Flying Visit
Chapter 1: Visitor
"So you're doing okay now right?" Vic asks him prodding at his shirt where his gunshot is.
"Physically yeah, the gun shot wound doesn't hurt anymore but emotionally I'm pissed off he's still hurting even after that prick went down" Robert tells her grabbing his can off his bedside table.
"He still pushing you away?" Vic asks him looking sorry for him.
"Yeah he kissed me the other day now we're acting like were just mates again, I keep getting scared I'm going to push him too far and he's just going to never want me again" Robert admits.
"You've just got to give him time and space don't force him" She tells him giving him a sad smile before looking into Robert's mirror and applying her makeup.
"Force him? You think I'd force him to do anything? After what his dad did to him? I'm scared to even hug him In case he hates me for it the first ever and only person I've ever truly loved and I fucked it all up" Robert tells her looking down at his untouched can.
"You know I didn't mean it that way! Besides how did you fuck it all up? You didn't even know him when he was a kid you couldn't have helped him" Vic asks confused her eyeliner forgotten as she looks at her brother.
"No but I messed him up as well didn't I, we had the affair and I kept messing him around even when I realised I loved him, If I had just been honest with myself and with him maybe we could have dealt with this earlier" Robert admits drinking his drink for the first time in the fifteen minutes they've been up in his room, he'd be with Adam and Arron down stairs but Vic had grabbed his arm and told him to sit while she got her makeup on.
"Will you put a smile on your face? It's your birthday and they're only downstairs as much as you and Aaron are still in limbo you know he gets upset when you are" Vic laughs.
"Why did you bring it up then?" Robert asks taking another swig out the cheap beer.
"I didn't I asked about the gun shot not your relationship but you started talking about you and him" Vic tells him her words muffled as she applies her lipstick "Order the taxi will you" Vic tells him.
"Whatever" He sighs grabbing his phone and dialling the taxi number "Yeah hey mate how long will it be for a taxi to Emmerdale?" He questions "Oh really yeah that will be fine yeah the Woolpack please, going into Hotten the names Sugden" He tells them before giving the taxi operator a quick goodbye.
"Why did you tell them the Woolpack?" Vic questions.
"It's going to be about 45 minutes so I thought we might as well go have a decent beer" He laughs he's surprised when Vic tells him a good idea.
"Go take the lads over then and I'll meet you over there" Vic tells him.
"Can I go an all or do I have to stay sat in the corner all night?" Finn speaks up for the first time Robert jumps slightly turning to the rocking chair Finn is sat in he's been that silent Robert forgot he was there.
"No you go as well" Vic tells him smiling.
"Finn when's it your birthday?" Robert asks before they leave his bedroom.
"In June why?" Finn asks confused.
"Cause I'm getting you a flipping bell, your like creeping Jesus" Robert tells him eliciting a laugh from Vic.
"I've been here the whole time, it's not my fault you don't seem to notice any other person other than Aaron that is" Finn smirks.
"You say anything about what I said and I will never watch Anime or Game of thrones with you again" Robert tells him.
"Oh no what would I do without our Sunday afternoon dates?" He tells him gasping and clutching his heart smirking.
"Get down the stairs" Robert laughs ignoring Vic's cackling.
It made him smile anyway.
"Speaking of Anime, I just bought the next season of that Manga that we like" Finn tells him on the way down the stairs.
"Well then Sunday morning, bring popcorn and I'll get the fizzy drinks" Robert laughs.
"You reckon Vic's going to watch with us? Considering she doesn't like 'cartoons' she got really into it shouting at the telly and everything" Finn laughs.
Robert can't help but laugh as well as he follows Finn into the living room. He claps his hand on Finn's shoulder before moving his hand and messing up the lad's hair laughing louder when Finn moans about his hair.
He sees Aaron eyeing them with what seems to be the biggest death glare in history, it makes Robert remove his hand from Finn's hair it makes him want to smile knowing Aaron still gets jealous just like Robert does whenever he sees Aaron with someone else.
"Change of plans, the Taxi won't be here for another 45 minutes so we're going to go over the pub and have a few drinks" Robert tells them pushing Finn out the living room door laughing when he fights to get to the mirror. "Do it in the Wolly bathroom" He tells him before telling Adam Vic's going to meet them over there.
"You two seem cosy" Aaron murmurs on their walk over to the Woolpack, Adam has taken over the job of trying to mess Finn's hair and the two are running around like kids in the middle of the village.
"Yeah he's an alright lad, he's the only person I know who likes all the same Sci=fi stuff and anime as me" He tells Aaron smirking at Aaron when he rolls his eyes.
"You and your cartoons" Aaron teases.
"Errm excuse me aren't you the guy that got me to buy him a pokemon game for their 3ds?" Robert asks him stopping in the middle of the walk over to the Woolpack to look at him.
"Diss pokemon and I won't come out with you it's a classic" Aaron laughs.
"I'm not dissing pokemon" Robert laughs "I loved it as well when I was a kid" Robert laughs the laugh going louder when Robert punches him in the side lightly.
"Shut up and buy me a pint" Aaron laughs pushing Robert towards the door.
"Chastity, looking lovely this evening" Robert smirks ignoring Aaron's snort as the boys all make their way over to a booth.
"Don't make me deck ya on ya birthday, an to think I was gonna buy ya a pint as well fat chance now" Chas laughs.
"Three pints please, two vodka and orange and five shots of tequila" Robert tells her.
"Errm" Chas says going to say something before Robert cuts her off.
"Oh wait sorry four shots of tequila and one shot of Jägermeister Aaron is allergic to tequila" Robert tells her.
"I was about to say that" She tells him and surprisingly she gives him a small smile.
She's been less hostile towards him since Gordon got sent down nowhere as near as nice as Cain or Debbie though who gave him a job, Cain even called him family.
His exact words were 'Your family now, whether your with him or not after what you've done these past few months the least I can do is give you a job" It made Robert laugh and he was waiting for the inevitable laugh but it never came Cain just gave him a key to the Garage and told him to be there at 9 the next day and walked back up to the bar.
They've got on as well as Cain can with someone since then. The rest of the Dingle's being alright with him as well.
"Here ya go" Chas tells him passing over a tray full of the drinks so he doesn't have to carry them all over two at a time.
"What do I owe you?" Robert asks pulling out his wallet.
"Nothing that ones on me and Aaron I doubt he got you a present, he doesn't even get me one" Chas tells him laughing pushing his hand with his wallet in away again so he puts it back in his pocket and leans on the bar to tell her.
"He got me the best present ever" Robert tells her smiling a little.
"If you tell me anything involving sex with my son I'm going to grab that bottle of tequila and I will bottle ya" Chas warns him.
"We aren't back together Chas but he forgave me today and that's the best present I've got" Robert tells her smiling a little at her puzzled face. "He left me a birthday card and it said you've done some things and so have I but you've made up for them now so let's stop worrying about the past its forgotten' Vic walked in on me sobbing my heart out" He tells her laughing a little.
"Did your acidic tears burn the carpet?" Chas asks him her smirk in place but behind the smirk she seems happy for some reason.
"No but in all serious, I know you hate me and you and him have every right to I did everything wrong god I was so scared to come out as bi I pushed the man I loved away, but I won't stop trying to prove how much I've changed to him, to both of you actually. As much as he argues with you, you're his world and I want us to be okay not just for him but for me as well I've not met anyone as strong as you or as loyal and for some weird reason the closer I get to Aaron the more I feel a need to protect him and you as well" Robert laughs awkwardly looking down at the sticky bar.
"Cause you love him and you know if I hurt so does he and you don't want him to hurt anymore, that's why as much as I hate you sometimes I know you're the best thing for him" Chas smirks she leans over the bar and kisses him on the cheek he nearly as a heart attack at the affection in Chas's words.
Cain starts wolf whistling from the other side of the bar until Aaron flicks a beer mat at his back and starts laughing.
"Thanks" Robert tells her.
"Go and drink your drinks before I make you pay for them" Chas laughs walking over to a frustrated looking Erica "Okay keep your knickers on I was wishing him a happy birthday" Chas tells the fuming man who's red in the face from trying to get her attention.
"It's about time" Adam laughs "I think Robert's trying to cop off with your mum mate" Adam tells Aaron nudging him.
"I don't know about that like" Robert laughs handing out the drinks "But she did just give me permission to ask for Aaron's hand in marriage" Robert tells them smiling internally at the stunned silence from all of them.
He goes to drop to his knee for dramatic flair but Aaron grabs his arm "You even think about it and I will glass you" Aaron tells him his tone serious but his smile betraying his amusement.
"Nice to see you haven't changed them" Comes a voice to the side.
Aaron looks up and the playful smirk is replaced by a full on beaming smile.
"Ed?" Aaron asks his voice shocked but the smile still on his face.
"Last time I checked yeah" The man laughs before launching himself across Robert to get to Aaron for a hug.
Robert winces when Aaron doesn't reject the contact from the man but freely accepts and returns the hug he hasn't even let his mother touch him since the court case ended.
Robert's chest aches as the hug keeps going for longer than normal the smile on Aaron's and this Ed's face somehow widen.
It makes him feel sick and he has to excuse himself to the toilet before he throws up all over the table. He takes an odd satisfaction when he stands breaking apart Aaron and Ed's hug.
The feeling of satisfaction lasts until he closes the gents door then his body convulses and birthday tea that Victoria made for them all is emptying back into the toilet.
Chapter 2: Jealousy
"What are you doing here?" he hears Aaron asks when he gets back from the toilet his face has been washed and any sign of his vomiting act has been erased accept the taste in his mouth.
He can't believe he actually vomited, how weak would Aaron think he is if he found out he did that? Just because he felt jealous over some guy that happened to date the man he loved a few years back? He needs to get a grip Aaron and Ed are just friends just like him and Aaron are.
He moves to the table and finds Ed has took his seat so he's forced to sit next to Vic who must have just got here, he grabs his pint and drinks it to erase the taste of death currently still inhabiting his mouth.
"I read about the trial in the paper and I thought I'd come see how you were, I did try calling but you changed your number again and well I have a few months off training anyway mate so I thought I'd come back and see this place see how you're doing and all that" Ed smirks, reaching out and taking a sip of Aaron's pint.
Robert's surprised when Aaron doesn't even moan at the lad before smiling at him.
"You could have phoned the pub, the numbers online just google it" Aaron smirks laughing, the laughter sounds forced to Robert's ears but Ed must not know Aaron that well.
"Rob?" Vic asks nudging him he shakes his head to clear the jealousy creeping up on him he feels like reaching over the table and punching this Ed fella, who comes from another country to chat to an EX? You do that on facebook.
"Yeah sorry, In a world of my own" He smirks his false smile coming into place as he focuses his attention on Vic ignoring the conversation happening between Ed and Aaron.
"How long till the taxi gets here?" She asks him looking sympathetic her gaze keeps wondering over to Aaron and Ed and he hates the look of sympathy.
"Another half hour maybe, why?" He asks her.
"Hey, Ed why don't you go get changed and come out to town with us?" Adam asks leaning over the table smirking.
"Oh, I don't think so mate haven't slept at all today I booked myself into the Bed and breakfast down the road I saw you's piling into the pub when I got out the cab so I just threw my bags in the room and came here, just gonna have a little drink here and then go get me head down" Ed smirks he looks happy to have been asked but Robert can't help but hate Adam a little bit for inviting him.
"I'll stay with you" Aaron tells him and Robert's throat suddenly goes dry he picks up his pint and it's gone before Ed can even answer.
"I can't have you staying here you's are all glammed up looks like your celebrating" Ed smiles sipping Aaron's drink again.
"It's just Rob's birthday only a few drinks in town, I can get drink with these all the time" Aaron smirks.
Robert stands nudging the table a little he mutters a quick 'sorry' then makes his way over to the bar.
"You don't look happy" Chas tells him surprisingly she hasn't got a smirk on her face for once.
"Three shots of tequila please and a double scotch" Robert tells her.
She gives him a small smile then starts making the orders she places the shot glasses in front of him before pouring the shouts out and as soon as the third one is full Robert downs them one after the other.
Chas is standing there his scotch in hand looking at him like he's gone mad.
"Keep the change" He tells her placing his money on the bar and grabbing the glass out of her hands.
"Hey birthday boy" Kerry smirks from a table opposite the bar.
"Hey" He smiles thankful for the distraction he doesn't want to sit with Ed and play nice he doesn't want to see Aaron fuck him off for Ed so he jumps at Kerry like a seagull on chips.
"Knocking back those shots hard ain't ya?" Dan asks him smiling, he likes Dan in a weird way he's nice always helps out everyone and he's the one that took care of him when he got shot put pressure on the wound to slow the bleeding he might not be alive if it wasn't for this man.
"Well it's my birthday" He says shrugging taking a seat without asking permission.
"I cannot for the life of me remember my birthday ya know, I remember the first bottle of Vodka and half the bottle of Jack Daniels and I was gone I woke up in Edna's garden with my high heels tangled in my hair, Dan was lying next to me in his under crackers" She laughs, Robert manages to laugh as well it's forced laugher but she doesn't notice.
Dan blushes and looks away and Robert's heart swells when he hears Aaron's laughter joined in closely by Ed.
"Well If I end up like that tonight I think I will consider that a win" Robert laughs.
"I thought you's were off into town anyway, not that I'm bitter about not having an invite or anything, I know I'm an old fogey now still out drink you's all mind" Kerry tells him and this time the small laugh is genuine.
"You can come if you want? I wanted to go to a decent club but apparently Vic in control of every part of this birthday bash and she's trying to get Finn laid so she's taking us to Bar West" Robert admits.
"Aye I'd love to but I'm not dressed an I'm skint love but aye four gays and a girl I thought you's would be all up for Bar west" She tells him.
"Two and a half gays actually, he's not coming" He tells her nodding his head at the table where Ed is still laughing, it's probably not that funny.
"You got the green eyed monster on your back kid? Afraid of a little competition?" Kerry laughs.
"Usually I'd be all for fighting, but I just feel drained have you ever thought you wanted something so much but the harder you try the more it seems it's never going to happen?" He asks her.
"Tell me about it" Dan snorts "I felt that way with Ally told myself I just had to try harder then she got with Ruby and I knew she just didn't love me anymore, we just weren't meant to be" He tells him.
"Yeah but I think him an Aaron are have you seen them together if only I was a fly on the wall during that affair I would die a very happy women" Kerry laughs Robert can't help but smirk, it's easy with Kerry and Dan he doesn't feel judged it's easy and Robert's never felt at ease around anyone other than Aaron and Vic sometimes as well.
"What are you doing over there?" Vic shouts leaning round the table to shout to him he puts on the fake smile and excuses himself from Kerry and Dan, Kerry leans forward and kisses his cheek and promises they'll have a drink sometime soon, he agrees because he likes Kerry, her slutty innuendoes never fail to amuse him.
"Sorry was talking to Kerry and Dan" Robert tells her setting his scotch down on the table.
"You were hitting the tequila shots a little hard weren't ya?" Aaron asks him his face is hard to read as if he's trying to read Robert's mind and see what he's thinking.
"Yeah well you's were boring me, Finn's playing freaking candy crush. I'd rather be doing the books for the scrap yard" He says not looking at Aaron directly.
"Oh yeah I heard you and Adam started a business how's it going?" Ed asks and once again Aaron's attention is on Ed and Robert's hand clenches around the scotch glass. His knuckles turning white with the stretching of his skin he's surprised the glass doesn't smash in his hand he's gripping it so tightly.
He brings the liquid up to his lips and notices the slight shake in his hand and he jumps slightly when his phone starts to vibrate in his top pocket and the annoying pre-set IPhone ringtone starts.
He pulls it out but it stops ringing before he can and when he looks he sees it's the taxi number.
"Taxi's out front" He tells the table downing his drink and heading out not bothering to look behind him at Aaron and Ed he doesn't care if Aaron stays he just wants to get drunk somewhere he doesn't have to see them both.
"Only be a minute mate" He calls to the taxi driver the silver seven seater looking so warm from Robert's position outside the pub he regrets not wearing a jacket and shivers.
Vic, Adam and Finn pile out the pub with Aaron and Ed behind him.
Vic get's in the back with Adam and Finn and Aaron pauses to hug Ed.
"Just stay and have a drink with him Aaron, like you said you can have a drink with me any time it's just a couple of drinks in town nothing special, he's only here for a little while" He tells Aaron looking at the other lad in the eyes for a second before he makes his way to the cab.
He closes the sliding door with a bang and goes to get into the taxi but he's stopped by Aaron's hand on his shoulder.
"You sure that's okay?" Aaron asks him looking worried or something.
"What you do has nothing to do with me Aaron, you've made that perfectly clear" Robert tells him shaking Aaron's hand of his shoulder before getting in the taxi.
Thank god he's got a slight buzz going or that would have hurt like hell.
"Why isn't Aaron coming?" Adam asks looking behind him to Aaron and Ed stood outside the pub.
"Ed's more important" He says in a clipped tone looking down at his phone and ignoring any other chance at a conversation.
Chapter 3: Hangover
"Oh god" Robert moans leaning over the bed ignoring the sudden dizziness in favour of grabbing the waste basket by the side of his bed. Within seconds he was moaning as he emptied his stomach into the bin below.
His stomach started to hurt bad as he kept trying to vomit but he had nothing left in his system to throw up. He looks to the bedside table and thanks his drunk self for remembering to get water.
He downs the glass even if the water is stale from being left out all night, he doesn't get to lay back down as the water is out of his system faster than he took it in.
After five minutes of dry heaving he was finally able to sit back in the bed and curl around his aching stomach, he's asleep within seconds.
When he next wakes up he's got painkillers by the side of his bed along with two bottles of water and the bins been cleared of all sick.
'Call me if you need anything else' Is written on a post it note on one of the water bottles it's Aaron's messy scrawl and he feels like shit and it has nothing to do with the hangover currently trying to murder him.
"Stupid Aaron" He groans crumpling the note up and throwing it in the bin.
He turns on his side and as much as he wants to sleep he can't the pain in his stomach hurting him to the point of insanity.
He glares at the pills and water and reluctantly downs them both till his stomach isn't hurting anymore.
"You look how I feel" Vic tells him from the doorway she's got a cup of coffee in her hands and the smell turns his stomach.
"Time?" He asks.
"One" She tells him walking in the room and jumping in his bed putting the coffee down on the table and robbing the blanket from him.
"It's a good thing I went to bed with my clothes still on isn't it" He tells her glaring at her she's not only wearing pyjamas she's wearing a fluffy housecoat and she had to go and rob his blanket.
"Aaron was here before" She told him.
"I gathered" He tells her his tone short and clipped she knows when he doesn't want to talk.
"Adam let him in that lucky get has gone into work he hasn't got a hangover not even a headache" She tells him.
"Surprised Aaron had any time to come over here at all" Robert tells her.
"He was worried about you, he seen us come in at 4 this morning said he seen you and me stumbling he was on a jog, who jogs at 4 in the morning" Vic snorts.
"He said he was jogging?" He asks her sitting up straighter his head hurting.
"Yeah he was still running when he knocked us up at 8 this morning" She told him.
"Pass me phone" He tells her nudging her when she doesn't grab it.
"Here" She moans throwing the thing at him.
"Go make me some toast" He asks her looking up at her through his lashes smirking when she rolls his eyes and calls him a big baby.
She gets up but takes the blanket with her shuffling out the room like a big cocoon.
He presses call as soon as she's out the room. "Chas?" He asks when she finally picks up the phone.
"Robert you okay? You sound weird" She asks him surprise in her voice.
"Yeah listen, Aaron's jogging again" He tells her pulling the phone away when she starts swearing and shouting insults about her son being an idiot.
"You're sure right? Have you seen him? Spoken to him?" Chas asks him when she calms down.
"Vic and Adam saw him we aren't talking right now so I haven't spoken to him and I haven't saw him neither to be honest I'm done with it now thought I'd tell you so you could do something cause god knows I'm sick and tired of trying" He tells her pressing end on the call and throwing his phone across the room pissed off for some reason.
"Gather your still jealous Ed came back then" Vic tells him stood in the door way tea and toast in her hands and she still somehow manages to keep the blanket wrapped round her.
"I'm not jealous of Ed" He tells her snorting rolling around and burying his face in his pillow.
"Sure you're not, cause you didn't have a face like a slapped ass when you saw Ed and Aaron laughing and talking" She laughs putting the tea and toast on the side and sitting next to him.
"I love him" He says turning on his side to look at her, whispering the words.
"What?" She asks him leaning in closer.
"I love him" He repeats louder this time "I love him and I keep trying to make up for the stupid things I've done in the past but it doesn't matter what I do I can't make up for what I did to him" He tells her wiping at his face mentally scolding himself for being weak and crying like a baby in front of his sister.
"So what you're going to give up on him?" She asks him her face morphing into a sceptical bitch please kind of look.
"He doesn't need me anymore" He shrugs talking over her when she tries to interrupt him. "Gordon got sent down and ever since that shit happened between me and Liv he hasn't really been around much anyway" He shrugs.
"He kissed you last week when you him and Adam went out for a drink" Vic reminds him.
"Yeah and then when he saw Adam coming back he jumped back so quick and ten minutes later called it a night, I just think the best thing for both of us is if I just go" Robert admits.
"Go? Go where?" She asks him her face suddenly becoming frightened.
"London I think, or Bristol I've been getting a lot of job offers all over the place and they're really good paying jobs I was thinking of taking one in Leeds as it's close to home, hell I was even thinking of buying a cottage here but I think it might just be better for everyone if I go set up shop somewhere else I've got that money from the divorce so I can get myself a house no problem" He tells her shrugging.
"You can't go, I want you to stay I've just got you back and you're going to leave because you've had a barney with your boyfriend" She tells him shaking her head at him the tears in her eyes enough to make him feel guilty.
"It's hard to be around him Vic" He admits.
"You love him don't you? How the hell is it hard to be around him if you love him?" She asks confused.
"It's because I love him that it's hard to be around him. Vic you have no idea how hard it is to see him every day and not be able to hold him or kiss him or tell him how much he means to me, I see you and Adam and you don't know how fucking much it hurts to watch you two, I get jealous so bad Vic and all I want is to have what you have, how selfish does that make me being jealous of my own sister?" He tells her.
"It make you human and I for one am glad you love him he loves you as well I can see it you both just need some time" She tells him.
"Maybe if I leave he can finally get on with his life finally forget his past maybe he can move on from me get with Ed and be happy all I want is for him to be happy" He tells her.
"You make him happy" She tells him smiling grabbing his arm when he starts to protest. "You don't know do you? You should have seen the way he fussed over you this morning he came in here furious and when he seen you in bed he got this sappy look on his face and started fussing over you he took your shoes off, put water on the bedside table and tablets he picked the blanket up off you and tucked it around you, he looked at you like you're his world" She tells him.
"That's the thing though isn't it? We love each other but we can't seem to be together" He tells her tuning over and staring at the ceiling.
"Have you tried, I know this might seem like a crazy suggestion, but have you even tried asking him out? Like properly just asking making everything crystal clear?" She asks and he doesn't have to look at her to know she's got a smirk on her evil little face.
"I told him I'd wait till he was ready Vic I won't force him to do anything and I don't think he's going to be ready for a long time I just don't think we're good for each other as much as I love him I think I will always remind him of all the bad times" He tells her.
"Well you've obviously not been talking to Chas then" She tells him.
"I talk to Chas usually we just have a snarky back and forth" he laughs.
"Yeah well I called her this morning when Aaron woke us up this morning to tell her I wouldn't be able to come in today what with my hangover and all and she told me a bit of gossip" Vic tells him smiling.
"You know I don't do gossip Vic" Robert reminds her shaking his head slightly.
"Yeah well it's about Aaron and Ed" She tells him smiling when his head whips around to stare at her.
"Apparently Ed tried to kiss Aaron yesterday after one too many and Aaron pushed him away and sent him back to the Bed and breakfast" She tells him.
He feels a pang of anger shoot through him at the thought of Ed trying to kiss Aaron, he feels like getting up and hitting the man over and over till he fucks off back to France.
"Maybe he loves you more than you think" She tells him leaning on his shoulder.
"If that's the case then why hasn't he told me he's ready then?" Robert asks her closing his eyes trying to keep his traitorous tears inside him.
"Like you said he's just not ready yet but if you give him time then everything will be fine" She tells him.
"I hope so" He tells her.
Chapter 4: Hatred
Robert still felt like shit and he spent the entire day on the couch with Victoria, they'd managed to keep tea and toast down and that was about it, they watched re runs of Jerry Springer until Vic brought her Android box down and made them binge watch Geordie Shore, the sight of the alcohol on screen made Robert feel worse but soon the arguments on screen was enough to make Robert feel better about his own life.
He's never liked reality TV but the thought that half the fights on that show was way worse than the one him and Aaron had, made him feel tonnes better.
He didn't manage to leave the house till the next day it was 1pm, Vic was in work and he was still sulking in his bedroom after Adam told them last night that Ed was still hanging around apparently the lad was hanging out with Aaron at the scrap yard, Adam seemed to be annoyed by him as well cause he was constantly under their feet.
He would have stayed in his room reading a book if it wasn't for Vic's annoying and incessant ringing him.
"What?!" He shouts down the phone once he sees that it's her ringing.
"I need you to do me a favour" She asks him her voice slightly stressed.
"What is it?" Robert asks her sighing.
"Adam left his lunch in the fridge and he's apparently just got a bunch of scrap and he can't get away and I've just got a last minute rush order for a buffet and I can't get to him to take him lunch, I haven't even had lunch myself please can you take it to him?" Vic begs he'd tells her no but the begging is making him feel like a jackass she lets him live in her house after all.
"Fine" He tells her hanging up on her ignoring her constant thank you's and rolls out of bed quickly walking to the bathroom getting the world's quickest shower whilst brushing his teeth at the same time not bothering to worry about how gross the action was.
"Stupid Vic" He mutters while he's grabbing a suit out of his closet at the last second he rolls his eyes and grabs a pair of jeans and a jumper he's still feeling the effect of his hangover and he can't be bothered with his usual look today.
He'd wear sweatpants but he'd rather go naked than wear them again they remind him too much of the day's after he was shot the day's he had basically give up on everything.
"Shit" He mutters when he leaves the house forgetting to grab Adam's dinner that's the reason he was leaving the house in the first place.
Sighing to himself he runs back inside quickly before coming back outside this time with Adam's lunch in his hand's Vic's homemade tuna pasta with a bottle of Dr Pepper and a big share bag of crisps.
The drive doesn't take long but Robert starts to wish he did as soon as he gets to the yard, Aaron's there with Ed and Adam. Adam's working furiously and his whole body is caked in sweat as he pucks scrap up off the floor, half the scrap yard is covered with metal Vic wasn't lying when she said they got a big client there must be over twenty grands worth of scrap at least there is so much brass, copper as well as copper wire Robert's surprised they aren't looking more happy.
Aaron's trying to help he's sweaty himself but he keeps getting distracted first by Ed who's sitting off scratching Scrappy behind the ears and talking to him and then by the sound of Robert's car approaching.
He steps out of his car the bag of Adam's dinner clutched in his hands.
"I was sleeping" He tells Adam.
"Sorry man I would have come and got it but I'm a little busy here" He tells him walking towards him his eyes darting over to Ed his face showing a clear look of annoyance.
"You know that Iphone I got you for your birthday yesterday?" Robert asks him getting out of his car smirking when Scrappy bounds over to him leaving Ed to clutch at the air.
"Yeah?" Adam asks reaching out for his lunch.
"Set a reminder on it that way your lunch won't be forgotten" Robert smirks leaning down to pet Scrappy he doesn't really like dogs but Scrappy is a big lovable oath that's got a vicious side to anyone Aaron wants him to attack he can kind of relate to the thing in a way.
"So you are still alive then?" Aaron asks him dropping the bit of scrap he had in his hands ignoring Ed's attempt at talking.
"Unfortunately, sorry to disappoint" Robert say's back in a clipped tone for some reason angry at seeing Aaron and Ed still together he focuses on Scrappy and doesn't look up.
"Serves you right mate for trying to drink like you're twenty again" Aaron laughs at him trying to lighten the mood.
"It was supposed to be a quiet drink actually just us five well four because you didn't come, one drink turned into fifteen the next thing I know Adam's stopping me from punching some fella for calling me a queer lover when he started having a go at Finn" Robert shrugs.
"Sounds like fun" Ed laughs obviously not getting the clipped tone of his voice that means he's angry as fuck right now.
"Fun? Adam and Vic had fun, so did Finn actually I was drunk within ten minutes of getting in the club wasn't really a fun birthday, hey at least Finn got lucky I heard you and Aaron got lucky as well congrats" Robert spits he feels the smallest bit of satisfaction when he sees Aaron's face fall and then he goes to say something to Robert but he doesn't want to hear it.
"Anyway do me a favour Aaron?" Robert asks him looking up as he opens his car door, Scrappy tries to follow but he hands him off to Adam.
"What? Oh yeah what is it?" He asks sounding nervous swallowing a lump and his eyes darting between him and Ed.
"The birthday meal you were planning to take me to for tomorrow cancel the reservations I still feel sick and something tells me I'm not sick to my stomach because of the hangover" He tells him hating himself for Aaron's face suddenly looking hurt. "Oh I know they're really good seats and you'll lose your deposit if you cancel so why don't you take Ed?" Robert smiles his face the cold mask that he thought he'd never have to use again in front of Aaron.
He jumps into his car as Aaron approaches he feels physically sick as he slams on the pedal once he put the car in reverse, once on the road he turns and heads back towards the village, he sees the cottage coming into view and he slows the car.
He turns off the engine but just sits there mentally screaming at himself why did he say those things? Why did he enjoy making Aaron hurt like he was? He's always wanted Aaron to feel nothing but love but ever since Ed came it's like he's lost Aaron.
Maybe the only logical thing to do is to treat Aaron like any of his other ex's, maybe that's the only way he can avoid being hurt when Aaron choses Ed.
Maybe it would be the right thing to do but Robert can't shake the feeling off lose when he thinks Aaron's never going to be his again. It's like he's lost a limb like it was there a second ago and now it's gone and it feels like he's never going to be able to function again without it without Aaron.
Maybe he left it too late, maybe Aaron won't ever see him like that again he wouldn't blame the younger man he fucked it up just like he fucks everything up.
Chapter 5: Gotta stop this
"What?" Robert practically snarls as he pulls the door open stopping the incessant hammering on the front door, his eyes widen when he sees Aaron stood at the door he's still sweaty and he smells kinda funky so he obviously hasn't been home yet from the scrap yard.
"We need to talk" Aaron sighs standing on the front step he looks like he's not taking no for an answer and invites him in.
"Don't know why, we haven't got anything to talk about" Robert tells him leading Aaron into the living room and sitting down on the chair letting Aaron take the couch.
"Cut the crap Robert your jealous and it needs to stop" Arron huffs.
"Jealous?" Robert huffs out a laugh "What have I got to be jealous about? Ed?" Robert asks laughing again.
"I know you're jealous because I am as well, Vic told me you were dancing with Finn all night on your birthday, god she even posted videos on facebook of you all, I know what freaking jealously looks like Robert because it's on my face whenever I think of you and Finn you don't know how angry I've been these past few days without you" Aaron tells him his voice getting higher and higher as the emotions become clear on his face.
"Yeah well Finn is just my friend, I never kissed him in the middle of the pub did I" Robert counters.
"He kissed me, and I pushed him away and sent him back to Eric's, he came round yesterday and told me he was sorry I told him I was in love with you and me and him would never happen and if he couldn't handle that then he should go back to France and he's been nothing but friendly ever since" Aaron tells him smirking when Robert's head shoots up at the mention of him being in love with him.
"You're in love with me?" Robert asks him his voice expressing clear disbelief.
"That's seriously all you got from that?" Aaron asks laughing.
"I thought now that Ed was back you'd want him I mean you kissed me last week Aaron then you just started acting weird with me, then you blew me off on my birthday for him so what was I supposed to think?" Robert huffs out looking up at him.
"I freaked out because I thought you'd treat me differently after everything that you know about me know you look at me like I'm fragile and I can't handle that" Aaron tells him.
"I do treat you like your fragile, it's true" Robert admits he doesn't miss the hurt that covers Aaron's face.
"See I was right to pull away then wasn't I, obviously we can't be together I can't have you treating me any differently Robert just because you know I was raped" Aaron tells him shouting at him his face getting redder and redder with shame and anger.
"I don't treat you like your fragile because of what he did" Robert spits unable to say the name just thinking of him makes him sick to his stomach "I treat you like that because you're the most important thing in my life, the one person I truly love maybe the only person I've actually loved that I don't have to act like somebody else around, I do treat you differently now than we did during the affair Aaron and I am sorry about that, but the only reason I treat you like that is because I never want to hurt you again like I did last year Aaron, if you get hurt I will go insane and if I'm the person that hurts you then I'd rather kill myself than be the cause of that" Robert tells him trying and failing to keep the tears inside.
"Serious?" Aaron asks him his own tears falling from his eyes.
"What?" Robert asks moving over to the couch to sit next to Aaron, they sit close but don't touch.
"That's really the reason that you treat me differently? It's not because you don't see me like that anymore? Sexually and romantically, I mean" Aaron tells him clarifying what he means.
"Are you kidding me? I want to jump your bones every time I see you, of course I'm worried about you not being ready after reliving what he did to you so many times these past few months, in some weird and twisted way knowing what he did just makes me want you more" Robert tells him his eyes locked with Aaron's.
"What? How can that make you want me more? It should make you sick to your stomach" Aaron asks him moving away slightly.
"It does trust me it fucking does I've been sick so many times thinking of it, but some weird twisted part of my brain just wants to hold you and make you forget his touch make you forget all about him, it's as if I think sometimes that my touch could erase his and god I wish that was true Aaron I wished that was possible but it can't and I never will be but I want to be here for you I want to show you that I will always be here for you and we can move on together but I got so fucking jealous of Ed I just wanted to punch him and not stop Aaron I saw him touch you and you let him and you barely let me even touch your shoulder and I got so jealous over that I am so sorry" Robert tells him.
"I didn't let you touch me because I thought you only wanted to touch me out of some weird form of pity, of course I wanted you to be with me why do you think I kissed you?" Aaron asks him.
"To fuck with my head? God I don't know anymore" Robert laughs "I just miss you so much and I know I'm being jealous and I have no right to be because we aren't together but I want to be together so bad" Robert huffs.
"I want us to be together as well" Aaron tells him "I want to be with you you've proved you love me and god you're not the only one that gets jealous" Aaron laughs at him.
"You're serious?" Robert asks him his face looking like Aaron's going to say only joking.
Aaron's only answer is to kiss him.
"Looks like the smitten kittens are back together" Victoria squeals from the living room door effectively getting them to separate from each other blushes firmly spreading on their faces.
"Does this mean Ed's not allowed at the scrap yard now? Cause he's doing my fucking head in" Adam sighs practically collapsing on top of them both his sweat making them both gag.
Chapter 6: insecure
So they're together and taking it slow they kiss, hold hands and cuddle they sleep together in the non sex kind of way. Aaron sleep's over in Keepers cottage with Robert most of the time since they got together a week ago.
The thing is Aaron hasn't told anyone, Vic and Adam know because they walked in on it but nobody else knows about them at all.
Roberts 85% sure Chas has figured it out cause she smirks whenever they're together and she has to be suspicious of Aaron sleeping over at Vic's every night.
Ed's still hanging around like a bad smell and he continues to touch Aaron and it makes Robert see red Aaron looks at him with this look that makes him feel like he's doing something wrong but the anger just boils up and he has to escape before he physically hurts Ed.
"What's up with your face?" Aaron smirks, bumping into him at the bar, Charity is serving tonight and the bitch takes the piss she can't pull a pint to save her life.
"He's flirting with you" Robert tells him his voice low and his eyes focusing on the bottle of vodka across the bar.
"Not this again, I told you I'm with you" Aaron huffs he leans against the bar heavily and sighs again like Robert's causing him a great grievance.
"Well you haven't told him about us" Robert reminds him "Haven't told anyone actually" Robert hisses out it's supposed to be low but Aaron hears it and sighs again.
"Because we're new and I want to keep you to myself" Aaron smirks.
"Sure it's not just a punishment for not coming out when I had the chance and denying our relationship last year?" Robert suggests he feels bad when Aaron winces at the memory.
"I just didn't think you'd be ready for everyone to know" Aaron shrugs.
"I would get on my knees right now in front of everyone I don't care who knows were together" Robert tells him smirking when Aaron laughs.
"Bit early for a proposal isn't it?" Aaron laughs at him.
"I wasn't getting on my knees to propose" Robert informs him smirking when he sees Aaron gulp.
"You're really ready for everyone to know?" Aaron asks looking back at their table, Finn's playing on his 3DS trying to get Robert a legitimate shiny Chikorita on Pokémon so Robert can trade it to Aaron as it's his favourite starter for some reason.
"What do I need to do to prove to you that I want this?" Robert hisses "Because you don't seem to hear me when I tell you I love you and you don't seem to listen when I tell you I only want you, are you sure you even want me Aaron cause I've had enough of hiding how much I love you" Robert tells him Aaron's cut off from making a reply by Charity finally sliding up to them.
"What do ya want?" She asks.
"Chas? Cause you are the shittest barmaid in the country" Robert tells her taking his anger out on Charity the woman's always angry and always gives it back.
"Well if you don't want nothing I'll just go back to my magazine" Charity smirks.
"I'll have six bottles of bud please I cannot be assed waiting for you to pull the pints I'll be here till closing" He tells her placing the money on the bar "You bring them over" He tells Aaron and heads back to the table without waiting for an answer.
"Shame he didn't stay in that coma" Charity says behind him and he hears Aaron tell her to fuck off usually Aaron defending him would make him happy but he doesn't smile this time.
"You've got a face like a smacked ass lad" Adam comments he looks between him and Aaron his subtle way of asking if everything is okay with them.
"Just one of those weeks I guess" Robert shrugs looking at Finn's DS to get out of saying anything else.
"Funny you've been ecstatic all week" Adam says and Robert knows he's smirking without even looking up.
Ed and Vic start chatting about Ed's departure in a few days and that at least puts a smile on his face. How do you even get a shiny?" Robert asks Finn he's getting a headache watching Finn's little man run backwards and forwards trying to hatch an egg.
"Don't ask about what you don't understand Robbie" Finn tells him not even looking up at him.
"Call me Robbie again and I will take the bottle of bud I just bought you and bottle you with it" Robert smirks it turns into a full blown laugh when Finn pretends to act scared.
"Here" Aaron mutters wedging his way in between him and Finn he looks jealous and Robert can't help but laugh, the laugh turns to a scowl when Aaron pushed the bottle in his hands and some spills over onto his jeans.
"Watch it" Robert hisses.
"Want me to rub it dry?" Aaron asks smirks his eyebrows raising his mouth quirking with humour.
"Wouldn't want that now would we? People might talk, don't want them getting the wrong impression" Robert tells him he feels like a prick when Aaron's easy smile falls from his face. He goes to say something but he's cut off by Chas pulling up a seat at their table.
"Alright?" She smirks looking at everyone.
"You need a better business partner" Robert tells her smiling.
"Tell me about it, I'd go and help her but you learn by doing and all that, besides I'm knackered been working for ages don't know what's got into the village but it's like half of them are in here" She tells them looking round the packed pub people are standing it's that full.
"Should have sold it to Robert when you had the chance" Aaron inputs.
"You and him weren't really on speaking terms back then" Chas shrugs.
"Still aren't by the constant arguing out of the two of them" Ed laughs.
"Don't know I think arguing's a form of foreplay for us isn't it?" Aaron laughs.
"Foreplay?" Ed asks his brow furrowing in confusion.
"Yeah you know, we argue, sulk then the makeup sex is spectacular" Aaron tells him Robert chokes on his beer, the bottle hitting his tooth as he jerks from Aaron's revelation.
"Makeup sex? You guys are together then?" Ed asks.
"Yeah" Aaron smiles his hand resting on Robert's slightly damp pants from the spillage.
"You didn't have to do that if you weren't ready you know, I know I want everyone to know but I don't want to make you uncomfortable" Robert leans in and whispers into Aaron's ear as Vic gives Ed the details on how and when they got back together.
"I didn't tell anyone because I truly liked having you to myself but I realised that we ended badly because we kept secrets so I want this time to be different no secrets" Aaron tells him his voice low enough so only Robert can hear, Finn's close too so he might hear but he still hasn't looked up from his 3DS.
"No secrets" Robert smirks leaning in and kissing Aaron's forehead.
"You can do better than that" Aaron smirks pulling Robert's face down and meets him halfway for a filthy kiss. It's intense and full of passion it has Robert half hard in his pants and the table goes quiet around them.
"At least Ed knows I'm yours now" Aaron laughs whispering it into his ear enjoying the shiver it gets from Robert.
"That was hot" Kerry shouts from the opposite end of the bar, they both look up in time to see virtually everyone staring at them, half the Village is in the pub and half of them are all looking at them with massive grins on their faces.
"Wondered how long it'd take" Chas smirks, holding her hand out and smirks when Adam and Vic both slap a tenner each into her palm.
"What's that for?" Aaron asks eyeing the money up.
"We had a bet on how long it'd take you to tell people, I guessed right looks like I know my boy" She smirks, it turns into protest when Robert leans over the table and snatches the money.
"Next rounds on you then yeah?" He asks smirking when she pouts but ultimately agrees grabbing the money back and heading to the bar.
"How the hell did she even know?" Aaron huffs.
"I may or may not have worn one of your hoodies to the shop the other day and she may or may not have seen me and questioned my choice in clothing and then smirked at me like a creepy evil person" Robert shrugs.
"She may or may not have cornered me in the Kitchen and demanded to know when and how it happened" Vic adds in.
"Can't even enjoy my own boyfriend to myself without nosy people getting involved round here" Aaron huffs leaning into Robert.
"I like the sound of that" Robert smirks biting Aaron's earlobe "Boyfriend, never been called that before gonna be my new favourite word" He tells him.
"Good cause I'm going to be saying it for a long time, I hope anyway" Aaron laughs.
"Not that long, husband sounds better" Robert laughs when Aaron stills pulling away and looking at him with a slight panicked expression.
"I didn't say today" Robert laughs.
"Aww look at you two smitten kittens" Vic laughs her smile lighting up her whole face.
"Congratulations I guess" Ed smiles at them it's strained.
"Yeah thanks" Robert tells him, pulling Aaron into another kiss making sure Ed actually does Know Aaron is taken and always will be.
Chapter 7: Goodbye
"Why are you looking so happy?" Vic asks smiling at him like she can read his mind.
"Don't have to have a reason to be happy do I?" Robert responds smirking at her.
"No not really but you've been in a mood all week then when Aaron told people about you's then you looked happy then you sort of went all sulky when Aaron took Ed out to town and now your happy again you're up and down like a yo-yo" Vic tells him scoffing when Robert glares at her.
"Well I've got a feeling that I'm going to be happy now from 12pm today aren't I?" Robert responds spooning his cereal in his mouth.
"You mean when Ed flies back to France?" Adam asks his mouth full of toast, specks fly everywhere and both Robert's and Vic's faces morph into matching grimaces.
"Yeah well he tried to steal my boyfriend didn't he, so no love lost between us, in fact he's lucky I don't deck him he sneered at me yesterday when Aaron kissed me" Robert tells him moving away from the table and putting his bowl in the sink.
"I would have thought you'd go with Aaron to take him to the airport" Adam smirks.
"What? Aaron's taking him to the airport?" Robert asks confused.
"Yeah he left like twenty minutes ago, gave him a lift" Adam tells him.
"Damn it" Robert hisses grabbing his coat from the back of the chair and putting it on so fast he almost slaps Adam across the face with the sleeve of his leather jacket.
"Sit down you big idiot" Adam tells him putting the sandwich down on the plate.
"What? Why? I've got to go make sure he doesn't try and steal Aaron away or something" Robert tells him.
"You go after them and Ed will the least of your worries mate, Aaron won't like you much if he thinks you're being possessive and controlling he can't stand clingy people" Adam tells him.
"But what if Ed tries something?" Robert asks him frowning down at his table.
"Then Aaron will push him away or punch him, you know he loves you right? You go after him you're basically saying the relationship isn't going to last" Vic tells him her eyes wide and disapproving. Robert hates how she always reminds him of their mother when she does that.
"How is me going to make sure that slime ball doesn't kiss him going to doom our relationship?" Robert scoffs he sits down at the table anyway because if he's learned anything recently it's to always listen to Vic when it comes to love advice.
"He will think you don't trust him and to Aaron trust is everything so you either stay or go and make him pissed with you it's your choice like but I've known him longer than both of you's so I know what I'm talking about" Vic smirks at him.
"As his best friend I can tell you she's hit the nail on the head" Adam smirks, seriously he's beginning to see why Vic marries Adam he's just as immature as she is, they act like utter children.
"What am I supposed to do then? Sit here and twiddle me thumbs?" Robert asks them shrugging out of the leather jacket with a little too much sighing and huffing involved, Vic rolls her eyes as he throws the jacket on the back of his chair and starts messing with his phone, opening and closing the message window.
"You could always come and help me at the scrapyard after lunch I've got so much on that's why I'm having my dinner at 10 am Aaron picked the perfect day to chaperone Ed back to France anything to get out of work that one" Adam laughs.
"Fine anything to stop me from strapping Ed to the front of his plane back to France" Robert huffs.
"What Aaron sees in you I do not know" Adam snorts.
"Well he can't get enough of my big..." Robert tells him only to be cut of by Vic launching an apple across the table to his chest.
"Ow I was going to say heart you maniac" Robert tells her.
"Yeah sure you were" Vic tells him rolling her eyes at him.
"Actually I don't know what he sees in me? I'm the biggest screw up in the village he knew that and he still loves me don't really wanna ask in case it makes him realise he's with an idiot" Robert tells her looking down at the sandwich still on his plate.
He picks it up and takes a small bite to shut himself up before he says something even more embarrassing in front of his idiot brother in law.
"Aww" Vic mutters leaning over the table to mess his hair up, he glares at her while chewing his buttie.
"I hate you" He tells her round his mouthful.
"No you don't you love me, just like you love Aaron you probably love Adam as well" Vic tells him her smirk lighting up her face.
"Wouldn't go that far like, don't love fools" Robert laughs, the laughter gets louder when Adam says a small thank you to god.
"Why do you love Aaron then, he's a massive fool once he gets going" Adam teases.
"Shut up with the soppy shit will ya, eat your brunch and let's get to work" Robert tells him getting up to make himself a coffee in his thermos.
"I'll have one of them lad my thermos is in me bag" Adam tells him pointing to his bag.
"Get it then" Robert huffs.
"I'll get it you misery guts" Vic says still smirking nudging Robert in the ribs.
"I can't wait till my house is ready" Robert huffs out flicking the kettle on.
"What?" Vic asks stopping in her tracks before she bends down to pick up Adam's bag.
"What?" Robert repeats confused.
"House?" Vic asks him "What house? Since when do you have a house?" Vic asks him.
"Lawrence gave me five hundred thousand so I'd fuck off and leave the business for good, I bought old man Jameson's farm of him and his wife all their kids have grown up and left Emmerdale he's too old to run a farm and he wanted out so I bought it for a hundred thousand and spent another fifty grand on renovating the place making it more modern and stuff" Robert shrugs.
"Jameson's farm? The farm right next to mum's?" Adam asks.
"Yeah" Robert shrugs.
"How the hell did you manage that? Mum tried to by some land of that old codger a few years ago he told her to fuck off" Adam tells him.
"I know she told me, she's going to buy some of the land of me once I sort out what I need and what I don't, I don't think I'll need the full 50 acres of land like to be honest I don't plan on making it a fully operational farm maybe just the odd few livestock grow some crops, I don't know yet" Robert shrugs.
"How long has this been going on?" Vic asks him setting Adam's thermos on the counter.
"About a month" Robert shrugs.
"A month?!" Vic shouts surprised "Does Aaron know?" Vic asks.
"Oh yeah cause we've had time to talk about my future house in between arguments getting together and Ed haven't we" Robert huffs out turning round and rinsing the thermos out before filling it with Coffee like his own.
"You bought it for him didn't you" Vic tells him smirking at him like she's known the answer since she found out about it.
"What?" Robert asks confused.
"You bought it for Aaron didn't you? I know you did because I saw your face months ago when Chas told him you and him would never work before you don't have a job, you don't have a house, she told him you wouldn't be good for him cause you're not stable, so you buying that place is your way of proving you can provide him with stability and a life isn't It?" Vic asks him but her voice is all triumphant like she already knows the answer and to be fair she hit the nail on the head.
"I don't know what you're on about" Robert huffs tightening the lid on his coffee before shoving the other at Adam.
"Please it's written all over your face" Vic cries in victory like she beat the answer out of him.
"Shut up Vic you coming to work or not?" Robert asks hissing at Adam and pulling his coat on.
"Yeah" Adam tells him shoving the other half of the buttie in his mouth and standing so quick he nearly knocked the chair over.
Adam's dressed in his high vis in seconds and Robert's out the door before his brother in law could even kiss Vic and is storming off in the direction of the scrap yard.
Chapter 8: Work interrupted
"Hey!" Aaron shouts his voice loud but confused as he watches Robert hammering the fuck out of a scrapped car to try and get a bit of metal off it.
"What?" Robert asks turning round dropping the mallet, his face turning from a frown to a smile once he sees who shouted it. "Oh hey" Robert says his face is beaming and he knows it! Aaron has that effect on him nowadays.
"You okay? You look like your pissed about something, why are you even working here?" Aaron asks him.
"Adam needed help he had to go out on a collection and you ditched him to play taxi driver for Ed" Robert tells him taking off his gloves and walking over to the cabin.
"So that's why you're pissed then" Aaron asks smirking.
"Pissed? I'm fine" Robert laughs it's strained and Aaron can see right through it.
"Yeah okay, so you're not pissed that I offered to take Ed to the airport?" Aaron questions.
"Wasn't thrilled about it but what you do and who you do it with is up to you" Robert tells him flipping the kettle on.
"Well seeing as you're my boyfriend now, my life and your life are sort of connected so we have to make sure the people we hang around with are liked by the other person because well I don't want you avoiding me if I'm spending time with someone you dislike" Aaron shrugs.
"Vic and Adam found out about the farm" Robert tells him changing the subject he doesn't want to talk about how much he hates Ed they've done that enough already.
"You had to tell her eventually at least she's fine with you going just wait till I tell me mum I'm moving out she'll flip, she might be okay with you now but since I moved in with her and especially after all this shit with Gordon she seems to think I'm her little baby again" Arron tells him he doesn't seem to notice Robert's head shooting to stare at him so fast it cracks.
Aaron carries on talking about how he's going to tell him mum and he doesn't notice the shocked and confused look on Robert's face.
"Why are you gaping at me like that? You look like a fucking mong lad" Aaron hisses when he finally realises Robert's staring at him his eyes unblinking it's really unsettling.
"Your moving in?" Robert manages to say his mouth dry for some reason.
"Yeah" Aaron tells him scrunching his eyebrows up as he thinks.
Robert just looks at him in shock, Aaron keeps looking at him like he's lost it.
"So you were going to tell me this when? I mean I asked you to move in two weeks ago and you told me you'd think about it! Pretty sure I didn't get the memo about you moving in" Robert tells him.
"Oh I thought about it and I think I'd like it, I mean living on a farm isn't my first choice like but being with you, our own place, make this officially official. I like the thought of that, I also like the fact that me mum won't walk in on us having sex there" Aaron tells him smirking when Robert's eyes light up at the mention of sex before the humiliation of Chas catching them mid thrust must have come back into his mind if his full body shiver is anything to go by. "Me moving in is still what you want right? You still want me to move in?" Aaron asks like he always has to do, he always starts second guessing how much he means to Robert.
"It's all I want, it's all I will ever want" Robert tells him moving forward, he grips Aaron's belt and tugs him into his chest, Aaron tries to protest about needing to get work done but Robert wins out in the end kissing Aaron's neck never fails to make the younger man desperate and needy for Robert's kisses.
"Not again" Chas says seconds after she bursts into the room.
Even the sound of her voice is like an ice bath for both men who spring apart and turn to face her, she's stood in the doorway Aaron's packed lunch in her hands her hand is covering her eyes as if she's trying to stop any more embarrassment.
"I knew we should have locked that, or maybe get an automatic gate, you know one with a buzzer that way nobody could get in without a password or being buzzed in at least we'd be able to get it on in peace" Robert tells him.
"I am still here ya know!" Chas hisses her hand moving away from her eyes so she can show Robert the full power of her gaze without hiding it.
"Oh I know that's the problem" Robert smirks sitting down on Aaron's desk smirking when Aaron starts to glare at him. "What? You know if we ever walked in on her and someone she's seeing she'd tell us the exact same thing" Robert tells his boyfriend.
"He has got a point their like, and when I get a boyfriend I'll gladly leave you boys to do the deed but like you said Robbie boy, if I'm not getting non then neither are you" Chas smirks putting Aaron's lunch down on the desk.
"Is there a reason your here besides bringing Robert's lunch?" Aaron asks.
"It's your lunch" Chas tells him looking confused.
"Yeah but I went through the Maccies drive thru when I came back so he can have it" Aaron tells her.
"Oh" Chas say's shrugging pushing the box towards Robert.
"Cheese and onion?" Robert asks taking the lid off the Tupperware container.
"Obviously and yes before you ask it is Cathedral City cheese you've got me hooked on that as well so thanks for that" Aaron tells him.
"Aww so domestic" Chas laughs cutting off whatever Robert was going to retort.
"Speaking of domestic how's your partner in crime?" Aaron asks.
"Who?" Chas asks looking at him and frowning.
"Charity, you said you'd never leave her on her own in the bar and you're here" Aaron reminds her.
"Oh she's proved she can pull a pint, and she's always been good at getting people's money" Chas laughs.
"Yeah she was either selling something, someone, or herself to someone in exchange for money though so be careful she's not using the pub as a way to peddle some stolen goods or drugs" Robert tells her smirking when Aaron starts laughing.
"Hey if she can sell drugs to some of the prudes in this Village then I'll start calling you son" Chas tells him laughing when Aaron looks at her strongly.
"Most people are prudes in this village like bet ya if someone said to them 'Do you want some coke or lemo' they'd say no thanks don't like fizzy drinks" Robert tells him, his mouth quirking when Aaron and Chas chuckle.
"This is a weird conversation" Aaron tells them both when he's stopped laughing.
"You brought Charity up not me!" Chas shouts reminding him of the spark that started the weird conversation.
"Yeah I remember" He tells her rolling his eyes. "Don't you have to get back to the pub? Me and Rob need to get back to work" Aaron tells her.
"Don't listen to them Chas, work's a metaphor for sex" Adam laughs strolling into the office through the open door.
"Well that's obviously not going to happen now is it" Robert laughs rolling his eyes, he stands and kisses Aaron on the cheek before exiting the office and getting back to work.
He leaves Adam, Chas and Aaron gabbing like old women in the office someone had to keep the business going.
"Your moving where?!" Comes the roar of Chas's voice.
"Shit" Robert hisses spinning around to look at the cabin door, Chas is still inside but he braces himself for a scolding or a fist fight he's not sure what Chas will do to him.
Guess the cat's out the back now though!
Chapter 9: Moving On
"How the hell is your mum okay with this?" Robert asks for the seventh time this week.
"I don't know; she did give you a clip round the ear last week though so I guess all her angers gone now" Aaron tells him shoving another suit in his direction for him to put it in a garment bag.
"Well to be honest I think she was more worried about the house being mine and she was worried for your future if we were to ever break up" Robert tells him making sure the suit is folded into the box making sure it's not wrinkled.
"Well I think you signing half the house to me made her happy, but like I said it was completely unnecessary I don't need to own half of your house to know you want to be with me" Aaron tells him.
"Marry me" Robert replies making Aaron drop the lamp he was holding in his hands.
"What? Why would you say that?" Aaron asks looking down to the broken shards all over his bedroom floor.
"I've wanted to wait and do a big romantic gesture maybe take you out and spoil you but I keep realising you don't like that sappy shit, I'm glad I signed half the farm over to you because I want to be married to you, I want what's mine to be yours and the other way around, yeah we might fight and argue, you might even want to kill me sometimes but for as long as I live I will want you and at the end of the day that's all that matters right?" Robert asks carefully stepping over the broken glass making sure his bare feet doesn't stand on the shards of porcelain.
"I don't really know what to say" Aaron tells him, his mind is blank his heart is racing and his whole body seems to be sweating.
"Hopefully yes" Robert tells him smiling. "We can have a really long engagement if you want, we don't even need to get rings, we can pretend we're still just boyfriends, hell I wouldn't care if we never got married and stayed engaged forever I just want to be more than boyfriends, I want to make this relationship mean a hell of a lot more and the word boyfriends makes me feel like a teenager" Robert tells him.
"We do fuck like teenagers" Aaron smirks.
"That's what I wanted to hear" Robert tells him laughing uncomfortably.
"What?" Aaron asks grabbing Robert's hand.
"Nothing just forget it, let's get this cleaned up and finish packing" Robert tells him indicating the broken lamp and the shards all over the floor.
"No let's not forget it Robert, as soon as I made the joke about us fucking like teenagers your face dropped" Aaron tells him.
"Because I just proposed to you Aaron and your making jokes about our sex life, I've wanted to ask you for months and as soon as I grow the balls to ask you, you basically just laugh in my face of course my face dropped" Robert tells him his eyes rolling of his own accord as he turns around and grabs another suit to put in a garment bag.
"You know how uncomfortable I get with serious things, you just asked me out of nowhere I say stupid things, you know that better than anyone remember the first time you told me you loved me? After we got back together I said 'me too' not I love you" Aaron tells him.
"Forget I said anything it was a stupid idea" Robert tells him not even looking at him to see Aaron roll his eyes.
"Actually I think I want to" Aaron tells him after a few minutes of silent packing.
"What?" Robert asks looking up at him from his place on the floor picking up the lamp piece's.
"Like you said I don't see myself with anyone else but you, I want to be able to call you my husband I want to laugh with you till we grow old and I want to be able to tell all the girls that hit on you to fuck off because I've put a ring on it already" Aaron smirks it gets even wider when Robert bursts out laughing.
"Will you marry me?" Aaron asks when Robert doesn't say anything.
"Well we do fuck like teenagers" Robert replies making Aaron move forward and laugh into his chest.
"Yeah or no Robert?" Aaron asks.
"You sure this is what you want?" Robert asks him nervous that he's forcing Aaron into something he doesn't really want.
"Not really but I never know what I want when I'm with you do I? it's like you muddle me brain up one second I want to kill you and the next I want to rip your clothes off" Aaron tells him laughing.
"I love you, even if we do drive each other mad" Robert tells him smiling leaning in for a kiss.
"I love you too, even if I want to kill you sometimes" Aaron tells him pulling away from the kiss, Robert goes to kiss him again before Aaron pulls back smirking like the cat that got the cream "Always and forever?" Aaron asks him.
"Always and forever" Robert tells him smirking at him before diving in and kissing Aaron claiming his mouth in a filthy kiss.
"Will you put each other down! You guilt tripped us into helping you's move and all you two keep doing is swallowing each other every chance you's get, you's aren't even packed" Adam moans waltzing into the room with Vic quick on his heels they throw themselves on Aaron's bed and Vic eyes them up noticing something immediately.
"What's happened?" Vic asks.
"Nothing" Robert and Aaron say together turning to smirk at each other "At least nothing you need to know yet" Aaron tells them leaning in to kiss Robert again.
"Oh my god your pregnant aren't ya?" Adam asks his face completely straight as he says it.
"Yeah obviously I'm pregnant you muppet, Vic got me preggo" Aaron tells him rolling his eyes.
"I told you not to tell him" Vic shouts laughing like a maniac rolling with it.
"Aye I'm warning you now Vic stay away from my man sister or not I'll fight ya" Robert laughs rolling his eyes as Aaron throws another suit his way.
"So when's the wedding then?" She asks them smirk still on her face.
Aaron and Robert stand their looking like fish out of water their mouths gaping at her before Vic starts laughing again.
"Don't worry I know you're not the marrying type Aaron" Vic tells them.
"You never know" Aaron shrugs. "People change" Aaron tells her smirking when her eyes light up.
"Yeah people do" Robert smiles leaning down to kiss him again.
"Will you two pack or what? If you's don't want to move that's fine with me" Adam moans again.
"Jesus Christ keep ya hair on" Aaron chuckles tossing a box to Robert and tells him to pack all Aaron's clothes into it.