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Robert ran down the stairs as quick as he could, flying through the door to the pub’s kitchen and sighing with relief to see Victoria was already there.
"What on earth are you doing in here? Actually, never mind that, what are you doing up at quarter to seven?"
Robert stopped to catch his breath before replying. “It’s Aaron’s birthday and I wanted to make him breakfast before he leaves for work at nine.”
"Not that that isn’t sweet and all, but that’s almost two hours away."
"Well, I was hoping to…you know." Robert waggled his eyebrows at his sister who faked vomiting in response.
"Way, way too much information Robert!"
"Whatever, are you gonna help me make pancakes or not?"
"Fine. But I’m not doing this as a favour to you, I’m doing it for Aaron."
"Either way I’ll be taking the credit for it all so crack on!"
*~*~*
Almost half an hour later Robert was walking carefully up the stairs towards Aaron’s bedroom with a tray full of pancakes and coffee.
On the other side of the door Aaron was just wakening up, wondering why the side of the bed his boyfriend should have been lying on is cold. His attention was shifted by the sound of the bedroom door opening. The image that Aaron saw would stay with him forever.
There, in the doorway, was Robert wearing a skin-tight grey jumper that showed everything and a pair of navy cotton jogging bottoms which actually belonged to Aaron. His hair was messed up and he had what looked like flour on his left cheekbone. In his arms was a tray full of what looked like pancakes and mugs that Aaron would bet held coffee. Aaron could feel his jaw drop open and his eyes widen in a mixture of love, lust and amazement.
"Hey, sleepyhead! Happy Birthday!" Robert whispered across the quiet room as he tiptoed around clothes lying on the floor to place the tray on Aaron’s bedside table. When he finally looked up from placing it down he looked up at Aaron who looked like an absolute angel. Robert was so caught up in looking at Aaron’s flat hair and the way his shoulders looked in the small amount of light coming from the curtains that it took him a moment to notice Aaron’s expression.
"What?"
Aaron couldn’t stand looking at Robert for another minute without touching him so he grabbed his boyfriend’s face and whispered “just kiss me you fucking idiot” before slamming his lips onto Robert’s.
When Robert finally pulled away to breathe and couldn’t help but ask, “what was that for?”
Aaron smiled as he thought back to how Robert used to be, how his ego used to be so big that there was very little room for anyone else in Robert’s world. Aaron was so glad that he had managed to worm his way in.
"You, just being you."
Robert let out a little laugh and moved around to sit on his side of the bed. “Not that I don’t love kissing you, but the pancakes will be getting cold and I want to give you your present.”
"Robert! I said no presents!"
"I know, and I ignored you."
Robert kissed the small crease above Aaron’s nose that was brought on by his frowning. “I didn’t spend that much anyway.”
"Fine, fine."
Aaron started eating away at the pancakes while Robert riffled around in the overnight bag he kept at Aaron’s for the presents. Aaron startled when a neatly wrapped lump landed on his knee on top of the covers.
"One of two." Robert smirked, grabbing a few pancakes for himself.
Aaron rolled his eyes as he opened the present to see a fleece lined black hoodie.
"As much as I love those hoodies you wear, this one will keep you a bit warmer when you’re working outside."
Aaron couldn’t help but smile at the thoughtfulness of the gift. “Thank you, I love it.”
"Hopefully not as much as you love the next gift." Robert handed Aaron a small gift box. Aaron opened the lid to see a small silver key resting on a bunch of tissue paper.
"It’s a key to my flat. I know we’ve only been out as a couple for about five days but we’ve been together for a lot longer. You don’t have to move in straight away if you don’t want to, but take it as a sign that I want you there, you can start to keep things there and you can come over whenever you want."
Aaron was speechless for a moment. He’d been to Robert’s flat a few times before but it was always a bit suspicious looking so they agreed to continue to meet up in the barn. The key was a sign to Aaron that things really had changed, that their relationship really was out in the open. He flung himself on top of Robert.
"Thank you, Robert. I love it, I love it. I love you."
Robert wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s back and buried his face into Aaron’s shoulder. Aaron could feel his smile on his collar bone.
"I love you too. So, will you move in with me?"
"Of course I will!"
Robert pushed Aaron back slightly so he could raise his lips to the others. The pancakes were long forgotten as Robert flipped them both over so that Aaron landed on his back. Robert’s sweats were soon pulled off by Aaron, and Robert pulled away so that he could take his jumper off to match Aaron in only his underwear.
Aaron paused and held Robert’s hands still as his eyes roamed Robert’s torso and arm muscles in the jumper. Finally Aaron looked up at Robert with a glint in his eye.
"You know, as a final birthday present, I think you should keep the jumper on."
"Really?" Robert smirked down at his boyfriend.
"Yeah."
The look on Aaron’s face was too much to handle so Robert simply leaned down and kissed him again.
*~*~*
Later that morning when Robert stood in the doorway and waved at Aaron as he walked off to work, they both found it easy to imagine every morning of the rest of their lives.