Chapter Text
“Mum I can explain,” Aaron cried as he raced down the stairs after her but she slammed the door in his face leaving him cursing himself and more importantly Robert who was still pulling a t shirt that looked suspiciously like the one he had thrown on as he climbed down the stairs.
“Aaron…”
“Just go Robert,” Aaron pleaded in frustration as he paced in front of the closed back room door.
“What?!”
“I can’t do this now…” Aaron stressed running has hand down his face.
“Aaron please don’t put them back up not now.”
“Put what back up?” Aaron snapped his head towards Robert.
“The…..,” Robert hesitated,
“Your walls not after….” Roberts eyes flitted back up the stairs.
“Is that all you can think about? My mum just……caught us,” Aaron hissed his face flaming.
“So what?” Robert remarked the only thing he cared about right then was the potential of Aaron running away from him again.
“So what?” Aaron repeated in horror, his mum had just walked in on them half naked; so what?
Roberts palm began to sweat, could feel that he was losing him and without being able to physically hold him he just started rambling in the hopes it made sense, he couldn’t lose Aaron not now and he couldn’t risk him walking through the door without him knowing exactly how he felt.
“You’re my best friend Aaron.”
“What?! Really?” Aaron was stunned by Roberts sudden outburst.
“Really,” Robert gave him that half smile,
“And yes I may want to rip your clothes off every time I see you but can you blame me your gorgeous.”
“W-what?!?”
But Robert ignored him and carried on,
“But I'm not an animal, I can control myself can't I, I've been doing it since the moment I met you.”
“You have?” Aaron shook his head in confusion, he should be worried about what his mum and Paddy where plotting behind the door but instead he couldn’t stop gaping at Robert.
Robert swallowed thickly and nodded,
“Yes, out there in the bar, you ran away when….when I smiled at you.”
“Oh,” Aaron thought he’d done a good job at covering his feelings that night, apparently not.
“You felt it too didn’t you?” Robert asked his face full of hope.
“I felt it but this...I...me....I can't be enough for you,” Aaron looked down at his hands.
“Don't you get it Aaron?” Robert cried.
“Get what?”
“I love you,” Robert finally admitted out loud the three words he’d held back for weeks.
“You...?” Aaron gasped he knew Robert felt for him, he’d even said he was falling for him but someone as perfect as Robert couldn’t possibly be in love with him, could they?
“I love you,” Robert repeated.
“I……what?”
“I love the way you drink out of the carton when you think no one is looking,” Robert laughed having caught him doing just that a few mornings ago in the garage.
“I love the way you let me into your life when the people closest to you advised against it. I love the way you chew your lip when you’re nervous, or shy, or afraid to say what’s on your mind,” he pointed up at Aaron,
“Like you’re doing right now.”
“I love the way you can make me smile just by thinking about you. I love the way I feel when I’m with you Aaron because it feels right, in here,” Robert said a his palm flat against his chest, over his heart,
“And I can’t imagine my life without you in it, and I’m afraid if you go through that door I’ll never see you again.”
“You love me?” Aaron whispered.
“Yes,” Robert hissed as exhaled,
“So you can push me away but I'm not going anywhere, I’ll take what I can get Aaron because you’re worth it.”
“I'm not Robert I'm not,” Aaron cried as he felt the last imaginary wall around his heart begin to crumble.
“You are Aaron, I don't care about anything else, the physical stuff yes I'll miss it but I got two hands same as you,” Robert winked causing the younger mans blush, which he seemed to be an almost constant occurrence whenever Robert was around, to deepen.
“And we can do things….” he emphasised the last word, making it sound so sultry that Aaron had to adjust himself,
“Like we just….”
Aaron sighed at the memory,
“But my mum…” Aaron sucked his bottom lip into his mouth.
“We can deal with that if you want,” Robert pointed to the closed door behind Aaron stepping closer making Aarons back hit the door.
“I love you Aaron.”
“Stop saying that,” Aaron whispered his breath hitching in the back of his throat.
“It’s true,” Robert gave him his best half smile, the one that took Aarons breath away,
“And I think you love me too.”
“I…..”
“What do you want Aaron?” Robert asked softly so close to him that all Aaron could smell, could taste, could feel, was the rapid beat of his heart and Robert.
Suddenly he didn’t want to leave, he wanted Robert and he wanted him now.
“Kiss me.”
“What?” Robert automatically backed away finding Aarons eyes with his, eyes that were ablaze with want and dare he say it, love.
“I want you to kiss me Robert,” Aaron reiterated his voice husky and not just from his shortness of breath.
“Are you sure?”
“No,” Aaron replied honestly every instinct in his body telling him to connect his fist with Roberts face, but his mind and the tingling in his fingers that was quickly spreading up through his arms told him he wanted to connect himself to Robert in a different way entirely.
“But…”
“Just kiss me please,” Aaron begged while he still have to nerve to.
“Aaron…”
“Please Robert please.”
Robert shifted closer tentatively closing the gap between them his hand coming up towards Aarons face his eyes searching for permission to touch him but this time as much as the anticipation was drumming through Aarons chest there was no hitching of his breath as his eyes locked with Roberts tilting his chin up to meet Roberts lips closing the remaining distance between them welcoming his touch inhaling sharply as he felt Roberts knuckles brush against his jaw then sighing as once again the scent of mint overwhelmed him. It was Robert whose breathing changed the closer he got to Aarons mouth, coming in raspy gasps and he moaned as his lips grazed lightly against Aarons, it was such a delicate kiss he wasn’t sure if he imagined it or not so to make it real he dragged his tongue along Aarons bottom lip before pressing into his mouth again only pulling back when he felt Aarons tears.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered softly his hand coming up to cup Aarons cheek brushing away the wetness of Aarons tears with the pad of his thumb his pained expression making Aarons heart ache,
“I never meant to hurt you.”
“You didn’t..” Aaron choked back a sob as he finally felt free from the walls around his heart; unbeknownst to him Robert had managed to break them all down.
“Then what’s all this?” Robert worried he’d pushed too far.
“I….I love you.”
“Aaron,” Robert gasped as his heart jumped out of his chest at Aarons words.
“It’s true I’ve never…” Aaron started only for Robert to finish with a simple,
“I know,” because he did he couldn’t explain it either, but ever since that first look he’d felt something ignite within him.
He stepped back giving Aaron some room but the young mechanic had other ideas.
“Hold still,” Aaron breathed out.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Robert promised breathing the words across Aarons skin but as he did as he was instructed every nerve in his body screamed with need to grab hold of Aaron and never let him go.
Aaron stepped into Robert his heart hammering in his chest, the taste of Robert lingering on his lips making him feel dizzy the need to reach out and touch him again so strong his fingers ached with it making them itch but it was his lips he was after now, the need to feel Roberts breath mingling with his own was almost unbearable. His gaze dropped to the older mans lips chewing nervously on his own before flicking his tongue out wetting the plump flesh automatically, the action enough to cause Robert to moan again the sound dragging Aarons eyes back up to the sparkling blue that had affected him so much that first night. He reached up on his tiptoes and softly pressed his mouth to Roberts the act so tender Robert almost felt guilty as he resisted the urge to deepen it. Aaron withdrew his lips with a gasp the sound causing Roberts stomach to drop so in tuned to Aarons breathing and what it meant he began to pull away thinking they’d gone too far but Aarons voice stopped him.
“Let’s do this then…,” he indicated to the closed door behind them where they both knew Chas awaited,
“Together,” Aaron uttered as he reached down; taking a deep breath he slid a shaking hand into Roberts sticky palm interlocking their fingers.
Roberts eyes drop to their joined hands.
“Aaron…” he exhaled in disbelief as he felt a surge of warmth travel up his arm from Aarons touch.
“This…er…this is okay right?” Aaron asked shyly his casting his eyes to the floor.
“Yes,” Robert gave him the half smile squeezing lightly feeling the residual tension leave Aarons body before he took a deep breath.
“They aren’t going to like this,” Robert reminded him.
“But I do and that’s all that matters right?” Aaron looked up at Robert through his dark lashes and with that one look manager to dissipate any fear Robert had about facing Aarons parents.
“You ready?” Robert posed taking a deep breath.
“No,” Aaron exhaled letting out a nervous chuckle.
Robert was inclined to agree but with Aarons hand in his he finally felt like he belonged somewhere and that was right by Aarons side so he could handle a few death stares from Chas if it meant he got Aaron. He turned to face his boyfriend, his free hand on the door,
“I love you,” he repeated again to reassure Aaron who looked at him with a smile that melted his heart saying the three little words he’d never expected to say let alone have said to him,
“I love you,” and with another deep breath they pushed open the door to face the wrath of Chas and Paddy together, hand in hand which was enough to halt the heated debate stopping whatever words came next as the realisation of their connected hands swept through the room.
Chas didn’t have to like it but from what she saw and the way they looked now hands adjoined a sight she never thought she’d see she had no choice but to accept that her son, Aaron Dingle, was in indeed love with Robert Sugden.