Acceptance

-O-

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

-O-

Robert stirred and felt the weight on top of him. Aaron had fallen asleep in his arms, still clothed. He felt Aaron's heart beating against his own chest and it gave him a warm glow inside. He was holding his boy close and realised now that it was all he ever wanted: to hold him, to kiss him, to protect him.

Robert extracted an arm from underneath Aaron and his lover snorted and wriggled slightly, disturbed by the movement. Robert shook his hand to get rid of the pins and needles and then used it to stroke Aaron's dark hair. Aaron snuffled again and finally woke up and gradually realised where he was and that he was lying on top of his boyfriend.

"I must have dozed off," Aaron yawned and stated the obvious, "why didn't you push me off you?"

"I like cuddling you," Robert replied, "and I didn't want to disturb you. You needed to sleep, you were all cried out and I decided to let you rest. You were exhausted."

Aaron thought back to the previous evening. He had been so relieved that his abusive father had been found guilty of his crimes, but he had hardly stopped crying since the verdict. It was as though he had been holding all his emotions inside in the run up to the trial and they had suddenly burst out, like a dam being breached and giving way. At one time, bottling up his feelings like this would have led to him cutting himself to pieces. But, he did not need to do that anymore. If he needed to let off steam and to let his emotions out, then Robert was there to let him vent his frustration. Robert Sugden had become his confidant and his rock without him even realising it. He had stood by him through the trial and proved himself worthy of boyfriend status.

Robert continued to stroke Aaron's hair, "Are you feeling better now, babe?"

Aaron looked at Robert. He had so much concern in his eyes and he knew that Robert would now be his saviour. He had proved his love and devotion and Aaron would trust him from now on. Aaron did not give his trust easily but, once he did, there was no-one on Earth more loyal or faithful. Robert realised that and it gave him absolute joy that Aaron was willing to give him his love.

"I suppose we'd better put in an appearance downstairs," Aaron said as he climbed off of Robert and got into a standing position.

"Will Chas be there?" Robert was concerned that Aaron's mother would realise that they had spent the night together in Aaron's room. He had visions of a nightmare mother-in-law in an apron and curlers, waiting behind the door with a rolling pin in her hand! He smirked at the image in his head.

"What?" Aaron noticed Robert's expression.

"Nothing!" Robert said defensively.

"You must have that look on your face for some reason."

"If you must know, I was thinking about the reaction I'll get from Chas when she knows I stayed in your room last night."

"She'll be okay. I know she doesn't like you much, but she knows better than to interfere in my love life. She realises that, if she does, she won't see me for dust...and she wouldn't risk that."

xxxxxxxxxx

When Aaron and Robert appeared in the back room of the Woolpack, they found that the room was empty, so they busied themselves with boiling the kettle and putting slices of bread in the toaster. While they were waiting for the bread to pop up, Robert stood behind Aaron in the kitchen area, slipping his arms around Aaron's waist and pressing himself against his back, giving him little feather-light kisses on the back of his neck. Aaron, at one time, would have protested and pulled away, but he was now willing to accept his lover's open displays of affection. Gone were the days of furtive meetings and lustful clinches. Now, Aaron was happy that Robert was willing to tell the world that they were now in a proper relationship.

Aaron turned around and Robert kissed him again, but on the lips this time. Aaron responded passionately and rubbed himself against his lover, their crotches ground together as they became aroused. Aaron could feel Robert's jean-clad bulge pushing against his own and both were growing larger with the excitement. But suddenly, they heard a hand turning the doorknob so they sprung apart quickly, just as Chas entered from the bar.

She looked at them preparing their breakfast and knew that Robert had stayed over, but she was not too concerned as she had realised how upset her son had been after the trip to court. She was just pleased that Aaron had some stability in his life, so she simply said, "Good morning," and smiled. She then left to go upstairs and Aaron and Robert, rather red-faced from nearly being caught, sat at the table to enjoy their breakfast together. They did not dare to continue their passionate encounter with the threat of Chas interrupting them again.

As they finished eating, Chas reappeared and Aaron said, "I haven't brushed my teeth yet." So saying, he left to go to the bathroom, leaving Chas alone with Robert.

Chas eyed him warily, "I take it you stayed in Aaron's room last night?"

"Nothing gets past you, does it?" Robert replied, although he hoped that his response did not sound too sarcastic.

"No, it doesn't," Chas looked Robert in the eye, "Look Robert. You know how I feel about you, but I'm willing to put up with you for Aaron's sake. I know he relies on you and, for some reason unknown to me, you make him happy. All I will say is, if you ever hurt him, you'll have me to answer to!"

Robert studied Chas' face carefully. She had the sternest of looks on her face and he knew she meant business, "Listen Chas, I know I have no right to expect you to believe me, but I love your son. He means the world to me and I would never hurt him...God knows, he's had enough hurt already to last ten lifetimes, let alone just one. I want him to be happy, that's all I'll ever want as long as I live. I will do everything in my power to see that he is happy from now on. You don't have to like me, but please know that you and I are alike in one respect: we both want what's best for our Aaron."

Chas was moved. She did not want Robert Sugden in her son's life after all the bad deeds that he had carried out in the past, but she could see how sincere Robert was about her son and it gave her confidence that he would not let him down.

"Alright," Chas capitulated, "because Aaron obviously needs you, I'll go along with it. But I'm watching you Robert! One false move and I warn you: you'll be over that threshold so fast your feet won't touch the ground!"

"I'll never let him down, Chas. He means the world to me...honestly...I'd die for him...he's everything."

Before Chas could utter another word, Aaron appeared again and looked at the two of them, "Well, this is an improvement! I've left you two alone for five minutes and you haven't killed each other!"

"We've come to an understanding," Chas looked at her son fondly, "I know what Robert means to you and I'm okay with it. If you want to share your room upstairs, then that's fine by me. I don't want to fight and anyway, I've got enough of a fight on my hands trying to get Charity to cough up the money to buy Diane out of the pub."

"Has she still not come up with the dosh?" Robert asked.

"No, she keeps on that she's got it, but is having cash flow problems!"

"There is one answer," Robert said.

"What's that?" Chas replied.

"Well," Robert knew that he might be shot down in flames, but he had a keen business brain and could see an opportunity and was not going to let it pass, "I could buy her out. It would help my stepmother and you at the same time."

Robert was surprised when Chas did not reject his offer out of hand, "I'll have to give Charity a deadline but, if she lets me down again, I'll consider your offer."

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Aaron was getting dressed up, ready to go out. Robert had invited him on a date. As Robert had rightly pointed out, in all the time that they had known each other, they had never dated properly. They had occasionally met up for clandestine meetings in hotels or not so glamorous trysts in less salubrious locations, but they had never really been on an actual date. Aaron had suggested Bar West, but Robert wanted them to go out for a nice meal in a restaurant to celebrate their reunion as a proper couple. Aaron was excited at the prospect. He was initially cautious about the fact that Robert had rejected Bar West, especially after their previous disastrous visit there when Robert was 'in the closet', but Robert assured him that he was fine with going to a gay bar now. In fact, he told Aaron that, the next night, Victoria and Adam wanted to take them to Bar West and he was absolutely fine with it. It was just that, for their first date, he wanted them to be on their own in a place where they could talk quietly.

When they arrived, Aaron liked the look of the restaurant that Robert had selected. The soft lights and relaxed atmosphere were just right for a romantic evening.

Robert looked across the table at Aaron. The lad was still hurting from the memories of his childhood abuse, but he was smiling at that moment and he had such a lovely smile. Robert remembered a remark of Victoria's: "Smitten kitten." He was indeed smitten with his Aaron and he would do anything on Earth to make him happy. No matter how long it took, he would somehow take the pain away and make Aaron believe that he would have a better life from that moment on. He wanted to see that gorgeous smile every day.

Aaron was looking back at Robert. He was so pleased that he could finally trust him and he knew that Robert was pulling out all the stops to prove himself. Aaron was touched that Robert was doing all this for his benefit and he was falling more deeply in love with him. For some reason unknown to him, he never had any other choice with Robert: he had to love him, no matter how Robert behaved, or misbehaved: he was the only one for him.

Robert adored the way Aaron's wonderful blue eyes sparkled in the candlelight. He knew how much pain those beautiful eyes had seen and he also knew that they had shed too many tears. He resolved to never do anything to make Aaron cry. He loved him too much to see him hurting and would actually take his pain for him if he could. With that thought, the realisation dawned that Aaron was his life now. His love for Aaron had crept up on him by surprise at first. He had thought that he had loved Chrissie, even to the point of marrying her. But it had all been a sham and he now knew that for a fact. He had indeed cared for her, but his main focus in those days was money. Chrissie had given his the opportunity to become part of a rich family and get his feet under the table in her father's company. But then, Aaron had destroyed his marriage and his prospects and yet, after all that, he could not stop loving him. He was actually grateful to Aaron as he had forced him to face the truth about himself. Because of Aaron, he was now happier than he had ever been in his life and he had become a better person.

After they arrived home from a brilliant evening at the restaurant, Aaron and Robert climbed the stairs quietly so as not to disturb the other residents at the Woolpack. Robert closed the door of the bedroom and took Aaron into his arms. They kissed, softly at first as Robert was still mindful that they needed to move at Aaron's pace. However, Aaron surprised him by tugging at his shirt and ripping it away from his body. As their passion intensified, Robert took a chance and pulled Aaron's shirt off too. They fumbled with each other's trousers and removed them too, then hooked their fingers into the waist band of one and other's briefs and pulled them down, leaving them naked.

Robert looked Aaron in the eye, "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

"Robert...I love you. I know we are taking things slowly, but that doesn't mean I don't want to...you know!" Aaron was struggling to find the right words, "Anyway, we're seeing each other now and this is what people do who are seeing each other!"

Robert looked deep into his lover's eyes, "Oh Aaron, I love you too, babe, so much!"

Aaron raised his hands to Robert's chest and pinched his lover's nipples with his fingers. Robert groaned and did the same to Aaron and the sensation of having their erogenous zones stimulated caused both of them to have erections. They fell onto the bed together, once more kissing passionately and touching, probing and fingering each other's bodies and most intimate places. They were both happy to go to the next level.

xxxxxxxxxx

Chas was in the back room when Aaron and Robert came downstairs the next morning. She could see just by the look on their faces that something had changed...they seemed more relaxed around each other and she guessed that they had been intimate, but it was none of her business so, uncharacteristically for her, she kept quiet about it.

As they all sat at the table over breakfast, Chas looked at Robert, "You still interested in buying in?" she asked.

"Yes, I am," Robert answered.

"Well, Charity has messed us about long enough. I told Diane about your offer and she issued an ultimatum to Charity. Anyway, she hasn't come up with the cash so Diane would like to take you up on it. I can see how much you love my son: I'm not that blind. You're living here now anyway, so it would seem to suit everybody."

"You've got a deal!" Robert held out his hand to shake Chas'. Aaron looked on with a smile on his face: maybe his mother would accept Robert after all!