#bitinglip4robert

It’s smarmy. But he’s also putting a coffee down, he’s giving Aaron something when he doesn’t need to and it feels a lot like the start of something dangerous. He knows it is, he’s been dragged through his stupid schemes and got bruised knuckles for his troubles.

But he doesn’t give him a glare, he doesn’t tell him to fuck off, do one, take his coffee and stick it anywhere he likes. He just doesn’t. Instead he stares down at it and huffs, a shadow of something rushing inside of him as he laughs and a smirk forms around his mouth.

He’s taking his gloves off when Cain comes back from wherever he’s been. He sits against one of the cars and looks over at Aaron.

“You can get off now.”

“Yeah I was going to.” Aaron scoffs before Cain frowns. “I mean yeah … cheers.” He shrugs out of his overalls, kicks them as they gather at his feet and he pulls it over his shoulder before nodding at his uncle.

“Oi. Forgot this.” Cain holds out the coffee, there’s a harsh frown on his face. “Freezing now.” He says and Aaron’s mouth forms an O as he takes it from him.

“Yeah I didn’t …”

“See you tomorrow.” Cain’s already waving him off, his back the only thing Aaron can see as the moon hangs in the air and the wind picks up that makes his teeth chatter slightly.

He feels the cold case of the coffee before walking towards the bin outside the pub, he fiddles about with taking the lid off out of curiosity. Robert looks like an Americano sort of guy, Aaron just prefers the normal kind.

There’s froth though, boiled down into hardly anything throughout the day and Aaron makes out a faint logo on the side. He recognises it as a shop his mum thinks is sophisticated enough to spend hours in once she’s done shopping in town. It’s just a coffee shop, but he’s sure they say it’s artistry with all their fancy signs and marbled tables.

Aaron shakes his head against the lengths Robert’s gone to for absolutely no reason. It travels around him for a second until he makes out an eye on the froth, and then a curve that almost makes out a smile.

He stands over the bin with a frown on his face when he hears heels and a laugh that gets his head up. He doesn’t expect to see Chrissie standing there, she’s holding on to someone. Robert. They’re walking out of the pub and Aaron’s mind immediately travels towards something. Them. Cosy night in. It’s absolutely none of his business.

He doesn’t know why Robert’s looking at him until he realises he’s still holding the cup in his head. The very full cup. Robert’s eyes flicker, a hardening to his face as Chrissie tugs at his hand obviously confused as to why they’ve slowed down.

Aaron feels this rushing need to explain himself, to tell him he was working flat out. But then Robert’s arm is around Chrissie’s even tighter than it was before and he kisses her cheek hard. She giggles, he laughs.

Aaron’s face drops and his jaw clicks tightly as he watches them walk away. He pours the coffee in the bin, Robert throws him a look over his shoulder as they get to his car.

It makes Aaron crumble the empty cup in his hand.

—

2. Dinner:

There’s candles flickering on the table and Aaron’s staring down at the cutlery, there’s four different types of spoons and he doesn’t know which one to pick up first. Robert’s looking at him when he glances up. He’s wearing a navy tie, a blush to his cheeks and his tongue showing as he bites down and smiles.

“The Dingle’s showing.”

Aaron wriggles an eyebrow, his face changing colour as a sense of something peaks between them. He brings a hand out on to the table and then pulls it away when he sees Robert’s are on his lap. “My what?”

“Just follow my lead with this lot yeah?” Robert’s voice is soft, he’s kind with it, there’s a gentleness to him and this swanky hotel he’s bought him to. He watches Robert pick up the smallest spoon and then smile. “I’ve had enough stupid dinners to know what’s what.”

Aaron thinks of Chrissie suddenly and it hits like a wave; leaves him breathless for a second as he imagines her with Robert on her arm at these stupid dinners. He feels something tighten inside him as he thinks of how easy she can be with him, show him off.

Aaron clears his throat, he brings a shake to his head when Robert swirls the small spoon in front of his face. There’s no harshness to his expressions, he leans back on his chair with ease, he smiles when he looks at Aaron.

“The Dingle’s showing.” Aaron says after a second, his face is pink. “Sounds rude.”

Robert rolls his eyes. “You and your mind.” He says before he reaches down, he takes hold of the hand Aaron’s got on his lap and he squeezes. “That’s for later yeah?”

It makes something swoop in his chest in this funny way, Robert’s voice slick and gravel like as he winks. Aaron thinks of his bag in the room, the thick cotton sheets, the way he waited with baited breath for Robert to walk through the door and make him feel alive with something.

He did, he’s doing it again now and then again when he’s ordering for them. Aaron’s having a steak, medium rare, apparently that’s what he’s going to like.

“Control freak.” Aaron says, but there’s nothing in his words, not even the smallest bite of heat when Robert looks at him. “What?” He says, because Robert won’t stop looking at him.

“Are you happy you came?” Robert says, he has a foot close to Aaron’s and he scrapes down and then up and then down again slowly. He looks bare, almost vulnerable and there’s still a charm to it that makes Aaron feel like he’s going to faint.

“Haven’t tried the food yet.” Aaron says, he shrugs slowly and Robert nods his head.

“I’ll take that.” There’s something there as he says it and Aaron feels like he’s got him, that maybe Robert’s as trapped as he is in all of this.

The food comes, Aaron tries not to wolf it down like an animal and yet Robert looks like he’s still finding him attractive. He doesn’t get it, he can’t.

“Why all this?” Aaron looks around the room, there’s couples everywhere, twinkling lights hung on windows and overlooking woodland. Robert frowns at the question like he doesn’t understand. “Fancy dinner, fancy hotel.”

“Don’t really like what the barn does for my back.” Robert says, Aaron goes to say something and he sighs. “And it’s not ‘cause I’m old.”

“Are you sure?” Aaron says, he leans back, laughs when Robert shakes his head and tells him he’s an idiot. He doesn’t feel like one now, he feels happy, he feels like this is a real or something.

Robert orders them champagne and Aaron feels light on it by the time he’s eating some sort of tart for dinner and Robert’s taking his wallet out.

“What’s that for?”

“This.” Robert says, he looks at the table and then frowns. “What’s with the face?”

“You don’t need to … pay.” Aaron says, he sobers slightly at the realisation that he can’t afford to cover this himself. He blushes and runs a hand across his face. “Robert, you’re already paying for the pissin’ room.” He leans over the table and Robert shakes his head.

“Yeah and you’ll repay me.” Robert leans over. “In bed.” He says, and Aaron’s legs are like jelly around it until Robert sighs. “I’m not letting you pay alright.”

“Chrissie doesn’t pay either right?” Aaron bounces his knee when Robert’s face falls like it always does when she’s mentioned. Like Chrissie is someone who they don’t mention, like Robert doesn’t smell like her sometimes when he first embraces Aaron. He know it’s something that will get his attention, comparing them, putting on the same level as if they are. “I ain’t your husband. This ain’t … I can pay my way.”

And it would be easier that way, if they didn’t do this, if they didn’t stare at each other at a candle lit table and look so happy being around each other. It would be easier if they split things when ever ate, if Aaron said he wasn’t hungry in the first place and just fucked him in a hotel room for an hour and then pissed off.

It would be easier, easier and easier than *this.

Robert gulps hard, he knows, he must know. He brings himself closer by scrapping his chair and Aaron feels him almost everywhere. “Let me do this for you.” Aaron looks up, sighs. “It ain’t about money, it’s about being with you. Idiot.”

Aaron blinks back something. “Impressing me more like.” He kicks his leg against his chair and Robert looks flushed with something.

“Something like that.”

Aaron brings his teeth over his bottom lip and tugs as Robert looks at him with heavy green eyes.

“You wear a suit next time, pay me back that way.”

“A suit?” Aaron pulls a face and leans back in his chair, tart forgotten about as he smiles weakly. “Easy to please.”

Robert shrugs. “Maybe when it comes to you.” He calls for a waiter to come towards the table and then looks back at Aaron. “Should we get a couple of beers bought up to the room n’all. We can catch those football highlights you wanted?”

It’s that, it’s a just a smile and a promise of wanting something more, this feeling, this buzz between them to continue. It’s Robert asking, waiting. It’s Aaron nodding his head, wanting nothing more.

“Good.” Robert whispers, and Aaron gulps hard under his stare until they’re in the lift and Robert’s fingers skate close to his in this anticipation or kindness or something.

Aaron is definitely sure Robert has no idea what he does to him.

—

3. Grapes:

Aaron’s eyes open to the smell of the room, clinical and strong and matching the way the white walls close in on him. He closes his eyes almost as quickly as he opened them before twisting at his lip and scrapping the skin back and forth.

There’s a steady beat of something next to him and he turns to see the monitor, turns back to look down at his leg and then up towards the ceiling again. He gulps down something thick, this thumping that won’t stop until he hears the door pull.

He watches a nurse walk in and he mumbles something about whether his mum is still around or not. She’s gone home, she’s getting rest and apparently he should be doing the same. But he doesn’t want that, he wants to forget any of this sad tragic thing happened, he wants the pity in his mum’s eyes to die away into nothing at all.

He’s sick of that, of this, of laying in a hospital bed and being told people love him.

When he opens his eyes again there’s someone over him, he shuffles slightly and then tries to sit up but they have a hand on his shoulder, they say don’t.

Aaron looks up, knows that voice and feels light for a second, “Rob?”

“Yeah.” Robert says, he smiles weakly and then gulps hard enough for Aaron to hear. He looks nervous, there’s his hand still on Aaron’s shoulder and he squeezes for a second before slowly pulling away and sitting awkwardly on the bed. “How’s the leg?”

Aaron remembers him last night, the way he hardly looked at him. He was tightly coiled and jumpy and now he doesn’t seem that way at all. He has this energy to him, Aaron almost wants to hate him for it. He doesn’t, he can’t.

“How’s Chrissie?”

Robert’s jaw locks in place for a second, he shakes his head and sighs. “Don’t.”

Aaron wills himself to not be as open and placid as he was last night, he nods his head. “She enjoy her takeaway? Sweet and sour or —“

Robert looks up at him. “I came here for you.” He says, his face is flushed pink and Aaron tries to stay strong against any of his dramatics. He loves him, he fucking knows he loves him but that doesn’t mean he has to like him right about now. No. He really doesn’t.

“To shut me up about my mum?”

Robert’s eyes flicker like mad and then he looks down at Aaron’s hand, there’s a few cuts from the fall and a bruise forming over one of his knuckles. “To see if you were better.”

“Better?” Aaron nods slowly.

Robert breathes in. “You can’t do that again Aaron, you can’t … do that to yourself.” And Aaron has to look away at that, has to fight this thing inside him that’s telling him to reach out. “You’ll end up dead.”

Aaron looks at him at that, he’s shaking his head, his green eyes are filled with something beyond anger, beyond determination to make Aaron listen.

“I couldn’t …” Robert hesitates. “You know I couldn’t.”

There’s Robert beaten and bloody and he’s saying things, he’s saying he couldn’t handle it if something happened, that Chrissie isn’t enough. He’s saying three words, he’s really saying them.

“I know.” Aaron says, because he does. He didn’t spend days and days in his bed without figuring out that Robert does love him. He’s seen that, and he’s seen this and he can’t breathe against how unfair it is that he can’t have him all. “I won’t go running again, not like that.”

Robert’s eyes flicker. “Promise me?”

Aaron thinks it’s rich, he thinks he shouldn’t be promising Robert anything when he can’t do the same in return. He can’t promise to leave Chrissie. He can’t promise that and Aaron’s got to get his head around that being fine somehow.

“I said didn’t I?” Aaron says, he has a hand down flat on the bed and he blinks slowly as Robert watches him in silence.

“You scared me.” Robert says, shows. He brings his hand over Aaron’s and looks down for a second. Aaron sees himself in him, hesitant, unsure of how to go about showing.

“I know.” Aaron says. “I heard you … yesterday. Your voice.” He was scared, he was panicked and breathless and squeezing his coat down on him. “Coat smelt like you n’all.”

Robert looks up. “It was mine.”

Aaron smiles. “Yeah I know, idiot.” He bites his lip and then strokes a thumb over Robert’s hand, watches him breathe out. “It weren’t your fault.”

And maybe Robert will always think everything Aaron does, all the scary tragic things are down to him. He nods out like he knows it wasn’t and Aaron sees if it meets his eyes. He moves down and then picks something up from the floor, a bag of something and Aaron frowns.

“What’s …”

“Grapes.” Robert looks hesitant as he puts the bag on the bed. “For the patient.” He takes one and then turns the bag towards Aaron. He looks almost so innocent it’s a joke, he smiles for a second like he’s unsure of himself and Aaron’s balled over by this shock, surprise, love. “What?”

Aaron shakes his head. “Nothing.” He mumbles. “Stay with me to eat some or … have you got to …” Robert looks down at his phone and Aaron’s heart thumps.

“No. I’m good. I’ll stay.”

Aaron smiles weakly.

—

4. Canvas:

Aaron walks in to his bedroom, kicks the door open and huffs as he sees Robert sitting on the bed. He’s looking around the place and Aaron can’t help but wonder if he’s remembering times were they’ve been here together. It makes the corners of his mouth rise before the pressure of the box becomes too much and he drops it lightly.

“You going to just let me do all the work?” Aaron says, his face is bright red as he swings the door open and gets another one of Robert’s boxes. He practically kicks it into the room and that’s when Robert looks his way. “Oh now I’ve got your attention.”

“I’ve got a laptop in one of them boxes.” Robert sits up, he’s for a soft look on his face and he smiles when Aaron rolls his eyes. “Come here.”

“We’ve already been doing a lot of stuff where you’re sitting.” Aaron says, he bends down to start un-boxing and looks up to Robert crowding his space slightly.

“Well, we can do something against the wall if …”

Aaron swots his hand away when he reaches down but Robert grabs it, face bright and light as he slowly crouches and looks at Aaron with wide heavy eyes. He looks so in love with him and Aaron feels something swoop through his chest at the sight.

“Give me a kiss.” Robert says, gentle and yet still laced with his confidence, his charm, his stupid fucking charm.

Aaron tuts. “I’m helping you move in mate, you give me one.” He mumbles, and Aaron feels him close in around him until his mouth is stretched over his and Robert’s hand is firmly pressed towards the back of Aaron’s neck. He smiles, deep, light and Aaron can only bring himself to push off when he hears Liv on the stairs.

He’s a little breathless, and Robert smirks because of it until Aaron’s telling him to unpack.

“Someone’s eager.” Robert says, he brings his tongue out a little and bites down before Aaron turns bright red.

He is, he’s so eager and it claws through him at such a rate he feels dizzy. Dizzy and stupid and scared for wanting this so much.

“I said didn’t I? Need to keep an eye on ya.” Aaron says, head dipped as he starts opening boxes and watching Robert bring out ties and shirts and folding them nicely. “Where’s all this going then?”

Robert frowns for a second.

“Not in my wardrobe.” Aaron says, he makes the point of crossing his arms over too and he has Robert fooled for a second before he breaks, smiles and Robert has him sprawled out on the floor and laughing.

For a second he feels like a kid again, happy because there’s not anything to be unhappy about. It makes his heart thump hard, again and again as he realises where he is. The dark walls and the silence of this room and what it felt like to be here years ago.

It didn’t know laughter like this, it didn’t know love like this either.

“You’re an idiot.” Robert says, he’s got Aaron pinned down still and he shakes his head lightly as Aaron frowns at him.

“An idiot you’re moving in with.”

Robert pulls a face. “Free pints.” He says before Aaron lifts his knee up like he’s going to kick and he rolls off him laughing.

Aaron sits beside him on the floor, back against the bed frame as he watches Robert look around the room again.

“What you staring at?”

“Feels different.” Robert brings his knees tight up towards his chest and breathes in. “Being here, properly.”

Aaron closes his eyes, hears one knock and then pulling and tugging and locking the door. He sees fumbling on the bed, mouths covered by hands and moans tight around thrusts.

He remembers belts and zippers and the promise of soon. He remembers Robert still on his pillow, his smell staying even when he couldn’t.

“Don’t need to sneak out.” Aaron says, mumbled as he speaks into the arm he’s for over his chest. “Hmm?” He looks towards Robert, shoves him lightly and then slowly strokes Robert’s hand with a finger.

“It’s for real.” Robert’s eyes are wide, like it’s only just dawned on him really and Aaron itches with the way he looks. They’ve done all the christening the bed all morning, making as much noise as they want as they did the same in the shower. Now it’s just the boring bits. Now Robert looks like he wants to be sick.

“Yeah.” Aaron says. He pulls his hand away and Robert looks at him.

“I’m not saying it’s bad. Of course I’m not.” Robert says, as if he’s read Aaron’s mind or something.

“You’re having second …”

“No.” Robert says. “It’s scary but …”

Aaron takes a chance, figures maybe for once they’re on the same page. “Good kind of scary?”

Robert nods gently. “Yeah. The good kind.” He nods again. “Promise.” He has Aaron’s hand against his thigh and he squeezes down before there’s a knock at the door.

Liv’s holding a box and telling one of them to grab it before she smashes whatever’s inside.

“What is it? God, how much stuff did you have ‘round Vic’s in that poxy …”

“Open it.”

Aaron frowns, Robert nods slowly and then he’s watching Aaron closely as he rips it open and sees a picture inside. It’s a canvas, lights flickered and blown across a setting.

“Thought we could … just a bit of art of something.” Robert shrugs, his hands are waving around and then fall into his hair. “Just something that’s ours, together.”

Aaron studies the picture again, “Looks like a wooden … you know by the beach or something.”

“You like beaches.” Robert smiles weakly and Aaron feels his heart thump hard in his chest again and again. “So I thought …”

Aaron looks up at him, eyes wet suddenly and he holds his face tight as he kisses him. Robert’s head tilts back from the impact and Aaron has his hands stroking gently over his face before he pulls back.

“Ours.” Aaron mumbles, and it still feels alien to him, this security they have with each other, this safety.

“Yeah.” Robert stares at the canvas, and back at Aaron. He smiles and kisses him again and Aaron strokes over the picture lightly.

He still looks up at it in bed that night, Robert’s hung it high up over the bed.

“Ours.” Aaron mumbles, face cushioned into Aaron’s chest as he kisses his skin lightly and pulls the covers over them tighter.

–

5. Ring:

There’s silence drawing out between them and Aaron doesn’t mind laying back against it. He doesn’t want to chase it, he wants to let it simmer and fade out altogether.

He won’t rush a single second now.

Robert’s asleep again, face buried into the bed and hands raised up and laced into Aaron’s tightly. He’s exhausted and Aaron knows it, he feels what Robert feels since he was under water, losing his breath. The thought is enough to shake him slightly and so he looks at his hand and it settles him. There’s a ring there, thick and silver and shiny and his. It’s his and so is Robert.

Aaron can’t help but bring his head down, kiss lightly at Robert’s hair and keep himself there until he’s feeling his fiancé start to stir underneath him. He’s almost panicked as he gets up, face red and eyes wide.

“You OK?”

“Course.” Aaron whispers. “You ain’t.” His eyes flicker down towards Robert’s eyes and looks into them deeply. “You didn’t need to come back.”

But he did, with stories of Charity calling them Suggle or something like that and a bag of grapes just to make Aaron smile.

“Where else would I be?” Robert says, he holds their hands together and strokes gently until Aaron feels tears swell in his eyes almost uncontrollably. “Aaron?”

“I’m sorry.” Aaron says, he brings his hands out of the hold and tightly cups Robert’s face. “I just want you to know …”

“I do.” Robert sniffs. “Why else do you think I stayed with you?”

Aaron tuts, there’s a line, there’s this wall and he can’t bring himself to cross it when Robert even tries to bring up what could have been.

“I love you.” Robert whispers. “And we’re OK. Aren’t we?” Aaron nods his head, feels small circles gently form in his thigh. “We’re getting married.” He sounds like a child, he sounds like someone who’s so happy they could burst.

Aaron’s done that, he’s done that and he can’t explain how light it makes him feel. He smiles, teeth showing and hands shaking and everything moving at such a slow and gentle beat between them.

“You want to marry me.” Aaron says. It’s a fact, it’s certain. It forms in Aaron’s mouth and dies as soon as he says it, as soon as Robert scoffs.

“Sort of the plan, yeah.”

“I want to marry you.” Aaron says, his voice is strong and soft at the same time and it catches Robert’s attention enough for his head to rise slowly.

“Must be why you said yes … twice.”

The twice makes something catch in Aaron’s throat, this feeling that when he was completely out of it all he still wanted to do was tell Robert he wanted to marry him.

“Wanted to for a while.” He admits,  because they’re getting married now, because he feels safe in laying everything bare whilst Robert holds his hand in this stupid hospital room. “Thought it’d be too fast though, you’d hate the idea.”

“As if.” Robert says. “As if I could ever.” He whispers, words slow and settled in his voice.

“Even with your track record.”

“Yeah well, there was this annoying idiot who was all stuck in my head through my last marriage so.” Robert dips his head and Aaron looks down at his ring, he can’t help it.

“You got us rings.” Aaron’s saying, he’s sure he’s still a little out of it and the fact that he’s got engaged on top of everything else is enough to make him do this.

“You just stating the obvious yeah?”

Aaron nods. “They’re so cool.” Robert laughs, hearty and deep. “What? They’re mint.”

“Glad you approve.” Robert says, “Glad I jumped back in for it now.”

Aaron’s face falls, a frown curving against his face as Robert tells him it’s nothing. “Don’t lie to me.” He says. “You … went back?”

Robert tilts his head slightly. “I left it.” Aaron shakes his head. “The car was going to sink, what else could I …”

“Not risk sinking with it.” Aaron feels himself getting worked up, he pulls his hand away and they shake slightly before he breathes out. “You’re mad.”

Robert blinks. “I wanted … I just wanted to propose.” He says, he looks almost lost in the idea as he speaks. “Properly. I just wanted to give you the ring and …”

Aaron sniffs, raises his hand. “You gave me a ring.” He says, heart thudding slower now as Robert nods gently, smiles. “Don’t ever be so stupid again but … you gave me a ring.”

Robert’s eyes water. “Shut up and come here.” He says, and Aaron leans down into a kiss, a steady gentle one that rises slightly as Aaron’s hands fall over the curve of Robert’s shoulders. He leans away, smiles. “Do you like it?”

“I love it.” Aaron says. “Could have been more …” he tries, tries to tease or say something that’ll annoy Robert but he almost can’t. There’s absolutely no point and he only kisses him again. “It’s perfect.”

Robert’s almost like jelly as he leans back on his chair and smiles. “So are you.”

Aaron bites his lip. “If we keep this up I might be sick.” He says, and he’s back in the room and Robert calls him an idiot.

He looks down at his ring, his engagement ring given to him by his fiance. Aaron’s never been so happy in his life.

—

+ 1 (Inscriptions)

Robert wakes up to the sound of rain hitting the window lightly, just enough to make him stir and roll himself closer to Aaron. He’s a warm heavy weight against him and he nuzzles gently before opening his eyes to the expanse of his chest creeping down towards his stomach.

His blue pyjama top is curled upwards revealing soft skin and making Robert’s eyes wander slightly as they blink open. He catches him completely, finds something inside him swirl as Aaron wakes up.

There’s blue eyes and the sound of a beard being scratched before Aaron yawns down, kisses lightly at Robert’s head and squeezes him in tighter. He has a hand in Robert’s hair a second later and Robert’s hand hangs gently over Aaron’s middle as they breathe slowly and hear the wind whistling outside.

“Weather’s shit.” Aaron tuts, his legs stretch and bend under the covers and Robert chuckles heartily.

“You planning on doing anything today.” Robert says, he places his hand on Aaron’s chest just to feel and then Aaron’s blinking down at him.

“Maybe.” Aaron shrugs. “Maybe today’s important … maybe it isn’t.”

Robert looks up at him, he tilts his head and his chin nearly buts against Aaron’s. “Maybe we didn’t get married a year ago … maybe we did.” Aaron scoffs. “That’s how stupid you sounded.”

Aaron rolls his eyes, lifts Robert’s face up to bring him in to a kiss and it lasts, feels deep and loving and Aaron only pulls away to smile.

“Stay here.” Aaron says, he pulls the covers off and stands on the side of the bed yanking socks on and making Robert have to stare at him in just a pair of boxers.

“This is torture.” Robert says, he kneels on the bed and tries to lean forward but Aaron’s already heading towards the door.

“I’ll be back. Trust me.” He’s out the door and down the stairs before Robert can reply. He thinks of him bringing back a present of the kinky kind and them really starting this day off correctly but he doesn’t.

Robert waits, lays back on Aaron’s side of the bed and plays around on his phone until he’s curling back into a small ball and his eyes close shut. They only open again when Aaron’s between his legs and giving him a really lovely good morning.

“Aaron.” Robert’s whole body jolts as he keeps Aaron’s head firmly in place and only pulls his hands away when they’re curled up against the sheets and Aaron’s coming up for air. “That was very nice, husband dearest.”

Aaron gives this little shrug like the compliment didn’t mean anything when Robert knows it did. He scoots off, hands falling over Robert’s face as he kisses his forehead lightly and looks towards the bedside table.

“Made you a fry up too.”

Robert’s eyebrow arches. “You’re spoiling me here.” He says, there’s something lodged in his throat and it doesn’t move. “I don’t deserve …”

Aaron doesn’t let him say absolutely anything else, instead he holds his face gently and brings his forehead towards Robert’s. “None of that today.”

“Reality.”

Aaron rolls his eyes gently, he pulls himself up on to Robert’s lap and tilts his head towards him so Robert’s listening. “Me and you … that’s happening, that’s real. So was our wedding. This time last year I was …” He chokes, Robert squeezes his thigh and watches. “I couldn’t wait to marry ya.”

Robert nods, it doesn’t feel like a whole year ago, he doesn’t understand where the time has gone. “Same here.” He says. “Again.” He smiles, teeth and lines around his mouth and Aaron looks like he’s about to melt from it.

“No disasters. No arrests.” Aaron gently peels himself off of Robert and gets in to the empty side of the bed before passing Robert his breakfast. “Just me and you.”

Aaron leans over to steal a slice of toast laid out on the side of the plate and Robert watches him with gentle eyes.

“What?” Aaron’s got a mouthful of toast and his eyes still look sleepy and yet he’s still absolutely beautiful. It makes something thump and bump around in Robert’s chest.

“Happy anniversary.” Robert says, “First anniversary.” There’s something in his voice, he doesn’t quite know what it is but Aaron hears it and brings himself forward into a kiss again.

“Happy anniversary.” Aaron says. They sit in silence for a while, the sound of the weather outside filling the room until he’s taking the plate away from Robert and climbing on top of him. “This is worth celebrating properly right?”

Robert nods, body already stretched under the covers in anticipation as Aaron leans down and starts moving his hands over him.

It’s almost midday by the time they actually get out of bed. The weather has cleared up a little and Aaron’s taken him to the make shift rotunda in the village.

“God, feels weird.” Robert says, hand on a beam and a shake to his head. He turns, sees that Aaron’s smirking like an absolute child. “What have you done?”

And really it’s the sweetest thing. Aaron grabs for Robert’s hand and points to where he’s inscribed an A and R in the woodwork around the back of the beams.

“You’re …”

“Romantic?” Aaron elbows him gently, waves a hand out and then Robert holds at his waist and feels Aaron lean back into him.

“I was going to say … a kid.” Aaron goes to pull away playfully and Robert locks him against him tighter and leans towards his ear. “It’s perfect.” He mumbles.

Aaron turns to him. “It’s for you.” He says, shrugs gently like he’s almost embarrassed and Robert will never understand how he worries, how he still worries about not being good enough. He’s everything, annoyingly always has been and Robert wills him to see it all. “I know we said … we weren’t … presents wise, we wouldn’t do anything. I know it’s shit …”

“Well you do know I love you committing crimes so.” Robert shrugs and the air feels light, the clouds seem to part around them and the sun pokes in to make Aaron’s face glow.

“Yeah. Weird that.” Aaron says, he laughs and the sound makes Robert smile instantly.

“It is how I met you, stealing my car.”

Aaron pulls a face. “Didn’t actually steal it though.” He mumbles before Robert spins him around and kisses him gently and then hard enough for Aaron’s head tilts back. “God, petty crime really is our thing.” He whispers against Robert’s lips.

“Yeah. Like our song.”

Aaron rolls his eyes, pushes at Robert’s chest as if he knows what’s coming. It’s Robert, soft hands over Aaron’s waist and a blush to his cheeks asking him to dance with him.

“It’s freezing.”

“Sun’s coming out.” Robert says, he’s holding Aaron already and he won’t be letting go anytime soon. “Come on, for me. There’s no one else around.” The whole village is almost still asleep and it feels like it did the night they got back together, no one but then in the whole world.

Aaron relents, of course he relents and it only takes a minute or so before his head is tilted right down on Robert’s shoulder and he’s swaying with his husband.

“This … count this as your gift too.”

Robert kisses his head lightly and pulls away as they sway. “Yours is whatever you want tonight for tea.”

“Could have stopped at tonight.”

“OK then.” Robert laughs. “Whatever you want tonight. From me. In our bed.”

Aaron nuzzles closer and strokes a hand slowly down Robert’s back. “That’s better.” He says.

Robert thinks of running Aaron a bath, giving him a massage and sticking on Fast and Furious 25 or whatever for him tonight. He thinks of the card he’s got stuck in his drawer and the one he’s seen Liv write out for them placed neatly on the coffee table. He thinks and thinks.

“Aaron.”

“Hmm?” Aaron mumbles, and he stops swaying as the silence drags out. He peels his head up and looks at his husband.

“Whatever happens …” it’s that, it gets stuck in Robert’s throat and he feels like a coward for not being able to get it out before Aaron’s bringing him in to this fierce hug.

“I love you, I love you.” Aaron must say it at least five times, Robert’s head is buried into his chest and he has a hand anchored in place on the back of Robert’s head as he holds him.

Robert pulls back, sniffs as his face reddening and he absolutely hates himself for doing this to him, for making Aaron cry on their flipping wedding anniversary. “I’m sorry.” He says, wipes his eyes.

Aaron bites his lip, steadies himself and then sniffs. “Remember Seb in the little suit?” He whispers. It makes Robert smile instantly.

“He just wouldn’t keep that hat on.”

“Yeah, ‘course. He was only a baby.” Aaron laughs, “Still cute though.” He says before Robert holds at his hand and brings them back to where Aaron’s put their names. Aaron leans his head down into Robert’s shoulder again and holds his arm tightly.

“You reckon people will realise?”

“Yeah.” Aaron says. “Who else were cool enough to get married here hmm?” He puffs his chest out and makes Robert laugh again. “Come on, let’s go home, this day’s about celebrating yeah?”

Robert holds his hand home, watches Aaron unlock the door to theirs. “Celebrating is code for …”