Another one shot for Aaron and Robert. Set just before Gordon's final verdict.
Aaron got up from the sofa and shrugged. "I'm going to bed." He looked at Robert pointedly for a moment before going up the stairs. Robert moved to follow him.
"Oh, I don't think so," Chas said, shaking her head. Robert sighed.
"I'm staying here whether you like it or not," Robert said firmly but quietly.
"Over my dead body," Chas said, glaring at him.
"What exactly do you think I'm going to do? Poison him?" he said, shaking his head.
"You know exactly what I think is going to happen," she said darkly.
Robert sighed heavily. "I know we don't get on but… Do you really think so little of me?" He closed the door to the back room, making sure that no one would overhear them. "I'm not going to sleep with him. Not that it's any of your business by the way, but do you really think I'd use him like that?"
Chas sighed heavily and bit her lip, feeling like there was little she could say to that. "I'm here because Aaron doesn't want to be alone tonight. I can't say I blame him. He asked me to be here. So I don't care what you say. I'm not going anywhere."
"Robert, he's not ready for you. Whatever… you and him are, he can't handle it. Not now."
"Oh, for God's sake," he said under his breath. "I'm not here because… look, he called me. I'm not going to use him or hurt him. Aaron just needs to not be alone."
Chas didn't look happy but she seemed to have run out of words. "See you in the morning," Robert said, going upstairs. When he went into Aaron's bedroom, he found him laying on the bed staring at the ceiling.
"How are you?" he asked.
"Fine."
"Okay, try it again without lying to me," Robert said, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Exhausted," he said, sighing. "Dreading tomorrow."
"It will be all right," Robert said. "Whatever happens."
"You can go if you want," Aaron said, still not looking at him. "Sorry, I didn't think it through when I said… that I didn't want to be alone. Mum…"
"I can deal with Chas," Robert said easily. "I get it," he added softly. "I wouldn't want to be alone either." Aaron sat up and looked in Robert's eyes.
"I don't know if I can handle it," Aaron said slowly. "If they come back with a not guilty verdict. I… I think I might fall apart again."
"You won't," Robert said with a confidence.
"Why do you have so much faith in me?" Aaron asked.
"Cause I know you," Robert said, that small half smile of his. They fell into a silence, neither of them sure what to say. Eventually Aaron broke the quiet.
"Did you mean it?" he asked.
"Mean what?" Robert asked, not following the conversation change.
"When…" Aaron swallowed past the lump in his throat. "A while ago. When I first told you about Gordon, you said… you said you still loved me. Did you mean it or were you just trying to get me to talk?"
"Both," Robert said honestly, shaking his head. He didn't like remembering the state Aaron had got himself in back then. "You were killing yourself, I had to get you talking somehow. There was no way I was leaving you alone until you'd told me the truth. But… I did mean it." Robert reached for his hand, very gently because he didn't want to push it. Aaron took it, but said nothing. He squeezed his fingers for a moment then let go.
"I…"
"Don't," Robert said suddenly, knowing where it was going. "I don't need to hear it." He surprised himself by how true that was. And he certainly didn't want to push him, especially with the pressure he was under with the trial ending tomorrow.
"I wouldn't have told you," Aaron said finally. "If I hadn't been so ill. I was half delusional. Sometimes I wish I hadn't."
"You don't mean that," Robert said with conviction, eyes wide.
"No," Aaron said after a long pause. "I guess I don't."
"I wouldn't go back," he said. "To not knowing about what you had to go through. What you had to live through."
"I can't talk about it any more," Aaron said, shaking his head. " I just… Oh God."
"Can you sleep?" Robert asked quietly.
"I have no idea," he said. "I doubt it."
"Try."
Robert awoke, only a pale dawn light coming in from the window. It was still early then. Apart from his shoes and jacket he was still fully dressed and he ached from a poor nights sleep. He'd tried to stay awake, watching to make sure Aaron had slept. He had one arm across Aaron, comforting him and he couldn't remember when he'd wrapped his arm around him.
Aaron frowned in his sleep, and started muttering under his breath, no words Robert could catch.
"It's okay," Robert soothed quietly, tightening his arm around him. "You're safe. It's okay." His mumbling continued for a bit than died away. Very carefully Robert took his arm off of him and got up, careful not to disturb him in any way. Aaron needed all the sleep he could get, especially today. He went downstairs and found Chas in the kitchen drinking coffee.
"You look like hell," she said, looking at him.
"Thanks. I can't remember having a worse nights sleep," he said honestly. Every muscle in his body ached.
"Imagine how Aaron's feeling right now," Chas said. "How is he?"
"Asleep," Robert said with some satisfaction.
Chas looked at him, as if daring him to lie. "I didn't expect him to sleep at all," she said.
"You weren't the only one." She looked as if that wasn't good enough, so he continued. "He woke at two in the morning for about an hour. Managed to drift back off. And that is the absolute last time I discuss Aaron and mines sleeping arrangements, all right?"
"Fair enough." Robert sat opposite her and Chas poured him a mug of coffee and slid it across the table to him. Robert took the olive branch, closing his eyes as he took a sip. He was so tired but hadn't been able to sleep. He was dreading this today, so God knows how Aaron would feel when he woke up.
"When've we got to move?" Robert asked, fighting back a yawn.
"Court at nine," Chas said. "Leave here at eight?"
Robert looked at the clock. Quarter to seven now. "I'll wake him up in a bit. Give him half an hour more." Chas nodded, thinking he would need all the sleep he could get.
"Hey, come on," Robert said, shaking Aaron gently. "Wake up."
"No," he said sullenly.
"You have to get moving."
"No," he repeated. But he sat up anyway, groaning. "Thanks for last night," he said quietly. "I needed someone."
"Good," Robert said. "I'm glad you could call me."
"God, I don't want to go today," Aaron said, shaking his head. "How am I going to sit there, waiting for them to what? Let him off?"
"Look at it from the other side," Robert said. "Would you really want to miss them saying guilty and carting his lying carcass off to prison?"
Aaron smiled slightly. "I guess not." He sighed heavily. "You think it'll go that way?"
"I don't know," Robert said. "I hope so." Aaron paused, then leant in towards him. They kissed, only the briefest touch, but it was enough, before Robert turned away.
"I don't think that's the best idea," he said. "Not today."
"Oh, come on," Aaron said. Robert looked at him and they both knew the truth was that they both wanted the other. In spite of the importance of the day, in spite of the past between them. "Robert…" They kissed, deeply and Aaron sighed against him. It felt so good to be wanted again, he needed that today.
"I'm going to have a shower," Aaron said, getting out of bed. Robert sighed, watching him go. Whatever happened, he'd be there for Aaron today.