robron-ficlets

[robron-ficlets]

Title: let me down slowly

Author: @kayceecruz​

Summary: Robert and Aaron meet in a completely different way.

Written for Robron Week 2020 Day 1: first meeting/meet-cute. Sentence prompt: "Need to put a name to perfection? Allow me to introduce myself.”

Link to AO3

“Need to put a name to perfection? Allow me to introduce myself.” 

Robert tries not to roll his eyes and glances at the bloke in the seat next to his. His drink is dangling from his fingers as his grip tightens and honestly, this is why he hates bars. This has been going on for the better part of an hour and really, he needs to give it up at this point.  Robert’s been watching him get told off for most of the time the man has been trying and it was not what he’d wanted when he’d walked in here tonight.

All Robert wants is to drink away his loneliness and this was what he got for not just doing that at his new flat. 

The woman the guy had been talking to, gives him a withering look and then shakes her head, leaving her seat and heading out the door. 

Robert snorts into his drink and then on his other side, he hears someone laugh out loud and say, “You can’t pull to save your life, Adam, just admit it.”

Robert turns his head to agree with that assessment and then his gaze meets warm, blue eyes and he feels a little struck. His chest feels tight, his insides glowing a little and he hasn’t felt something like that in a long time. The other man smirks and Robert couldn’t help but smile back, laughs a little. 

“I can!” 

Robert keeps his eyes on the other man, watches as his smirk turns into a real smile, a little blinding, and he gulps hard, swallows something down. Then, that gaze turns back to him and he keeps his act together, raising an eyebrow in question. 

“Alright, fine, let’s ask him. He’s been sitting here as long as me watching you be an idiot for however long it’s been.” 

Robert opens his mouth and says “Nearly an hour.” 

The man points at Robert. “See? He’s been keeping time, Adam.” 

Someone taps Robert on the shoulder and he turns to look toward the failing idiot - Adam, he supposes - and stares waiting for whatever it is he wants. 

“So, you saying, mate, that Aaron over there, is right?” 

Aaron. 

Robert leans back, glances quickly at Aaron, then shrugs, finishing his drink. “I think your mate, Aaron, was being pretty kind, actually. You’re bloody awful at this.I mean, seriously, it was painful to have to listen to. Please never do it again.” 

Aaron laughs and Robert can’t help but grin at him. 

“Was that too much?”, he asks and Aaron shakes his head.

“He deserves it.” 

“Oi! I’m your best mate, you know.” 

“Yes, I know.” Aaron sounds put upon and Robert does laugh out loud at that. 

He wasn’t there to meet anyone. That - he and Ben had just finished and that had been on the tail end of the disaster that was Chrissie and him. He hadn’t moved back home for any other reason then to lick his wounds and get his shit together. 

That was the last thing he wanted, to meet someone. Someone like Aaron who made him laugh and his stomach flip and his blood sing. 

Aaron is still watching him and Robert knows - knows - that he isn’t going to do what he should and walk away, 

He sticks his hand out. “Robert. Sugden.” 

Aaron nods, his eyes widening a little, takes Robert’s hand in his warm clasp. “Aaron. Dingle.”

Robert freezes for a moment and then starts laughing because of course he is. 

That’s how Robert met Aaron. 

-- 

It could’ve  ended there. 

It should have. 

Robert should have tried right then and there to get Aaron into bed. 

Before he’d found out all the ways Aaron was way too good for someone like Robert.

Before he’d walked out of his new flat at Jacob’s End and found that Aaron lived just down the street. Before he met and liked his gobby little sister, Liv. Before his sister stuck her nose in and told him all the ways Aaron was the bravest person she’d ever met. All the ways he’d survived and still managed to stay this grumpy, loving,  stupidly kind lad. 

But he hadn’t wanted to -- he’d wanted more when he took his number. He thought maybe a date or two before they ended up shagging. 

Now. 

Aaron was his friend. His proper friend. Months down the line and the only person Robert wanted to talk to when something good or bad or awful or stupid happened was Aaron. Every time that Aaron went out with Adam (who was behaving himself now that he thought he had a chance with Victoria) or Ryan or anyone else, Robert would hole up in his flat and not think about it too hard. 

Andy calls him on it, one day when Robert was glaring a hole in the back of some random doctor Aaron was kinda seeing. 

“You ever gonna tell him or what?” 

Robert frowns, pulls his gaze to his brother, “You what?” 

Andy sighs. “You love him, idiot. Tell him.” 

Robert doesn’t bother to disagree. He’d told his family as soon as he’d set foot back in the village that he was bisexual. That he’d just ended a relationship with a man. That he’d been engaged to a woman before that. 

He is still surprised that Andy noticed, though. 

“He doesn’t feel - he doesn’t think of me like that.” He stops at Andy’s snort, turns to him in confusion and then looks away when Andy’s face falls. Robert hates that look. 

“Rob, you aren’t kidding, are you?” 

He doesn’t answer and before Andy can say anything Diane and Vic show up. Family dinner starts but Robert can feel Andy’s gaze on him through most of the meal. 

-- --

“I like Alex.” 

Robert’s pencil stops moving and he glances at Liv. They’d been trying to deal with Geometry for her upcoming Maths test. He isn’t sure how they segued here. 

“That’s - yeah, I knew that. He’s a nice bloke.” 

Liv nods. “I like him but you know - I love you.”

Robert’s heart melts a little and his chest tightens even more than it normally does. He keeps so much inside that it hurts too much. 

He leans in, meets her eyes and smiles. “I love you, too, Trouble.” 

She smiles a little then sighs. “He -- just -- you mean a lot to Aaron, Rob.” 

Robert nods, looks away. “We’re best mates.” 

Liv groans, slams her books and Robert tries to stop her but she pushes his hand away. “Stop being stupid, Rob. Please. Just -- tell him, okay? Because it’s hurting - just tell him.” 

He watches her leave before he drops his head with a thud on the table. 

-- --

Robert rubs his hand against the back of his neck. He shouldn’t have listened to Jimmy and Nicola. Blind dates were the worst. That had been two hours of hell and when he’d slept off his boredom and disappointment and hollowness, he’d tell them both off. 

He steps out of the taxi, thanks Pete and pays him, before walking slowly down the path to his home. He smiles at that. It does feel that way now. Like home. This village is home because everything he loves is here. Even if he can’t have it like he’d like to, it’s all here. 

His steps falter when he notices a shadowy figure sitting at his stoop. He recognizes that puffy coat, smiles as he picks up speed. 

Aaron stands up when he hears Robert coming and this time Robert stops flat out. 

Aaron looks done in, eyes a little red and his shoulders are tight and when he looks at Robert, his face does the same, tightens. 

“What’s happened? You alright?”

Aaron lets out a humorless laugh. “No. I’m not.” 

“Aaron, what’s going on?” 

Aaron shakes his head, motions to the door and Robert understands he doesn’t want to talk out where anyone that is up can listen in. Their village is full of nosy neighbors. 

Robert nods, brushes past Aaron, pausing when his friend takes a step back, before opening his door. He takes his coat off, throws it on the cushy chair that he bought for Liv to do her homework in when she visits him. 

He turns to see Aaron standing in the doorway, his eyes looking around the flat, like it’s the first and not the hundredths time he has seen it. 

“Aaron, you’re worrying me. I don’t know-” 

“How was your date?” Aaron spits it out and Robert is thrown but he answers quickly. 

“It was fine.” 

Aaron looks about to say something when Robert speaks again, ‘“You know what? No, it was boring. I wasn’t interested. Hadn’t even wanted to go on it to begin with but since everyone keeps telling me I need to date then -” 

Aaron straightens. “Everyone who?” 

Robert throws his hands up in the air. “Everyone who knows me, Aaron. Come on.” 

Aaron bites his lip and then says, “Alex and I are done.” 

Robert blinks slowly. That explains it, then. Aaron being upset. 

“Aaron, I’m sorry, mate. Is there - can I do something?” 

Aaron glares at him and he points at Robert. “Yes, you can. Just tell me, Robert! Ask me. Stop pushing me away. I thought that maybe -” Aaron breathes in deep, hands on his hips and he pins Robert down with his gaze. “Say it. Tell me so I know I’m not alone in this. Say it so I can say it back and we can do this. Properly.” 

Robert is speechless for a moment but then he lets out a long breath. “Aaron, I’m not good-” 

Aaron shakes his head, takes a step forward that makes Robert take one back and he points at him again. “Don’t you dare tell me you aren’t good enough, Sugden. Don’t do it. Because you are more than enough. Just let me love you, you idiot! Stop fighting me and we can start what we should have ages ago.” 

Robert takes two long strides and he’s in Aaron’s space. He doesn’t wait. He doesn’t let his mind talk him out of this. He takes Aaron face in his hands and kisses him, hauls him up a little, holds on and kisses and kisses and kisses until they have to break part to breath. Aaron’s forehead touches his and his smile is a little watery. 

“Took you long enough. Now say it.” 

Robert laughs softly. “You are bossy.”

“Robert.” 

“I love you.” 

Aaron sighs. “Finally.” He pulls back, his arms twining around Robert’s neck. “You had me dating a boring doctor, Robert. You made me watch you go out on dates.” 

Robert looks at him softly. “I’m -- wait, you dating Alex because -” 

“Yes,” Aaron said, rolling his eyes. “Because I thought I couldn’t have you but then you were so upset about it, I knew. I thought I needed to let you come to me but - yeah, that’s never worked with you so.” 

“So when I went out on a date, you got angry and waited at my door to tell me off and demand I tell you how I felt?” 

Aaron looks sheepish but then he shrugs, leans into Robert and kisses his jaw. “Yeah, well if I waited for you.” 

Robert kisses him back, pulls him closer and starts to walk them toward his bedroom. “How long -- I mean, since when did you?” 

Aaron stops them both and stares up at Robert. “Are you -- Robert, you damn well know how long.” 

Robert doesn’t. He knows how long he’s felt this way but Aaron is a different story. 

Aaron glares at him, trying not to laugh. “You know how that whole night Adam was being an idiot at the bar, hitting on every girl sitting next to you?” 

Robert frowns and nods. “Yeah?” 

“He isn’t actually that terrible. He was trying to get your attention for me.” 

Robert’s eyes grow wide and his mouth hangs open. “Wait. That - that whole thing was so you could --” 

“So I could pull you, yes, it was. But then you got weird, I mean you are weird, and then I fell for ya and here we are. Cause you are stupid.” 

Aaron laughs at Robert’s expression then kisses it off his face and pulls him toward the room. “Now, come on and let’s do what we should have been doing if you weren’t such an idiot.” 

Robert grins and follows Aaron without hesitation.

[robron-ficlets]

@littleatticboy because you talked about Robert, Aaron and bookshops. 💓

(Warning: this fic includes Seb so if that isn't your cuppa...)

Sometimes the smallest things take the most room in your heart. ~ A. A. Milne

Aaron has never been a big reader. It's not to say he doesn't like it. He does. But he tends to be picky about what he reads due to the fact that most books do his head in. Aaron likes complex things though (look at his husband, so really). He'll pick up books about little strange histories: footy, cars, boxing, mechanics. Every once in a while he'll read a mystery. Not those cozy ones that his mum loves (and manages to talk Robert into reading if she really likes it and Robert will because he is a soft touch) but thrillers that leave him shook.

His family is a different story.

Robert likes to read...everything.

He hadn't known that about Robert until the one week at Home Farm during their affair (the week that changed everything). They'd exhausted themselves from fucking everywhere they could those first two nights. Had ended up in Robert's bed finally and Aaron had woken up, pressed against Robert's side, one of Robert's hands playing with the loose curls on Aaron's head, and the other holding open a book.

Aaron stared at him, noticing how his face changed as he read, how he looked so at peace in this world he was in. Robert had caught him eventually, grinning at him as he took the time to save his page with a bookmark (something Aaron learned later Robert always did, bent pages in books drove him nutty) before rolling Aaron under him and taking him apart.

Later, when they became them, really and honestly, for the first time, Aaron would go with Robert to book shops, follow him around and try hard not to roll his eyes at Robert's excitement when he found a new book to add to his ever growing collection.

When they'd got Liv, the trips had become longer because, it turned out, his little sister liked to read, too. Not the same as Robert (she teased him constantly about his Stephen King obsession) but she likes fantasy, horror, and eventually she and Robert found common ground when they discovered their mutual love for manga and graphic novels. He'd stood watching them for 15 mintues once as they pored over a copy of Watchmen (he's still not sure what that's all about and honestly that's fine) and he'd had to turn away from what that did to his chest.

Usually Aaron went his way to look at magazines or some of the manuals he likes to find and leave them to it.

Then came Seb.

Having Seb changed so much and Robert wanted to instill a love of books into their son.

(Aaron had asked him once why he loved books so much.

Robert had shrugged, buried his face deeper in Aaron's neck and mumbled a quiet, "They make me feel closer to my mum."

Aaron had squeezed Robert tighter.)

When they took their first trip together to the bookshop on a day out in Leeds, Aaron had steered Robert to the new book section as Liv wondered off towards the back. He'd taken hold of Seb and walked with him toward the children's section. The bright, happy colors made Seb clap a little and Aaron kissed his head, found the book his mum had read him a little boy, and sat down to read it.

He wasn't sure he was any good at doing voices but Seb's gaze never left Aaron's face, blue and wide, as Aaron read him the story of the 1000 Acre Woods, a little lonely boy named Christopher and his friends.

By the time they got to Pooh Bear stuck in a tub of honey, Aaron's voice was fading and Seb's head had lulled to rest on Aaron's shoulder. He shut the book quietly, turning to see Robert and Liv standing to the side. Liv gentle smile turning into a smirk and Robert looming at Aaron like he was the most amazing thing in the world.

"What? You said, didn't ya?"

Robert had shaken his head, leaned down to kiss Aaron firmly as he took Seb and the book with him toward the till.

It became a tradition as their family grew, their kids got older, and Aaron found that he was a reader when properly motivated.