"Are you not going to say anything back?"
"You've heard it"
"Yeah, but I wasn't ready"
"Not my problem is it?"
"Ok, I can wait."
Robert smiled at the memory in his head. He couldn't believe that it had been a year already. How much had changed between him and Aaron since then. He was currently in the café picking up coffee for the both of them. But he was still waiting for Aaron to tell him he loved him again. He didn't want to push him; he didn't want to ruin what they had together. Especially after everything they had been through. If you had told him a year ago that he would be with Aaron for real and the whole village would know about it, he wouldn't have believed it. And yet, here they were. Not quite friends, but not quite boyfriends yet. In that weird in between stage. But Robert loved it. He wanted more, but again, he didn't want to push his luck. He had messed up so much before that he just wanted to make Aaron happy.
So here he was collecting their coffees so they could go to work together. It was useful that his step mom was the owner of the pub since she had given him the key to get through the back door. Not that he minded walking through the pub; he didn't care what people said about him. But he knew Victoria would just try and distract him from getting to work otherwise.
He entered through the back and went straight through to the kitchen where Aaron was waiting for him.
"Hey you" Robert greeted him, handing him the coffee.
"Hey" Aaron replied groggily. He really wasn't a morning person!
"Alright grumpy, talk to me when you've had your coffee."
Aaron pouted at him but took a swig, grimacing a little at the taste. Robert chuckled at his face, like he did every time.
"You know you don't have to drink coffee." Robert teased.
"I do if I want to stay awake all day. Doesn't mean I have to enjoy it."
"You'll get used to the taste.. Eventually."
"Easy for you to say, Mr. Americano. It still hasn't happened yet."
Robert grinned. He loved this silly banter they had together. He'd never been happier.
It had been hard for him; to come out as bisexual. He'd loved women; he'd loved Chrissie enough to marry the poor girl. But this thing with Aaron. This was something else. He had been with men before but he'd never had feelings. Nothing like this. Aaron made him feel like a better person. Even after all the mistakes that he'd made, even after how long it took all of Aaron's family to warm up to him; this, being with him, is exactly what he wanted.
Aaron finished off the last of his coffee way after Robert was already on his second. This time from the kettle, not quite the same as Bob's classic Americano, but he survived.
"Shouldn't we be going soon?" Aaron asked as he put his coffee cup in the recycling bin.
Robert checked his watch. "Yeah, I suppose we should."
"Right, let me brush my teeth and I'll be with you then."
Aaron rushed off upstairs and Robert waited for him on the staircase. The memory he was thinking of earlier came back to him again. It was on this staircase where he told Aaron he did love him and that he'd wait for him to say it back.
Aaron was surprised to see Robert sitting on the staircase smiling to himself.
"What are you so happy about?" He decided to sit next to Robert. He could hardly get told off for being late to work since he was his own boss after all.
"Just thinking."
Aaron looked at him. "Please do go on." He was being sarcastic but he was curious as to what was going through Roberts head.
Robert sighed and looked straight into Aaron's eyes. And he decided to push his luck. "There's just a lot of memories of us on this staircase, you know."
Aaron smiled. "Yeah I know."
He took a deep breath. "I told you that I loved you here."
"You've told me in the kitchen too."
Robert looked at him again and Aaron looked away. Aaron wasn't exactly the best at expressing his feelings.
"You said that I had to wait to hear you say it again."
"Did I now?" Aaron was well aware of what he had said, but he could feel where Robert was going with this and his heart was pounding.
"Yeah. So how much longer do I have to wait, Aaron Livesy?" He leaned in to kiss him and Aaron kissed him back.
Aaron plucked up all the courage he had and looked right at Robert. "I love you, Robert Sugden."
"Well it's about damn time!" He kissed him again but Aaron pulled away.
"Ahem?!" He coughed at him.
"You know I do." Robert replied with his cheeky smile.
Aaron blushed. Robert took his hand and slowly stroked Aaron's face. "But just so you know; I love you too."
Aaron smiled in relief. It was good to hear him say it; he needed that reassurance.
"Right then." Aaron cleared his throat. "Best get to work at some point today."
"I guess we should yeah."
They both stood up and grabbed their jackets to head off.
"Hey, Aaron?"
"Yeah?" He replied, puzzled.
"Does this mean I can call you my boyfriend now?" Robert asked.
Aaron went a deep shade of red. He couldn't believe this was happening. "Is that really what you want?"
Robert placed both his hands on Aaron's face, looking at him. "Yes, that is really what I want."
"Okay." He took a deep breath. "Then, yes, you can."
Robert breathed a sigh of relief. "Your mom won't be too happy."
"Nah, she's got used to you being here all the time anyway. It's not like it's much different."
"It is still a big deal."
"Yeah of course." Aaron didn't think. He would be Roberts first official boyfriend. That really was a big deal. "We can tell her together. She can't be mad when she sees my puppy dog face." Aaron did an impression of it.
Robert laughed. "I don't blame her! Maybe we should give her a few glasses of wine first too?"
"Ha! That's not a bad idea!"
They walked out the pub in the direction of the scrap yard. Aaron could see Robert looked a bit nervous about telling Chas. "Robert, chill out. She won't mind. She loves me and she wants me to be happy."
"Then we have something in common"
Aaron smiled again. "Well I'm happy with you." Robert blushed. "So she can like it or lump it."
Robert sighed with relief. "Thanks Aaron." Impulsively he grabbed Aaron's hand and they walked together hand in hand to work.