being close to him. "What is it then?"

Robert moved quicker than he could see, and kissed him, hands grasping his jacket. "What do you think you're doing?!" Aaron asked, backing away. He hadn't expected him to do that, not after everything that had happened lately.

"I wanted to," Robert said. "I still want to."

"No," Aaron said, shaking him off. "Not after everything. We can't happen."

"I'm in love with you," Robert said. "I can't help it. I just am."

Aaron looked away from him, closing his eyes. He still wanted to hear Robert say that. Always did, but after everything that had happened… he didn't want Robert to ever look on him like he was feeling sorry for him.

"I can't do this," Aaron said. "No. Because everything that I told you about… my dad… you'll remember it when you look at me. And I'll see it all over your face. I can't have that reminder. So go. You've had five minutes."

"Aaron, that's not fair," he said, not moving an inch.

"Go," Aaron repeated. He could feel the tears brimming again and he didn't want to cry in front of Robert. He'd done enough of that for a lifetime.

"I can't leave you." Robert closed the gap between them until they were only a foot apart from each other. The look in Robert's eyes was his undoing. He looked honest and in that moment, Aaron believed he wasn't going to leave. He closed the gap and kissed Robert, the way he'd longed to for months now.

It was so wonderfully familiar. The touch of his skin, the taste of him.

"We shouldn't do this," Aaron said, almost whispering against him.

"It's not stopped us before." Aaron had to admit, he had a point.

"This was a mistake," Aaron said as he dressed quickly.

"What?!" Robert said in surprise.

"We can't work," Aaron said. "People's lives are ruined when we… How many more people are we going to destroy? No. I'm not ready."

"Will you ever be ready?" Robert asked.

"I don't know." Aaron became distracted as he looked at Roberts chest, focusing on the scar from the gunshot, and the surgery to save him.

"Turn off, is it?" Robert asked, seeing where his gaze was.

"No," Aaron said. "Did you really think I did that?"

"I entertained it for an hour or two," Robert said. "I hurt you after all." That made Aaron stop and look at him in surprise. To admit fault at all wasn't like him.

"I need to go." Aaron left within the next ten seconds, leaving Robert sighing, staring at the ceiling of the cabin.

Chas found Aaron sitting at the kitchen table, staring into space and he'd clearly been crying. "What's happened now?" Chas asked, wondering how much more could go wrong.

"Nothing."

"Well, you can either tell me now, or I'll pull it out of you in a few weeks time," Chas said. She got up to close the door, leaving them alone before sitting at the table. "And I'm not going anywhere."

Aaron sniffed and shook his head. "It's not important."

"Well after the last year, I think…"

"I slept with him," Aaron said, interrupting. "Happy now?"

"Oh God, Aaron, why?!" Chas said.

"Because apparently, I never learn."

Chas took hold of his hand for a moment. "I know he's been there for you lately, and he's been supportive, but he's a bad guy."

"I know," he said. "And I wish that fact could change the way I feel about him. It doesn't." In fact, for the last few hours, the only thing that had been running through his mind had been Robert. Which was vastly preferable to the mental images he had been having over the last month or two. Ever since he'd voiced what his father had done to him, it'd been like a shadow he couldn't escape. Always at the back of his mind, but not right now. "I should call him," Aaron said.

"Aaron…" she said, almost pleadingly.

"Mum, I know you don't get it, but I have to." Chas closed her eyes as he left and she wondered if she should have a conversation with Robert too.

More to come if anyones interested?