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It's almost winter but there's still plenty to do on the farm. Robert's back working there after he and Vic made up with Cain and Moira, and he feels better. It's slowly getting better.
He's with Moira, mucking out stalls in the stables when his phone buzzes in his pocket. He doesn't stop working.
"You'd better look at that," Moira says, eyeing him from where she stands.
Be home at 6 ;)
Winky-face? Vic never uses that emoji, at least not with Robert. Something's going on. Robert lets out a small laugh and shakes his head.
"Everything alright?" Moira asks. She has picked up a bale of hay but stops in her tracks.
"Just Vic, I'll need to be home by 6 pm."
Moira raises an eyebrow and smiles, and there's something behind it that makes Robert lift an eyebrow.
"What do you know?" he asks and Moira has never been a good actor.
"Nothing at all! You'd better do what she says though," Moira says, giving him a small smile.
At five fifty-three, Robert opens the door to Keeper's. He hasn't had a chance to shower yet or change out of the grummy clothes he wears under the overalls, and he's desperate for a pint but his stomach is fluttering. He's been curious all day, unable to think about anything else.
He steps inside and instead of seeing Vic in the kitchen, it's Aaron.
"Hi," Aaron says with a soft, and then it sounds like there's water underneath a pot on the stove.
"Aaron? What's--"
"Damn it," Aaron says, lifting a pot off and wincing.
"What're you doing?" Robert shrugs off his jacket and walks into the kitchen.
"Don't you dare," Aaron says, putting the pot in the sink. "I'm supposed to be treating you."
"But--" Robert looks around; no sign of Vic or Harry. "You're cooking for me?"
"Well," Aaron says, but stopping to find a fork. He checks the potatoes to see if they're ready and sighs. "Not done," he mutters to himself. He puts the pot back on the stove and looks up at Robert. "I'm cooking you dinner. Vic's taken Harry to Butler's for the evening and they'll be back late."
"Right," Robert says.
"You head up, have a shower and all that."
Robert looks around the kitchen and it's a mess. Several of Vic's cutting boards have been stuffed in the sink and the surfaces are overflowing with used utensils. Robert looks at it all and can't help but smile. Aaron did this, for him.
It's early days between them. They're both messed up after everything with John, and Robert from prison on top of that, but they're trying. Aaron's trying. It wasn't a month ago that Aaron told Robert what he wanted, but Robert had to admit he wasn't ready. Now, they do this. They meet for coffee and they talk, they go for long walks, or they watch a movie together. Friends, Aaron calls it but they are both lying; the way Robert's stomach flutters whenever he sees him hasn't gone away, after all this time and all the pain.
Robert has a shower, finds a clean t-shirt and puts on that pair of jeans that shows off his thighs. He checks himself in the mirror before heading down, making sure his hair isn't sticking out oddly.
Aaron's finishing off the mashed potatoes when he comes down.
"Hi, again..." Robert moves closer.
Aaron's eyes drift down and he swallows, clenches his jaw. Robert tries to hide the blush that creeps up his neck.
"Hi," Aaron says.
Robert walks to the fridge and takes out two cans. "So, what're you making?"
"No, none of that--" Aaron says, pointing to the corner. "Brought that."
A bottle of red wine--a Côtes du Rhône-- sits on the counter. Robert's favourite red wine area, though he hasn't tried this one yet.
"Aaron..." Robert walks over and lifts the bottle. "What're you doing?"
Aaron sighs. "Is it too much?" he asks.
"No," Robert says.
"I know, I'm supposed to give you space, I shouldn't have done this--"
"No, not at all."
"--I just wanted to do something nice for you, and Vic thought it would be nice and I thought it could be like a date, but without the pressure--"
"Aaron it's alright!" Robert says, putting the bottle down and moving closer. "I like it."
"Yeah?" Aaron asks. He watches Robert step close, gaze falling to his lips and back up to his eyes. God he's beautiful, Robert thinks.
He has wanted to do this for a while but something has held Robert back. Some days it's pure anxiety (what if he doesn't want me anymore) and some days it's the fact that they've both been through so much. As much as Robert needs to be ready, so does Aaron. He hasn't been sure he was, until now.
Robert leans forward, watches Aaron's eyes go wide and his mouth fall open. Before the mess, before they found out exactly who John was, Aaron moved away. It comes back to him now, Aaron not wanting this and it makes Robert stop.
"What?" Aaron whispers.
"Are you sure?" Robert asks. "Sure about this?"
Aaron lets out a small laugh. "I want you," Aaron says, breathy and right there. "I never stopped--" and with that, Aaron leans forward.
They haven't kissed in a few weeks because they both know they can't pretend to be friends while sharing kisses, but they're crossing that line. Robert sighs into it and Aaron moves forward until he's pressing Robert against the kitchen counter, and then he's pressing even closer.
Aaron tilts his head and Robert does the same, and then he swipes his tongue against Aaron's lips and when Aaron groans, Robert forgets where they are. There's a hand in his hair, Aaron's lips are on his, and heat is pooling in his stomach.
Aaron breaks away, forehead leaning against Robert's.
"This isn't what I expected," he says and his voice is hoarse. "This isn't why I did it."
Robert grins. "I know, but... it's a nice surprise."
"I've missed this," Aaron says and then he moves back in, open-mouthed, wanting, and Robert grabs Aaron's sides, tugging him closer.
Minutes pass like this; Robert nips at Aaron's lower lip and Aaron moves his mouth to Robert's jaw and back and Robert's hard, but he wants to bottle this feeling, this happiness that bubbles in his chest.
Aaron's running a hand up Robert's side and Robert leans back, takes a deep breath, and --
"Wait, something's burning."
"What?" Aaron says against Robert's skin.
"I think something's burnt," Robert mutters.
Aaron moves off and his face falls. "No, no..." He goes to the stove and there, smoke rises from the pot of mashed potatoes. He sighs, lets his head fall forward. "Damn."
Robert walks forward and glances at the pot. It smells awful and he can't help but laugh. "Yeah, that's not edible."
"I know," Aaron says with a glance his way. His lips are puffy and red and despite the burnt food, he's smiling. "Worth it though."
"Yeah," Robert says, pressing a kiss to Aaron's cheek. "Definitely worth it."
They save the stew for another day and order pizzas, opening the bottle of wine. They sit on the sofa, trading lazy kisses until the delivery arrives, and then continue after they've eaten. It doesn't end until Vic opens the door and Harry runs into the living room, jumping onto the sofa next to them.
"Mum, Uncle Robert and Uncle Aaron are kissing!"
"Are they now?" Vic says with a big smile. "Who would've thought!"
Robert flushes bright red and Aaron hides in the crook of his neck. Vic shuffles Harry upstairs and smiles at the two of them before following him up.
"So, the plan was to kiss me?" Robert says.
"Well," Aaron mutters. He's leaning his head against the back of the sofa, his hair's a mess and his lips red. He feels good, happy. It really has gotten better. "I wanted to talk to you first, wanted to make sure you wanted to."
"I always want to."
"You know what I mean... we're supposed to be taking it slow."
Robert takes Aaron's hand in his, intertwines their fingers. "Seven years ago we would've already have gone upstairs. We are taking it slow, and I'm happy."
When he's said it, he realises how true it is. He is happy.
"Good," Aaron says.
"It really is," Robert says, moving forward until his lips meet Aaron's and he gets lost in them, again. They have time; the rest of their lives, if Robert has a say about it.