Aaron sat in the back room of the pub, a small gift-wrapped box waiting to be opened on the table in front of him. He stared absent-mindedly at its cheery design, his eyes drawn to the flap of paper that had become unstuck on one end. Preoccupied with his thoughts, the voices in the room turned to white noise as he recalled his previous birthday.
Since he'd awoken that morning, he'd endeavoured to put on a brave face for the people around him but no matter how hard he tried, he feared that time of year and his birthday in particular would always evoke memories of Gordon having just come back into his life. Sitting in the exact same seat he'd occupied a year ago, he rubbed his arm unconsciously as he remembered the pull of the candles on his cake and how the physical pain of skin meeting flame had seemed like the easiest way to erase the memories in his head, at least for a little while.
"You're not going to open your present then?" Robert's enthusiastic voice suddenly broke through the darkness in his mind. Aaron had long ago determined he wouldn't let that disgusting excuse for a father dictate his life anymore and here he was letting him spoil what should have been a happy day for him once again.
Giving himself a mental shake, Aaron smiled at his boyfriend standing opposite the table before ripping open his present.
Chas stood to one side of Aaron, her morning mug of coffee cradled in her hands and a brilliant smile on her face as she anticipated her son's reaction to what she knew was in the box. Liv, meanwhile, was nestled on the couch in her favourite onesie, hoping that whatever Robert had given Aaron would put him in a good enough mood to let her have the day off school.
"What's this?" Aaron asked as he looked up, bemused. "You got me a key?"
"A house key," Robert clarified as he watched Aaron remove it from the box.
Not just any old key then, Aaron thought.
Liv sat up straighter, shifting uneasily on the couch as her gaze was drawn from her brother to his boyfriend, who she thought looked way too pleased with himself.
"You bought me a house?" Feeling a little overwhelmed, Aaron glanced at his mother as she nudged his side with her hip, still beaming. His fingers brushed over the cold metal as he tried to come to terms with the generous gift.
"Yeah." Robert swallowed, now feeling a little unsure of himself. "Well, us. I bought us a house."
"Wow." Aaron didn't really know what to say. While it was true that Robert practically lived at the pub now anyway, they'd never talked about getting their own place together and although Aaron knew he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with Robert, it was still a big deal.
"Is that okay?" Robert asked, wishing Aaron would just put him out of his misery.
Aaron finally looked up at Robert. "Yeah. Just… wow."
Chas put a reassuring hand on her son's shoulder. "Don't worry, love, he kept me informed of his plans. I made sure he didn't buy a mansion or summat."
Robert rushed to put Aaron's mind at rest. "It's here in the village. I knew you wouldn't wanna go too far from your mum and when Rakesh put Mill Cottage on the market, I thought it'd be perfect." Robert looked down at his feet, his voice quieter as he continued. "And dad lived there once, used to own it actually. I thought it'd be nice to have it in the family again."
Aaron knew that Robert's relationship with his father had been complicated to say the least but despite everything he'd loved the man. The fact that Robert wanted to own something that had once belonged to his dad and share it with Aaron meant a lot.
When Robert looked up for assurance, Aaron was staring at him, a soft smile on his face and Robert smiled back, reluctant to look away when the spell was broken as Liv unceremoniously climbed off the couch and headed towards the stairs door.
"Oi! Face-ache!" Robert called and Liv turned around with a look that, as usual, suggested she didn't have time for any of his bullshit. "Where are you going?"
Liv felt like her heart was breaking and she had to get out of there before she embarrassed herself. She understood why Aaron and Robert wouldn't want her now they had a place of their own but maybe she could bluster her way into staying at the pub; at least then she'd still be in their lives. "Gonna move my stuff into Aaron's room, aren't I? It still smells of Doug in mine and there's only so much floral wallpaper I can take."
She lifted her chin trying to fake an air of indifference, mentally daring Robert to call her out on it but Robert just grinned and Liv glared back as he dug into his pocket, faltering when he pulled something out and threw it to her. "You won't want this then."
Liv frowned at the key in her hand, then looked back at Robert. "What's this?"
"It's yours," he replied, once again looking way too pleased with himself, Liv thought.
"What, so I can visit whenever I want? Walk in on you two bumping uglies?" she scoffed. "No, thanks."
"No," Robert sighed, starting to feel like he was explaining something to a six-year-old. "There's more than one bedroom, Liv."
Liv stared at him, trying to read his face, looking for the slightest hint of a smirk that would betray the fact he was being cruel and winding her up and that he didn't really mean what he appeared to be suggesting.
"I thought you might want your own key," Robert said, "seeing as you'll be living with us."
Liv glanced briefly at Aaron, finding it hard to believe that they truly wanted her with them. Her mother had done her best but Liv had never been able to shake the feeling that she was unwanted. It didn't matter how much Aaron had tried to convince her otherwise over the past few months, Liv felt like she'd been holding her breath ever since she moved in, waiting for the day Aaron got fed up with her and sent her back to her mum. They had the perfect opportunity now to start a new life without her and she could barely believe they didn't want to take it. "You want me to move in with you and Aaron?"
"I figured out a long time ago that you and Aaron are a package deal," Robert admitted softly.
Liv looked down at the key in her hand, trying not to smile but failing. She turned on her heel and resumed her walk to the door.
"Where're you going now?" Aaron asked.
"I'm off to pack," she informed him.
Chas smiled as she watched Liv close the door behind her. "Ha!" she exclaimed, putting her empty mug in the sink, "Good luck!" and she squeezed Aaron's shoulder on her way out the room.
Aaron set the key on the table and stood up as Robert walked over and placed his hands loosely around Aaron's waist.
"Thanks," Aaron smiled, lifting his hands to lace his fingers behind Robert's neck.
"Don't speak too soon," Robert grinned. "You haven't seen inside it yet."
Aaron ducked his head, avoiding Robert's gaze. "Yeah, well, actually I have but I guess it's probably changed a bit since then."
"Yeah, your mum did mention something about that," Robert teased, bringing Aaron's attention back to him. "I believe a spray can was involved." Robert raised his eyebrows and Aaron's eyes lit up, a mischievous smile on his face the only response. "Hmmm," Robert mused and smiled, swaying Aaron slightly in his arms as they relaxed further into each other, simply enjoying their closeness.
"I didn't mean that though," Aaron said after a few moments. "I meant thanks for including Liv."
"It never once crossed my mind to leave her here," Robert told him without thinking, surprised to realise it was true.
Aaron nodded before continuing. "There's just one thing."
"What's that?" Robert asked.
"That package deal you mentioned," Aaron said. "You forgot someone."
Robert frowned in confusion while he thought about it. "You mean Chas?!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening. "Because I know we're getting along better now but a mother-in-law and a moody teenager-"
Aaron suddenly pulled Robert's head towards him and closed his eyes, pressing their lips together hard to shut him up. When he realised what was happening Robert's hands shifted to Aaron's back, pulling him closer and he returned the kiss and deepened it with just as much force.
Breaking apart, both of them panting slightly and Robert now suitably silenced, Aaron kept him close and rested their foreheads together.
"You, ya muppet," Aaron said fondly. "I meant you."