It was 8am and Robert was getting ready for work when Aaron woke up. Aaron opened his eyes and he yawned.
"Rob?" Aaron groaned.
Robert looked at Aaron and he saw that he was very pale "You ok?"
Aaron shook his head "I feel like shit."
Robert sat on the bed and he placed a hand on Aaron's forehead "You're burning up. Keep your head down".
Aaron laid down on the bed and he looked at Robert. "I'm fine".
"Do you feel light headed?" Robert asked, worry pasted on his face.
Aaron nodded, "Just a bit, it'll clear up soon, I'll just make breakfa-".
Robert shook his head, "No, I'll whip something up and you'll spend the day in bed!"
Aaron knew that he would not be able to win an argument against Robert, in his current state so merely gave in as Robert went out the room to make breakfast. Robert came back moments later with a tray of toast, egg and orange juice
"You eat up, I'll have to take the day off". Robert said as he handed Aaron his breakfast.
Aaron shook his head, "No, you need to go to work".
Robert gave Aaron a worried look, "But you-".
"I'll be fine for a few hours, but you need to go to work!", Aaron said confidently.
Robert sighed but nodded as he went about himself getting ready for work. He sorted his hair out and he put a shirt on.
Liv's voice bellowed up the stairs, "Are we going now or are you trying to make me late?!"
Aaron laughed as Robert let out a loud groan. "Teen of terror" Robert sighed.
"She's just like me. I was a nightmare when I was a teenager" Aaron chuckled.
Robert walked over to the bed and he sat next to Aaron "You're my perfect dream. You're perfect to me". He kissed Aaron and then he went to work.
After a while Robert had left with Liv, and Aaron was all alone. He hated the fact that he was by himself, but he knew that he would be alright for a couple of hours. Aaron lay in bed for a good thirty minutes before cleaning himself up and taking the dirty tray, plate and glass downstairs. Just as he had predicted, his light-headedness has faded away slightly. Aaron washed up his dirty tray, plate and glass and then put them away before taking a rest on the sofa. He turned the TV on and surfed through the channels. There was not much to watch so Aaron settled on the drama channel, he knew that he would probably laugh at the storyline's stupidity. After an hour the front door swung open and slammed shut, making Aaron jump. He peered around the door and he saw Liv stomping through the house, "Why aren't you at school?"
Liv gave Aaron an angry stare, "Apparently, because I haven't completed the stupid homework which I did like three weeks ago. I have to come home and redo it!"
"Whoa!" Aaron exclaimed, "No need to take it out on me".
Liv smiled slightly, "Sorry, the school just makes me so angry".
Aaron shook his head, "And I'm sure you make the school angry too".
Liv ran up the stairs and she slammed her bedroom door shut. She got an idea and she smirked, she was going to have some fun. After a good few hours Aaron began to feel thirsty, he got up to get himself a drink. He walked in into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. As soon as Aaron put the glass down he heard Liv scream and ran up the stair.
"Liv?" Aaron ran up to Liv's room but... he was pushed into an entirely different room to his sister's. "Ah!", he exclaimed when he hit the floor, "What the hell?". Aaron looked up just as Liv turned the light off and closed the door, "What the hell, Liv!".
Liv just laughed as she locked the door and walked off, leaving Aaron in the dark locked room, "I'll come get you out after an hour!"
Aaron jumped up and he ran to the door, "Liv, let me out of here! This isn't funny! You know that I can't be in a locked room with the lights off! Liv!"
Unfortunately the light switch for the room, was on the other side of the wall. Aaron banged on the door, demanding his sister to let him out. But he soon gave up when he realised she had loud music on.
"Liv! Open the door!" Aaron curled up against the cold wall and began to shiver as, he remembered all the times he was abused in a dark room. He began to fear that someone was in the room with him, starring at him and laughing at him. He whimpered at the thought of his father starring at him with lust, anger and hate in his eyes. He started to cry and hyperventilate as a panic attack started, he had his knees up and he hugged them as he buried his face in them "Get out of my head! Stop laughing at me! Leave me alone, Gordon!" he shouted. He started to cry more when he remembered how he had been inappropriately touched by Gordon and the man that had attacked him. "Robert, please come back. I need help".
After one whole hour Robert walked back into the house, and he felt the floor shaking because of Liv's music "Turn the music down!" he shouted. He ran up the stairs and he banged on Liv's bedroom door.
Liv turned the music off and she opened the door "What?"
Robert rolled his eyes at Liv's attitude "Keep your music down. The village was practically shaking."
"Whatever" She scoffed before she shut the door.
Robert sighed and he walked downstairs "Aaron!" He called but he could not find his husband. He walked around the downstairs of the house looking for his husband "Babe?" he then walked upstairs and he knocked on Liv's bedroom door.
Liv opened the door "What do you want, ratface?"
Robert sighed "I can't find Aaron. Do you know where your brother is?" he asked.
"How should I know where he's gone? You need to start keeping track of your husband's whereabouts" She then slammed the door.
Robert sighed "Kids" he shook his head. However, Robert heard the sound of crying and he immediately recognised it as Aaron. He followed the sound and he came to the spare bedroom, he tried to open the door but it was locked "Why's this door locked?" he asked himself before he ran into his bedroom and he opened on of the cabinet draws. He grabbed the spare key to the door locks and he rushed back to the spare bedroom. He opened the door and he walked in, he reached around the door and he turned the light on. The room lit up and Robert looked around, he saw that Aaron was sat in one of the corners; hugging his knees and crying "Aaron?"
Aaron looked up and he saw Robert "Robert!" he ran over to his husband and he practically jumped into his arms. He sobbed into Robert's chest as his husband hugged him.
Robert was confused and he placed a hand on the back of his husband's head "What's wrong, Gorgeous? Why were you locked in here and why was the light off?" he asked. He could feel that Aaron was shaking and he could hear his sharp breaths.
Aaron clung onto Robert "Liv ... l-locked me ... in ...here". He stuttered.
"Christ, that kid. Are you okay?" Robert asked.
"N-no, I'm scared. I had a panic attack, I remembered all of it I can hear his voice in my head. He won't go away" Aaron wept into Robert's chest.
Robert kissed Aaron's head and he stroked his hair "Ssshhh, It's okay now. I'm here, I'm home."
Aaron sobbed for a while and Robert helped him walk to their bedroom. Aaron laid down and Robert stroked his husband's hair to calm him. The young man was still crying and he was trembling, at the horrible memory of what had happened to him.
After a few minutes Robert kissed Aaron's head and then he marched to Liv's room "Liv! Olivia Flatly, get out here now!" he shouted.
The door opened and Liv sighed when she saw Robert "What have I done wrong now?" she huffed.
"Did you lock Aaron in the spare bedroom? Did you lock him in there and turn the lights off?" Robert asked in a low voice.
"What you on about? I didn't do that" Liv lied.
Robert crossed his arms "Then why did I find him locked in a pitch black spare room, shaking, crying and having a panic attack?"
Liv's eyes widened "What?"
Robert looked at Liv "You heard me. Now, I'm gonna ask you again... Did you lock Aaron in the spare bedroom? Did you lock him in there and turn the lights off?"
"It was just a joke. I was just angry at my teachers, I didn't mean for him to have a-" Liv started.
"You know that he can't be in a dark room on his own. You know that he can't be in a locked room. He freaks out because of what he went through and he gets flashbacks! He can hear Gordon's voice in his head. He used to be scared of the dark when I turned the light off to go to sleep. I have to hold him every night so that he feels safe! He still suffers from nightmares." Robert stated.
Liv looked down "I'm sorry".
"You should be. He was scared out of his mind! He's in mine and his room now and he's crying his eyes out. He's shaking and he was panicking. How long was he in there for?" Robert asked.
"Sixty minutes" Liv answered.
Robert's mouth fell open "You locked him in a dark room for one hour? No wander that he's in a state. What were you think, Liv?" he turned and he walked back to his room.
Aaron was curled up and he was being very still, as Robert walked over to him and sat next to him. Robert placed a hand on Aaron's arm, but his husband flinched and he made a fist.
Robert quickly moved away and he looked at Aaron "Hey, it's just me. I'm not gonna hut you".
Aaron lowered his arm and he looked at Robert "I'm sorry".
Robert pulled Aaron into a hug "Sshh ssh you've done nothing wrong. It's alight, I'm here and I've got you, Aaron".
Aaron hugged Robert. "I was so scared. I had flashbacks again and I kept thinking that he was laughing at me" he sobbed.
Robert stroked Aaron's hair "Sshh, I know that you were scared. No one's gonna hurt you again. I won't let anyone harm you. It's alright now. I'm here, Gorgeous".
Aaron sobbed for a while until Robert made him something to eat and drink. He helped Aaron walk downstairs. He sat down on the sofa and he gently pulled Aaron down onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around his husband and he rocked from side to side. Aaron curled up and he hid his face in Robert's shoulder, his breathing hitched and he hiccupped.
Robert cooed in Aaron's ear and he stroked his hair. He kissed his husband's head twice and he rested his head against Aaron's "It's okay now. I've got you and I'm never gonna let you go. It's all gonna be okay".
Aaron hiccupped as he tried to calm his breathing. He eventually managed to get his breathing under control and he hugged Robert. Liv went to Gabby's house for dinner and Robert continued to try and comfort Aaron. His husband was in a state and he did not say much for the rest of the night, Robert and Aaron had an early night after Liv came home and went to her bedroom. Robert held Aaron close and he cooed to his husband until Aaron fell asleep. Robert fell asleep soon after Aaron but he was still hugging Aaron and his husband was hugging him.