Lo, while I have you here being supercilious and pretentious, or whatever else honestly I wasn't reading, can I ask you to please talk to us about the intensive process Aaron went through to buy Seb the cutest lil Halloween costume? Will Aaron just become the Heidi Klum of dads dressing their kids up for Halloween?
FUNNY U SHOULD ASK ALEX BC
WHILE AARON WAS OUT HERE MAKING IT SOUND LIKE HE WALKED PAST A SHOP WINDOW, SAW THAT CUTE LIL DEVIL OUTFIT AND WAS LIKE HM THE PERFECT THING TO GIVE MY SON
I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT NO
NO
AARON WOKE UP ONE MORNING IN OCTOBER WITH A MISSION
A MISSION TO FIND THIS TINY CHILD THE BOMBEST HALLOWEEN COSTUME AROUND
HE WAS GOING TO MAKE SEB LOOK LIKE THE MOST BAD ASS AND CUTEST BABY IN TOWN AND NOT ONE PERSON WOULD STOP HIM. DOTTY THOMAS WAS GONNA CRY IN FUCKIN DEFEAT AT HOW INFERIOR SHE LOOKED TO SEB’S ICONIQ STYLE
AND SO AARON TOOK HIMSELF THE FUCK OFF SHOPPING - WITHOUT ROBERT BC AARON DIDN’T WANT TO SPEND 57 MINUTES WALKING AROUND FUCKIN DEBENHAMS WISHING FOR DEATH AS ROB BITCHED ABOUT TIE PATTERNS, HE HAD A GOD DAMN MISSION AND HE WAS GONNA FUCKIN SUCCEED
AARON HAD A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH - HE MADE HIS WAY AROUND THE SHOPS, HIT EVERY KIDS’ SECTION HE COULD FIND. HE HAD A LIST - STRONG CONTENDERS. PRICE? NOT IMPORTANT, YOU CAN’T PUT A PRICE ON 77 PHOTOS OF YOUR SON LOOKING PEAK HALLOWEEN MAGICAL THANKS.
AARON STOPPED OFF FOR DINNER AT SOME POINT AND TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO BROWSE THE INTERNET - NO SPOOKY BABY STONE WOULD BE LEFT UNTURNED, AARON WANTED THIS OUTFIT TO BE GOD DAMN PERFECT. HE SENT PHOTOS OF HIS FAVOURITES TO LIV - HE NEEDED CONSENSUS HERE, THIS WAS TOO IMPORTANT TO GET WRONG AND HE TRUSTED HER TO GIVE HIM THE SUPPORT HE NEEDED IN THIS, THE MOST IMPORTANT MISSION OF HIS GOD DAMN LIFE. SEB’S WHOLE BAD ASS BABY #BRAND WAS AT FUCKING STAKE. WHAT, DID HE WANT AMBA ROCKING UP AND CRUSHING SEB’S OUTFIT BENEATH HER TINY FIST BC SHE’D DRESSED UP AS A MINI FREDDIE MERCURY? GOD DAMN IT NO.
FUCK NO, IN THE EMMERDALE BABY WARS THE ONLY PLACE SEB DESERVED TO BE WAS TOP OF THE HEAP BEST OF THE BUNCH. ALL OTHER BABIES? FUCKIN LOSERS MATE, GO HOME.
except leo, aaron loved his godson ok. he definitely sees that child constantly.
IT WAS GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF THE DAY WHEN…. FINALLY. HE FOUND IT. THE CUTEST AND MOST BRUTALLY PERFECT FLIPPING DEVIL COSTUME ANY PERSON HAS EVER SEEN. ISAAC WAS GONNA TAKE ONE LOOK AND WEEP. JOHNNY!!!! WHO!!!!!!
SEB WAS GONNA HAVE WINGS MATE.
FEELING SATISFIED AND PLEASED, AARON TOOK HIMSELF HOME TO HIS WONDERFUL HUSBAND AND LOVELY SISTER AND HIS BAD ASS LITTLE KID.
AND THEN HE AND ROB MADE OUT FOR LIKE 5 HOURS THANK U FOR UR TIME
It was nearing the end of February and still colder than Aaron would ever be comfortable with. Not to mention the pouring rain that absolutely wasn’t helping. He was on his way to Bar West to meet Alex, and he was shivering so bad he didn’t know if he would make it. They had been hanging out an awful lot lately and Aaron usually had a laugh but for some reason he was finding it so hard to stay in the moment. His mind was always someplace else. And when he wasn’t daydreaming he was bored out of his mind. He knew exactly why so he couldn’t pretend to be in denial. Ever since Valentine’s Day things had been so out of focus, and people were starting to notice.
{“Don’t tell me you’re thinking about getting back with him.”
Aaron rolled his eyes. He’d done this dance before.
“No Mum. I was just helpin’ him out with Seb for one day.”
“That kid is his mess to clean up, Aaron, not yours.”
“Mum. That kid is barely three months old, none of this is his fault. Besides, I can’t spend my whole life holdin’ a grudge, the man deserves a break.”
“What he deserves is to be thrown out back with the rest of the rubbish.”
Aaron rolled his eyes again.
“You’re happy with Alex right?”
“Yeah.”
“Right, so that poor excuse for a human being should be the last thing on your mind right now.”}
Alex was sweet, stable, fit, all the things that Aaron always wanted, and what everyone in his life wanted for him but he couldn’t shake the feeling that a relationship with this “top shelf bloke” was being shoved down his throat.
Maybe that was a bit harsh but when he looked at his future, and who he was going to spend the rest of his life with he certainly didn’t see Alex. Or anyone he had settled for for that matter. Instead the same memory played over in his head. Not a hugely significant memory but an important one nonetheless.
{Aaron had his head on the older man’s lap. They were watching a film that Robert wasn’t currently paying attention to. It was an action film that Aaron had picked out.
Robert didn’t mind though because he was preoccupied playing with Aaron’s curls the way he always did when he got the chance, twirling his fingers in and out of them, making little knots and swirls.
Aaron looked up at him and smiled. Robert was wearing one of Aaron’s black t-shirts. He had many, but this specific one was Robert’s favorite because it was the softest. He stole it from Aaron on a regular basis and it was practically his now, to wear on nights like this one.
Robert smiled back, leaned down, and kissed Aaron’s forehead.}
“Aaron!” Alex was getting up from his corner booth to hug him. He had made it to the the bar without even realizing it and he suddenly felt the urge to be back out in the cold again.
They hugged awkwardly and Alex introduced him to his friends. “Guys this is Aaron, Aaron this is Trey and Samuel.”
“So you’re the famous Aaron? We’ve heard so much about you,” they smiled.
“Good things I hope.” Aaron sat down and Alex took the edge of their seat.
“I didn’t order your drink yet because I didn’t know what you would like but I can go get you something?”
“Erm, pint, thanks” literally the easiest drink to remember.
Alex nodded got up and walked over to the bar, and across the table Alex’s friends were giggling about something. He hadn’t met them before and they weren’t making an effort to speak to him, which just made Aaron feel even more out of place. That was entirely his fault though, as Alex had invited him to go out with them plenty of times and Aaron always had some kind of excuse.
Everyone talked and laughed around him and he just waited for his drink, watching the people who left and entered the bar. He counted every face that came and went through the door until in walked a particular blonde man with a smile that somehow still made Aaron melt. He sat down at the end of the bar with Vanessa, Charity, and Vic, and they all ordered drinks. Robert was wearing that white floral shirt that he and Rebecca had made fun of at Holly’s funeral, and Aaron couldn’t help but notice how fit he actually looked in that shirt. The sleeves were rolled up and the first button was undone. He didn’t know why he was staring, he just wanted to think about something, anything, that wasn’t Alex’s inability to remember the simplest drink order known to man. And when a sight like this was placed in front of him, he was gonna watch.
Robert looked up and noticed Aaron staring. He smiled small, like always, simply acknowledging the younger man’s existence, but there was something behind it. Like he was trying to void himself of all emotion, and Aaron knew exactly how he felt.
“So our Alex tells us that you two are something of an item now?”
It took a second for Aaron to realize that they were talking to him but soon enough he pulled himself out of his thoughts to respond, “Erm, yeah I guess you could say that,” Aaron attempted a smile.
“Right, as soon as you two start thinking about tying the knot you have to tell us first. Trey here is an expert with centerpieces and venues.”
“It’s true, I’m like an actual wizard with that stuff!”
Aaron had never even thought about that possibility before. He knew it was a joke, with how tipsy they both were, but he couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with the idea. Marriage was supposed to be an exciting prospect. Something that you wish for when you love the person. Aaron tried to imagine that with Alex and all he got was a montage of early nights and drag bingo. He couldn’t help but compare and contrast it to the only time in his life when he actually wanted to be tied to one person forever.
{They were laying in bed, Robert’s arms wrapped around Aaron’s middle. The purple duvet trapped in both of their body’s heat, making the freezing room actually bearable. And with it being almost one in the morning, Robert was asleep.
“Rob… Robert,” Aaron whispered into the dark.
“Mm,” his boyfriend grunted.
“You’re happy right?” It was a random question, “I mean… With me? Here?”
Robert yawned, “Nope, can’t stand it here,” he pulled Aaron closer and nuzzled into the back of his neck.
“I’m serious Rob,” Aaron smiled.
“Yeah, of course I’m happy here. Why, where’s this coming from?”
“I guess I just… well I’ve been thinking a lot about the future.” Robert was awake now, listening to whatever was about to be said next, “And, I was thinking… what if we made this permanent? Ya know, like if we made us all a proper family one day? You, me, and Liv?”
Robert was silent for about fifteen seconds and Aaron started to worry, waiting for Robert to get out of the bed, put his clothes back on and go home. They were still at the point in their relationship where they didn’t know if they were on the same page with the whole commitment thing and Aaron was falling hard. He needed to know if Robert felt the same way, but he was suddenly regretting ever opening his mouth. Until Robert spoke.
“I’d love that more than anything, Aaron,” he could here the smile in his voice, and he placed a kiss at the base of Aaron’s neck. It wasn’t a definitive plan but it was a start.}
Alex came back with a pint and Aaron got up to let him into the booth. He probably should’ve just scooted over and let Alex have the edge again but for some reason the thought of being trapped between Alex and the wall seemed like the worst possible scenario right now, “Hey sorry it took so long, the bartender was taking ages to even notice I was there. You guys didn’t totally attempt to scare him off right? I’d like to leave here with a boyfriend.” Everyone laughed.
“They were fine… How was work?” Aaron asked. It was an empty question, something you ask when you have nothing else to talk about.
“It was alright, same old, same old,” Aaron pretended to listen, nodding along at the appropriate times. He watched Robert across the room with his friends. It was a strange concept; Robert having friends. But Aaron was happy for him, he deserved to have people in his life, apart from immediate family. Aaron had always told him to get out more and hang out with people around the village, but Robert always had some kind of excuse, like he had too much work to do, or he would rather spend time with Aaron.
Vanessa and Charity were teasing each other and Charity made a remark that was apparently hilarious because Robert had to keep himself from spitting out his drink. Once he finally swallowed he leaned back and laughed that deep, genuine laugh that Aaron hadn’t heard in so long. He got lost in it, forgetting where he was and who he was with. But then his breath caught when the girls pointed Robert’s attention towards the man that was walking up next to him. He was a little taller than Robert, with brown hair and a slight scruffy beard. He and Robert had a similar taste in wardrobe; pristine white button up and dark dress pants. He looked like he’d just gotten off work at the office to come have a drink with the boys. He could already tell the guy had way more class than Aaron could ever hope to have.
He got really close to Robert, clearly flirting with him and something in Aaron started fuming. Robert smiled up at him, beaming, then laughed and shook his head at whatever pathetic pick up line the guy had used. The girls exchanged wide-eyed looks and Charity whistled as they watched the encounter unfold, but as soon as he put his hand on Robert’s thigh Aaron thought he was gonna throw up. Then Alex said something about missing him all day and it pushed him over the edge. He stood from the booth and mumbled something about nipping to the restroom, making his way out the front door instead. Luckily Alex didn’t seem to notice, seeing as his friends didn’t waste any time pulling him into a conversation.
Aaron ran out into the cold rain and prayed no one would follow him. He walked to where he’d parked his car down the block and got inside. The seats were probably suffering a great deal from his soaked clothes but he didn’t care. He rested his head against the steering wheel and gathered his thoughts. Then as soon as he was able to keep his last meal down, he started the engine and drove all the way back to the Mill.
When he got there he put the kettle on and sat on the couch, his head in his hands. This wasn’t fair, he shouldn’t have been allowed to feel like this. Alex didn’t deserve it and Robert certainly didn’t either. He was the one who had to watch Aaron with Alex all those times and Aaron never understood why he was so nasty towards them. Now though, Aaron had wanted to rip that guys head off. He couldn’t even begin to stomach the idea of watching Robert in a full-blown relationship. And now that Robert was finally able to let himself move on, Aaron had to go and do this. Knowing how far Robert had to come to be in the place he was now. It wasn’t fair.
{“I swear Aaron, I wasn’t trying to mess things up. I did enough of that when we broke up and I’m done keeping you from being happy.”
Aaron’s chest hurt at that. It broke him to think that that’s really what Robert believed he was doing. “Rob, it’s fine. Seriously, I offered to watch Seb, because me and you are friends and Alex is gonna have to deal with that.”
Robert smiled small, and was quiet. He was finally starting to get used to that word; “friends.”
“Tell ya how you can make it up to me though,” Aaron said. “I’m trying to cook something up for Alex. It’s Valentine’s or whatever and you know that I’m a terrible cook.”
“That’s true.” Robert chuckled.
He looked at the ingredients that Aaron had bought along with what was in the fridge, and decided that they had what they needed to make chicken marsala. So Robert got to cooking and Aaron stood idly by and watching/pretending like he had an opinion about what was going on.
“Grab us that fresh basil out of the crisper.”
Aaron complied and saw the festival tickets that were clipped to the fridge.
“So what was he supposed to be getting me then?”
“What?”
“For my birthday.”
“Oh, erm… tickets to the Rocky Horror Picture Show…” Aaron cringed. “Yeah. I guess there was some mix-up with a film you were gonna watch. Has he not told you what a massive fan he is?”
“No. Suppose we know why now don’t we?”
“Sorry.”
“Did you ever consider that maybe I’d want to go just because he likes it?”
“It wasn’t fair, I should’ve stayed out of it… I’m not doing too great at this friends thing.”
“Actually, I sorta of guessed that it was you that thought of the festival idea, so, I suppose I owe you one.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I rather claw my eyes out than sit through Rocky Horror.”
“Well, not exactly. I could see you in a pair of suspenders and some lipstick.”
“Shut up.” Aaron laughed.
“And, he got you to try that posh italian place by the hospital so I guess there’s a first time for everything.”
Aaron smiled and shook his head at him, “you’re here to cook, not take the mick.”
“Right, I suppose I should get on with it then.”
Robert rinsed the parsley and turned on the stove for the chicken. He didn’t know how it happened but one minute he was grilling the chicken and the next minute he was jerking his hand away from the stove, hissing in pain.
“Hey what’s wrong?”
“Ah, nothing. It’s just a little heat. Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Robert it’s already starting to blister.” He hadn’t realized it was that bad, until Aaron was taking hold of Robert’s hand, and examining the wound. “Come’ere.” He led him over to the sink and turned the tap on cold. Robert was completely capable of holding his hand under a faucet but Aaron didn’t let go, he held Robert’s hand under the sink and watched the water run. Robert looked at where their hands met and a pulse of electricity went through his body, one that he hadn’t felt in a while.
Aaron was looking at him now, and they were dangerously close to one another. Robert glanced at Aaron’s mouth and everything felt right. They were standing in the kitchen that they designed together, (sort of) holding hands, sharing the same space, cooking dinner together.
Robert had to remind himself that the dinner wasn’t for them. That the kitchen wasn’t his anymore and Aaron was just simply helping him with a minor injury, because that’s what friends do. But that didn’t mean he was going to let go of the moment just yet. They were so close to closing the gap between them and then-
“Aaron?”
It was Paddy.
Aaron backed away faster than he thought possible and Robert turned the tap off. Paddy stood for a few seconds, not knowing how to react but soon he decided to get to the point. He dropped off a pair of boots that Aaron had lent to him and nobody said a word about what he had walked in on. Not that there was anything to say.}
There was a loud knock on the door and Aaron pulled himself out of his thoughts, getting up to see who it was.
“Hey… I’m sorry for following ya, I just- I saw you leave and something was obviously wrong,” Robert said over the pounding rain.
“You came all the way here?”
“I came to check you were alright… But now I’m realizing I should’ve probably just left you alone, so… shit, I’ve done it again haven’t I?”
“Done what?”
“Stepped into boundaries that aren’t mine to step into anymore…” Robert looked at the ground. The guy was completely soaked, “I’m sorry I’ll leave.”
Every part of Aaron’s mind screamed at him to let him walk away, and he tried- he really did- but he couldn’t do it anymore. He needed to do this, now.
“Rob!” Aaron yelled. Robert stopped.
“Yeah?” he turned around, looking almost hopeful, but he quickly wiped that from his face, going back to the stone expression he had before. He wasn’t about to give himself false hope and come out disappointed again.
“It’s ok…that you followed me here, I mean.”
Robert clearly didn’t know what to say in response so Aaron continued.
“You should come in… since you came all the way here, I mean.”
“Aaron-”
“Please?”
So he nodded and they went inside.
“Is this about Alex?” he asked, trying to sound as confident and ok with the subject as possible, wanting to be there for Aaron no matter how much it hurt. Aaron could tell he was struggling to keep everything under wraps, after Valentine’s, and something tugged in his chest.
“Erm, no… Well, and yes- sort of… I don’t really know. I just needed to get out of there.”
“Right. Well do you want to talk-”
“I erm, I saw ya with that guy. Are you two friends?” he wanted to steer the conversation away from Alex but he immediately regretted the path he chose to take instead.
“Oh, uh no. We just met at the bar. He gave me his number but I wasn’t interested. Why?”
“Just curious. He seemed pretty interested,” Aaron’s tone completely gave away how he felt about the situation.
“Aaron what is this about?”
“What?”
“This. The interrogation about some random guy that was talking with me at a bar. I know that can’t be the reason why you left.”
“Yeah, Rob. It is…” He didn’t mean to say it but he did and now it was on the table waiting to be dealt with. Maybe it was good thing considering now they had no choice but to talk about it.
“No.” Robert stood from where they were sitting across from each other. “No. You don’t get to do that.”
“You haven’t even let me say anything else.”
“I don’t need to. I know where this is going and if you keep talking, I’m not gonna be able to make the logical decision and turn you down.”
“Rob, just hear me out, please.” Aaron was standing now too.
“I’m finally forcing myself to move on, and if you start doing this, if I start hoping again… I won’t be able to cope this time, when the rug gets ripped out from under me. I won’t…”
Aaron could see the pain in the older man’s eyes and it killed him to see Robert so vulnerable. He was always so strong and too proud for his own good, but when it came to Aaron, it was as if all the walls that he had built up over the years were brought down, and he was completely exposed.
“Robert. I-”
“I’m sorry Aaron, I shouldn’t have come.” He looked emotionless, once again. Aaron hadn’t even had the chance to explain himself and Robert was leaving.
“Robert-” Aaron called, but he was already out the door.
“Well go after him then!” Aaron was startled by the voice and looked up to see Liv sitting at the top of the stairs. He hadn’t known that she was home, let alone listening to the whole thing. He’d guessed that whatever she “really needed to talk to Gabby about” didn’t go over too well. But he couldn’t ask about that now. She was right, he couldn’t let Robert slip through his fingers.
Aaron ran out the front door, hoping that Robert hadn’t driven off already. Luckily he was just leaning against his car, breathing hard. Aaron tried to gather his thoughts quickly but somehow all he could come up with was a disorganized jumble of words so he just decided to wing it, “You left some pretty big shoes to fill Rob and this. Me an’ you, I can’t shake it. I tried and I thought I had everything figured out with Alex and Liv and even Gerry but-”
“Aaron don’t do this. Please…” Robert turned towards Aaron and looked to the ground as if he was about to break.
“Why? Why can’t you listen to what I have to say?”
“Because if I listen then I won’t be able to say no because it’s you, and then we’ll get back together and I’ll screw everything up again. Who knows how bad this time.”
“No. You won’t-”
“Why now?” Robert was searching Aaron’s face. “Why now, after all those times that you rejected me and pushed me away? What’s different now?”
{Robert was drunk. He’d come around in the middle of the night banging on the door, and it took everything Aaron had not to ignore it until he left. But he wasn’t sure he would ever leave, so instead he opened the door and told him to go home.
“Aaron please. I know that me and you can work this out. I know we can.”
“Robert stop.”
“Messed up forever remember? You remember all the times we said that? What happened to that huh?”
He’d tried so hard to be nice, every time they did this, but he’d had enough, “You wanna know what happened to that, eh do ya? You dumped it down the drain when you slept with Rebecca in our bed and got her pregnant with your son! That’s what happened to that!… We’re done Robert, ok? Messed up forever? That’s gone! I don’t love you anymore and you have no one to blame for that but yourself.”
It wasn’t entirely the truth but Aaron was just so angry. Robert looked like a puppy who’d just been kicked and Aaron was suddenly regretting everything he’d just said. But he couldn’t take it back because Robert needed to hear it and accept the fact that they were done.
“You need to leave Robert, now.”
Robert looked to the floor and wiped his eyes, then looked back up at Aaron with a watery expression, “Say it again… tell me- tell me again that we’re done, and that you don’t love me anymore. Tell me so that I know there’s no hope and I can stop trying.”
“We’re done. I don’t love you anymore, and I want you to stop trying.”
Robert nodded, turned, and walked away, tossing the bottle he’d been holding into a bush. And Aaron went back inside and cried himself to sleep.}
“It’s different now Robert, we’re both different now.”
“Aaron you deserve so much better than me, don’t you get that?… and it kills me everyday, that I will never be what you need, but I have to learn to live with that,” Robert’s chin wobbled a bit but he straightened himself out quick like always, “Aaron, I want you to be happy. More than anything in the world. You’re genuinely the best person I know and after everything you’ve been through… after everything I’ve put you through…you deserve to be with someone who doesn’t royally fuck up everything he touches.”
“I really don’t.” Aaron sorta chuckled through the tears that were streaking down his face.
“Yes you do.”
“No, Robert… You made me happier than I have ever been in my whole life and I was forcing myself to get over that but I don’t want to anymore. It’s pointless because there’s no getting over you. You’re it.”
“No Aaron. You’ve found something really good with Alex,” he looked at the ground and back up, “and I can’t come in and ruin another good thing in your life, I can barely live with myself as it is. And I mean it when I say I’m brickin’ it; trying to get over you. So this conversation right now, turning you down, knowing that this is right in front of me and I can’t take it makes me want to throw myself off a bridge.” Aaron winced. “But I can’t go through all of that again. I can’t watch myself hurt you again and again. And I certainly can’t lose you for a third time. I won’t cope. I mean it Aaron, I love you so much that it hurts. I care about you more than I ever thought I could care about someone and it scares me.”
Aaron stepped closer and placed his hand on Robert’s neck. Electricity flowed through Robert’s body from where Aaron’s hand was, and it was still the greatest feeling in the world, no matter how much it hurt.
“Aaron-”
“Rob, please stop talking,” he grabbed hold of Robert’s face and kissed him. Robert was caught off guard but then he slowly started kissing back, holding onto something that he had been missing for so long. Aaron felt a pain in his chest but it was a good pain, that tingly pain that you get when you’re so incredibly overwhelmed with love that it hurts. A warmth wrapped around his organs and he was home again. It was the best kiss Aaron had had in a long time and he’d wondered why he ever let this feeling go. He was holding Robert’s face and he felt Robert’s hands slide around his waist. Then Aaron let one hand drop to Rob’s chest and the older man brought a hand up to hold Aaron’s cheek, together falling into a rhythm. They were like drowning men who were finally getting a taste of oxygen, and it was earth shattering. Aaron felt the hairs at the base of Robert’s neck and the tears that were falling against Robert’s cheeks, a warm contrast to the rain that was pouring around them. When they finally broke apart to breathe Aaron was crying too, their foreheads touching.
Aaron looked at Robert who still had a hand on Aaron’s cheek, his eyes closed, facing the ground like he was trying to hold onto that feeling for as long as he could. Storing it in the back of his mind for rainy days. He could tell Robert was insecure, waiting for Aaron to realize he had made a mistake, just to go back inside and leave Robert out in the cold with that feeling still on his lips.
“Hey…” He said, Robert finally looking up at him. “You’re the one that I want to be with alright? Alex may be a doctor with lots of friends and a stable life but he’s not you.”
“Ouch.” Robert laughed.
“Shut up you know what I mean.” Aaron smiled. “No one will ever be you, and regardless of what everyone is gonna say, I want to be with you because I love you and make me happy. I needed to learn how to be just Aaron and you needed to learn how to be just Robert. Now we can learn how to properly be Aaron and Robert, yeah?”
Robert nodded in response, “Yeah.”
“Now I’m gonna go in there, with you, and we’re gonna talk alright? And mean really talk. You know, the bit that we always seemed to skip, hence the reason everything fell apart.”
Robert nodded.
Aaron took Robert’s hand and led him inside where they sat in the living room and talked, about everything. All the things they did wrong and all the things that they did right. When they were done Aaron sent a quick text to Alex saying that they needed to talk in the morning and Robert slept on the couch, with it being too late for him to drive to Vic’s. They agreed that if they were going to do this they would do it right. Dates, taking it slow, the whole nine yards. They would communicate and never lie to each other no matter how much it hurt to tell the truth. They were going to do it for real this time because damn it, they deserved that much.
