Second and last chapter. Thanks for reading!
Aaron had been sitting, thinking what to do for nearly two hours, running everything over in his head. He couldn't lose Robert. After everything they'd been through lately, he needed him. Aaron'd only seen Liv once, and that was for her to raid the fridge, taking as much food as she could carry upstairs. Chas had come in, but after not getting any responses from Aaron to her questions, she'd left again.
Making his mind up, he put his coat on and went out the front of the pub. He instantly regretted that decision as everyone stared at him. Word had gotten out, then.
"What the hell did you say to Robert?" Aaron looked at Vic for a moment.
"Did you not hear what happened this morning?" Aaron asked harshly. She looked down, seemingly abashed, but it didn't last long.
"Make things right with him," she said. "He's really upset."
"Thanks Vic," he said under his breath. Right now he didn't need her advice. He left through the front door of the pub and walked across the street, to find Robert. He couldn't leave it there.
He knocked on Victoria's front door and waited. It didn't take long for Robert to answer. He opened the door, looked at him and then moved aside, walking into the house expecting Aaron to follow him, which he did.
"What do you want?" Robert asked, voice quiet. Aaron looked at him, really looked and saw his eyes were slightly red. He'd been crying then, no matter how much he'd deny it were Aaron to ask. Robert sat down on the arm chair while Aaron stayed standing.
"I trust you," Aaron said. Robert scoffed so Aaron edited it. "I want to trust you."
"That's nearer the mark," Robert said.
"Look… everyone I've ever cared about has let me down or lied to me or hurt me at some point. And yes, I'm including you in that." Robert sighed heavily but didn't really feel he could argue with that. "I had to ask, especially after last year. But tell me you had nothing to do with it, and I'll believe you."
"That simple?" Robert asked in disbelief.
"I hate it when you lie to me," Aaron said, shaking his head. "Tell me the truth."
"I'm not sorry he's dead," Robert said. "I can't be after all he's done, I think it's what he deserves. But, Aaron… I had nothing to do with it."
"Okay," Aaron said, nodding. "I believe you." He sat down on the sofa heavily.
"Really?" Robert asked. Aaron said nothing, and Robert shook his head in despair. "I meant what I said, I can't do this. I can't always be the one running after you, trying to hold onto you." Robert looked down at his hands.
"It's not all one way," Aaron said. "I love you."
Robert looked up, eyes boring into Aaron's. He didn't dare to look away. "You haven't told me that in a very long time."
"I know," Aaron said. "Doesn't mean I don't feel it though." Aaron got up, moved closer to him and kissed him gently. Aaron's palms twisted into fists in Robert's shirt, holding him close the way he usually did. Robert loved that, loved the feeling that Aaron needed him close.
"I need you to be on my side," Robert said quietly when they parted. "I don't have anyone else." As he said the words, he realised how true they were. Aaron had a whole clan of people who'd stick up for him, Robert didn't. He had Victoria and that was about it.
"I'm always on your side," Aaron said. "I just… the letter made me doubt you. And yeah, I'm still really angry about that."
"I know," Robert said. "I shouldn't have burnt it."
"No, you shouldn't have," Aaron said firmly.
"He shouldn't have tried to contact you in the first place," Robert said gently.
"No. I don't want to talk about him any more, I'm done with him, can we just… drop it?"
"Yeah," Robert said, liking that idea. He stood up, so he could hold Aaron close and kissed him again, this time deeper.
"Don't talk about leaving me again," Aaron breathed in between kisses. The fear he had about losing Robert couldn't be underestimated.
"Then trust me," Robert said quietly. Aaron couldn't reply, his lips were busy kissing him in a way that made him never want to let him go. Roberts hands gripped his hips tightly, pulling him close. They both know how this goes.
"Adam's not home, is he?" Aaron breathed, pushing Robert against the wall.
"Well, I didn't fancy an audience," Robert said, smirking at him slightly.
"Perfect." Aaron kissed him again, his hands sliding under his shirt, stroking his bare skin. "Take your shirt off," he demanded. Robert grinned, pulling it off as Aaron's palms stroked him, before he bent down and started kissing his skin. Robert closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wall in bliss as his lips and tongue kept tasting him. Aaron's hands were tight on his hips and he was on his knees in front of him, the surge of lust almost making Robert dizzy.
"Aaron… please…" He grinned, pressing his hand over the bulge in Robert's trousers, making him groan loudly. "Please… Aaron I need you." Aaron grinned, undoing his belt teasingly slowly, keeping his eyes on Robert's face occasionally touching him through his jeans. They were both so involved in what they were doing that neither of them heard the door go.
"Oh my God!" They both looked at Victoria, for a long moment frozen in time before they sprang apart, Robert grasping for his shirt, Aaron getting off his knees and both of them trying to hide their erections. Victoria's mouth hung open as she looked at them, surprise, embarrassment and amusement battling for dominance. "Er… you two made up then?" she asked, smiling broadly, amusement definitely winning.
"Vic…" Robert said, hastily buttoning his shirt up.
"You know there's a bedroom less than thirty feet away from you right now?" Victoria said, grinning broadly. "If you don't want people walking in.
"I should go," Aaron said. He kissed Robert very briefly, avoiding Victoria's eyes as he left the house.
"You know how to pick your moments," Robert said, annoyed that they'd been interrupted. He'd been thoroughly enjoying that.
"I think if I came home five minutes later, that would have been a lot worse," she said, eyebrows raised pointedly. Robert stopped what he was about to say because she was right, that would have been worse. "If you want privacy, you have a bedroom."
"Skip the lecture, Vic," Robert said, sighing heavily. God, he wanted Aaron's touch on him, now. He ached for it so badly he wondered if it'd look too desperate to go over to the pub. Victoria sat down at the kitchen table, smiling widely. "And get that look off your face," Robert added. She couldn't help laughing.