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Robert had never felt so nervous in his life.
The past couple of weeks had been building up to this moment; Robert and Aaron’s first official date.
They’d worked through many of their issues over the previous few months, and figured it was the right time to see what they could be with no secrets, and no hiding. They’d come to a mutual decision a few nights previous that they would have a pint in the Woolpack, a familiar setting that would calm the nerves, before going out into Leeds for a meal, and some more drinks.
Robert had been fretting over it, thinking that they wouldn’t be able to function as a ‘normal’ couple, and that if things were not messy and complicated, as it had been throughout their entire relationship to this date, they would end up going their separate ways. He also had the nagging thought in the back of his mind that Aaron would get bored of him, or that sooner or later, Robert would end up messing things up again.
He’d arrived at the pub at the agreed time of six o’clock, ordered a pint from Diane, ignoring her intrusive questions about his impending date, and sat in the booth closest to the door, eagerly watching out for Aaron walking out from behind the bar. His heart was beating hard in his chest, and he was certain that he was going to pass out from the overwhelming feelings of it all.
Fifteen minutes later, and half a pint drank, Aaron had not shown up, causing Robert’s anxiety levels to rise somewhat. He began to think that Aaron had had a change of heart, and that he didn’t want to be with Robert out in the open after all, or that being with Robert was not worth the hassle. He tried not to fidget, and look as if he was bothered about Aaron’s tardiness, but as time went on, he could feel his agitation grow which was showing as he shifted the way he was sat several times, whilst constantly checking his watch and counting down the minutes that Aaron was late. It didn’t help that Diane kept throwing him unsubtle, concerned looks every now and again.
After half an hour and Aaron still a no-show, Robert was ready to march back behind the bar and demand to see him from where he must have been hiding out in the back room. He wasn’t angry, he just wanted to know why. Did he want to raise Robert’s hopes just to humiliate him? It didn’t sound like something Aaron would do, because he wasn’t a spiteful person at heart, but Robert’s mind was berating him with such thoughts.
By three quarters of an hour, Robert was ready to call it quits and just leave, shamed and humiliated that his date with the man he loved had never even got off the ground. But just as he was gathering his grey blazer from where it lay on the bench, his phone began to chime in his pocket. Robert pulled it out quickly, and looked at the bright display screen.
*Aaron calling*
Robert’s pulse quickened, relief combined with fear blooming in his chest, as he hit the green answer button. He tried to keep his voice neutral as he said, “Hello?”
“Robert. It’s me.”
“Hi. Where are you?”
“Robert, I’m so sorry!” He didn’t add anything more.
Robert felt himself get frustrated quickly, “Look, if you’re standing me up, just say and get it over with.”
“No, no, Robert. It’s not that… just, don’t freak out, okay?”
“Why would I freak out?” Robert’s eyebrows knitted together, and he saw Diane mouth ‘is everything okay?’ from where she was stood behind the bar, watching him with a worried expression. He held up his hand in an ‘okay’ gesture’ and he saw her shoulders sag a little as she turned away to chat with Doug.
“I’m… in the hospital.”
“What?” Robert shouted, drawing the attention of several of the people in the pub. He lowered his voice when he continued, but the panic in his tone remained, “Why?”
“Don’t worry, its nothing to serious. They think I’ve got a chest infection, and they’re keeping me in for observation, just to be sure.”
Robert’s heart rate didn’t slow at that, despite the obvious fact that Aaron was well enough to ring him. At least it wasn’t someone else ringing him instead, like a doctor, because Aaron was unable too – but that was it; Roberts common sense wasn’t exactly functioning in that moment, simply because the words ‘I’m in hospital’ coming from Aaron was usually a very bad thing.
When Robert didn’t say anything, brain still processing, Aaron said, “I’m not going to be able to make it to our...um, date.”
Robert had a brief thought that it was cute that Aaron still stumbled over the word ‘date’, but couldn’t linger on it as his only focus was on the crushing disappointment of not being able to spend a night with Aaron as he’d hoped, along with the intense worry of him being in hospital. Again.
“Its fine, Aaron. Is anyone with you?”
“Adam brought me in, but I told him to go. No point in him being here, really.”
“So you’re alone?”
“Yeah,” A long pause. “I’ve gotta’ go, the nurse is eyeing me funny. I’ll see you soon. Sorry again.”
Before Robert could protest, the line went dead, leaving Robert staring at his phone with a sinking feeling in his chest. He didn’t really know what to do with himself now that his plans for the evening had gone down the drain; he didn’t really want to go home and watch more meaningless TV with his sister, but he also didn’t want to sit in the pub with Diane giving him pitying looks and muttering ‘it’s okay, pet’ intermittently in attempt to soothe him.
He sighed, gathering up his jacket once more and leaving the pub, quickly aiming at smile at Diane who had a questioning look on her face; he suddenly felt tired, and didn’t particularly feel like explaining that his hopes of a care-free night with Aaron had just crashed and burned with that simple phone call.
The cold air hit him once he was outside of the pub, making Robert shiver gently. He scanned the surroundings with a loud huff, trying to decide what to do now, when his eyes came to rest upon David’s shop, and an idea hit him.
A brilliant idea.
…
Aaron Livesy was fast becoming comfortable in Hotten General hospital.
Earlier in the day, he’d been in the portacabin at the scrapyard, in the middle of excitedly telling Adam his plans for his evening with Robert, when he became short of breath and an intense pain took over his chest. He’d fallen forward onto his desk, clutching at the area in attempt to quell the pain, as Adam came rushing to his side, phone in hand, already on the phone to the ambulance service.
He’d been given oxygen and rushed to hospital, where they ran several tests and gave him pain medication, before the doctor came in and told him he had ‘pneumonia’ but that it wasn’t serious as they’d caught it early and they’d like to keep him for a few days for observation, and Aaron felt mortified at causing so much fuss.
They’d been running various tests on him for so long that the time he and Robert had arranged to meet had come and gone, so it was forty-five minutes past that time when he finally had the chance to ring Robert and let him know the reasons for him not turning up.
He could hear the obvious panic and disappointment in Robert’s voice from the minute he’d answered, and chose to hang up quickly to save both himself from feelings of guilt, and Robert from any further disappointment. Aaron could laugh at the irony that he got admitted to hospital on the night of his and Roberts first date, but it would hurt too much, both physically and emotionally. He didn’t want to admit how much he’d been looking forward to their first date with them just being ‘normal’.
Aaron had been flicking through the daily newspaper, propped up with several pillows behind his back on his hospital bed, when Robert walked in. He was carrying a plastic bag full of something, with a huge, ‘shit-eating’ grin on his face.
“Robert? What the-”
“Sh,” Robert raised his index finger to his lips, “I’m not supposed to be in here.”
Aaron closed the newspaper and put it on the cabinet beside his temporary bed, “W-what are you doing here?”
He held up the bag as if that gave the answer, “I brought snacks.”
Aaron must have continued to look confused, because Robert moved so that he could put the bag of food at the bottom of the bed next to Aaron’s feet, before shrugging, “I thought we could have our first date here instead. Be a shame to waste a perfectly good evening.”
The gesture was so completely romantic and heartfelt that Aaron could have started crying right there and then, but he stopped himself, not wishing to embarrass himself and send Robert running for the hills. Instead, he just stared at Robert with wide eyes as he watched him slip off his blazer, and drape it over the back of the visitor’s chair.
When he turned around, Aaron had (mostly) composed himself, and he gave Robert a shy smile.
“Come on, then. Scoot over.”
Aaron wiggled to make room on the bed, careful not to detach himself from his oximeter, and Robert climbed on so they were pressed snuggly, side by side. The heat radiating from Robert’s body was comforting, and very welcome after being prodded and poked at for the past few hours.
“So…”
Aaron chuckled, “So…”
“I got your favourites.” Robert gestured towards the discarded bag full of food with a nod of his head.
“How do you know what my favourites are?”
“Because I know you, Aaron Livesy.”
Aaron bit at his bottom lip, as Robert aimed a smirk his way.
After a few more light-hearted comments and slight awkward silences, the mood morphed into one that was more comfortable, and easy. Robert delved into the bag, picking out various boxes of food and arranging them on the bed so that they could take their pick. Aaron thought he must have emptied David’s entire shop with the amount of food he’d bought, but it warmed Aaron’s heart (and belly) all the same.
After they’d stuffed their faces for all they were worth– and there were crumbs littered all over the bed- they both settled back; Robert with his hand supporting his head, led on his side facing Aaron, and Aaron led against the headboard, peering down at Robert.
“What now?” Aaron asked. He didn’t know how long Robert intended to stay, but he knew he didn’t want their ‘date’ to end there.
Robert’s eyes lit up, however, as he pulled out his phone from the pocket of his designer jeans, seemingly opening an ‘app’ with a gleeful expression on his face.
“Don’t judge me, alright? I downloaded this app with questions to ask on a date.”
Aaron tried, he really did. But he couldn’t contain his laughter; the very idea that Robert Sugden, village womanizer, had to download an app that provided questions for a date, was just laughable. At Robert’s wounded expression, Aaron stopped laughing and cleared his throat, motioning for Robert to continue whilst simultaneously trying to hold back from chuckling further.
“I thought it would be fun, okay? A way to get to know each other better.” Robert shrugged, nonchalant.
When he put it like that, it was actually kind of adorable. He was really trying, and it was that thought that sobered Aaron, and had him agreeing to do what Robert was suggested, no matter how silly it sounded in principle.
“Shall we do the longer questions first?”
Aaron nodded, too busy staring at Robert, who seemed utterly relaxed, to notice what he was agreeing too.
“I’ll go first,” Robert pressed the button on the app to generate a question, and slight smile lighting up his face, “Okay, if you were to get stranded on a desert island, what two things would you bring with you?”
Aaron mulled it over in his mind for half a minute, “I’d have to say an unlimited amount of beer. For definite.”
Robert rolled his eyes, “I coulda’ guessed.”
Aaron continued, “And, um- hair gel.”
“Predictable,” Robert snorted, “I like it messy, though.”
Aaron blushed slightly, much to Roberts delight. He ruined the moment though, by attempting to run his hands through the gel, which had Aaron hands batting him away fiercely and then wrestling with each other on the bed.
“Stop, Robert!” But there was only humour behind it.
When Robert admitted defeat, he handed his phone to Aaron, who pressed the button for another question. He let out a chuckle at the screen, and said, “What is your cheesiest pick up line?”
Robert groaned. “Do you really expect me to pick just one?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Okay. I got one.” Robert braced himself, theatrically, “Did you sit in a pile of sugar? Because that is a pretty sweet ass!”
Aaron full on snorted at that, which made Robert’s heart jump at the sound, “Please tell me that has never worked on anyone before?”
Robert smirked, “It might have.”
They both laughed in unison, and that was what made a passing nurse stop and peer through the blinds. They both ceased laughing, guilty smiles playing across their faces as the nurse opened the door and walked in.
“What’s going on in here?”
Neither of them said anything, instead just looking at each other uneasily.
“Visiting times are over. You shouldn’t be in here.”
Robert gave her an angelic look, “I’m sorry, it’s my fault. We were supposed to have our first date tonight until this idiot went and got ill. So, I brought the date here.”
The honesty not only shocked Aaron, but Robert himself, also. Robert had intended to lie if a nurse had happened to walk in, but it must have been something about her caring and understanding face that made him tell the truth- he hoped she’d take pity on them, and not be homophobic.
The nurse did looked taken aback for a moment, but then she smiled at them as if joining in on a joke, “I shouldn’t be doing this, but you can stay.”
Aaron made a fist pumping motion, before muttering a ‘thanks’ at the nurse.
She continued, “As long as you both keep it down.”
“I can’t promise anything.” Robert winked at her, and she giggled before putting on her best stern face, causing Robert to give her a ‘scouts honour’ salute that showed he’d comply.
“Ok, enjoy your date, boys. If you need anything, just holla’.” She went to close the door, but before she did, she said, “Oh, and don’t tell anyone I said it was okay.” And left, smiling.
Robert and Aaron laughed once more, before picking up where they left off with the questions. They continued with the long, obscure questions that prompting some fairly revealing answers, before they moved on to the small ‘would you rather be…’ questions. The conversation never stopped, or slowed and despite it being based on many silly questions, both men learned a lot about the other which they may not have done under different, ‘formal’ circumstances.
Exactly what first dates were supposed to be.
It showed that they could be ‘normal’, that they could laugh, and have fun in each other’s company rather than relying heavily on the pain and angst that often followed them. It was easily the greatest date either of them had ever had, and neither wanted it to end.
Aaron began to grow tired as the medication wore off, so they just led side by side as Robert told him various stories about his and Victoria’s adventures over the past couple of weeks, one which resulting in her getting her boots stuck in a huge pile of mud out on a country walk.
They both went silent afterwards, the air around them comfortable. Robert turned his head towards Aaron to try and work out what he was thinking.
“So, how did this date rate?”
Aaron stayed silent for a few seconds, turning his mouth down as if in contemplation, before he muttered, “I’d give it a solid nine-point-five.”
“Nine-point-five. Hmm,” Robert smiled, coyly, “What can I do to get the extra nought-point-five?”
Aaron looked down quickly at where their hands were now clasped in-between them on the bed, before looking back up at Robert’s face, “Oh, I could think of a few things.”
As he said it, their head began to move closer, tentative and cautious, almost as if it was their first kiss. When their lips met, they could both feel the smiles of one another, and they just placed sweet pecks against each other’s lips, before Robert deepened the kiss, his free hand coming to rest upon Aaron’s neck.
The sound of Aaron’s heart rate monitor beeping faster in the background was what brought them apart, with Robert laughing, and Aaron blushing. Their foreheads rested together, with Robert’s thumb stroking Aaron’s stubble, “Best not get you to excited, it is only our first date.”
“Shut up.” Aaron brought their lips together once more.
They were both breathing heavily after a few more minutes of kissing, but the angle had started to become uncomfortable and when he went to move, Robert noticed that Aaron’s eyes had started to droop, and he moved away instead and insisted that Aaron get some rest. He was more than happy to oblige, exhausted from the events of the day.
Aaron turned on his side so that his head was now resting heavily on a crisp white pillow, shoulders sagging in exhaustion. His eyes were half-closed but fixed on Roberts face with an unreadable expression playing across his features.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Aaron’s mouth lifted at one corner, “Thank you for the best first date I’ve ever had.”
Robert felt butterflies settle in his stomach at the statement, and he leant over to lay a small kiss on Aaron’s forehead before saying, “It’s my pleasure.”
Aaron was falling asleep now, and Robert made to leave him in peace, but he heard Aaron muttering something quietly under his breath as he reached the door.
“What?”
“Stay with me.”
The silence fell heavy in the air after Aaron spoke, and Aaron was sure that Robert had ignored him and left, until he heard shuffling from a few feet away, followed by the bed dipping heavily beside him and strong arms wrapping around his waist as Robert got settled. They laced their fingers from where they rested on Aaron’s abdomen, and Robert gave them a quick, reassuring squeeze.
Aaron smiled lazily, with his eyes closed, “Does this mean I get a second date?”
Robert chuckled against Aaron’s neck, peppering kisses against the skin there, “Oh, most definitely.”