#they should consider switching to 2 male dancers and keeping the rest as female dancers

[certifiedmaidenlessblog]

Imagine being someone as unwanted as a male backup dancer for taemin..... like nobody wants you there except maybe. taemin.

[sleepyverstappens]

Dancing Through Life (9/?)

Title: Dancing Through Life

Pairing: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden

Rating: M

Warnings (New warnings in italics): Canonical Character Death, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Non-Graphic Violence, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Panic Attack(s), Coming Out

Summary:  Two boys, stuck in a small village in the Yorkshire Dales, until they found their unlikely way out, through ballet and each other.

A/N:  Surprise! I found some stuff I had written in a notebook a while ago and actually managed to finish a chapter already :D! It's a quite dialogue heavy one, but I hope you all like it :) (Also this is from Aaron’s POV again, it just worked out liked that, will probably be back to switching between them in the next chapter).

(Read on AO3)

(Chapter 1) (Chapter 2) (Chapter 3) (Chapter 4) (Chapter 5) (Chapter 6) (Chapter 7) (Chapter 8)

Chapter 9:

He heard the murmur of people in the theatre get louder and louder as he walked down the stairs towards the backstage area. He crossed the sign that told them the audience would be able to hear them from there on and finally found himself stage left. Nervous energy was running through his body as he caught a glimpse of the people finding their seats. This was only his 3rd show as a principle and it was his first original work. He knew his mum would be somewhere in the crowd of people, orchestra, row five, seat 16, to be precise, he had gotten her a seat smack-dab in the middle. Cain would probably be sitting next to her along with Lisa and Belle. Marlon, Charity and April were somewhere else in the theatre as he had only been able to reserve four tickets.

Cain had most likely been pressured by his mum to come along, his uncle still not the biggest fan of ballet, but he would do anything for his sister and his nephew. Lisa and Belle had come to love ballet and had been to most of his shows over the years. Marlon was only there because April had begged him, saying she was old enough to go and see Aaron perform now. And Charity was probably only there to get out of her shift of the Woolpack. Whatever their reason was for coming, Aaron appreciated it a lot, it was always great to share the high from an opening night performance with his family afterwards. He wondered how Robert must feel right now, no family there to support him.

Speaking of Robert, he caught his gaze briefly as Robert made his way over to the other side of the stage where he would enter. Yesterday’s events had played through Aaron’s mind all day long, not the best preparation for opening night but he had clearly been able to hide it better than Robert, as the other man had been called out more than once during the day. They hadn’t really spoken throughout the day, both trying to keep focussed on getting everything right for opening night.

He heard the opening notes ring through the theatre and looked over as Ruby entered the stage from the coulisse next to him. She danced her opening scene and one by one the other dancers entered the stage until it was only Aaron and Robert left backstage. He looked over to the other side of the stage and found Robert’s eyes focussed on him, with a small nod he acknowledged him. Robert nodded back and then they both entered the stage.

Aaron forgot about everything else around him and was fully focussed on dancing his heart out. Movements flowing from him as he danced the first pas de deux with Ruby, eyes focussed on the woman in his arms as he lifted her up easily and spun her in a pirouette. Then smirking over at Robert’s Etienne as he dipped her right in front of him. The characters’ battle for her hand had started.

A roaring applause burst through his bubble as they finished their pas de deux and he left the stage for Robert’s scene and pas de deux with Ruby. He had a few minutes to catch his breath before he was right back in another intense scene. Time seemed to fly as all of a sudden it was time for his and Robert’s duet. They looked at each other from opposite ends of the stage, reminiscent of the start of the show, and with another mutual nod they ran onto the stage and jumped up, both of them forming a perfectly timed jeté. He grabbed Robert’s arm and twisted him around and into his body, hands wrapping around his waist as he lifted him up high, eyes focussed on each other the whole time. Sparks were flying between them as Aaron lowered Robert back to the floor. Their hands lingered slightly as Etienne twisted away from Antoine in defiance, before both of their character started a petit allegro.

As they ended their quick movements their characters tried to one up each other by performing more and more complicated movements, until finally they burst and Aaron’s lift was coming up. Antoine made out to move away from Etienne, but then twisted around with a turn in the air before ‘launching’ himself at the other man in anger. Aaron runs up to Robert and feels the other man’s hands wrap around his hips as Robert lifts him up, turns around with the momentum before pushing him off again. Antoine seems to have lost the battle and applause rings through the opera house as Etienne dances victoriously, but then out of nowhere Antoine comes back and Etienne’s victorious sissonne clashes with Antoine’s aggressive sissonne and both of their characters are knocked down.

As Aaron and Robert fall down, Ruby’s Mathilde runs back onto the stage to see both of her suitors dead. She caresses both of them in a mournful dance, before being joined by the other female dancers in a synchronised dance as she stands strong while Aaron and Robert get dragged off stage by Adam and Alex.

Ruby finishes off with an impressive pirouette another loud roar of applause is reverberated throughout the Royal Opera House. Adrenaline rushes through his body as Robert and him run back onto stage to take their bows. Both of them grab one of Ruby’s hands as all three of them bow, before Ruby steps forward to take her own. People are standing and the applause seems deafening; and Aaron can’t seem to wipe the grin of his face as he takes in his surroundings.

A great opening night.

---

“Mate, have you read this?” Adam asked as he walks into their kitchen holding a newspaper. He must have gone out to get it, as they don’t normally get papers.

“What?”

“The review of the show,” Adam said as he shoves the newspaper into his hands.

“Brilliantly mesmerizing new Royal Ballet original.” The headline reads.

It talks about the basic premise of the story and praises Ruby’s performance, but the next line mentions him and Robert.

“The male competitors, while showing their skills to impress Mathilde, played by female lead Ruby Rosenthal, seem to actually have more sexual tension with each other than the female lead.”

Aaron huffs, “What are they on about?”

“Mate, it’s true though. It’s like there’s an invisible thread that you each keep pulling on, but you never seem to be able to get to each other.”

“Since when are you all metaphorical?” Aaron asks his best friend. Adam is great, but not always the smartest and hearing him spout some random metaphorical shit is confusing.

“I’m not, read the rest of the article.”

He reads the rest of the article, it mentions the bit that Adam had spouted at him. The writer wondering if this apparent sexual tension between the male leads is intentional or not. It then goes on to talk about the rest of the show and the other company dancers, before ending with the details of where to find tickets for the show.

The article gets him thinking. If even complete strangers could see what was going on between them, then why were they still playing this game?

Aaron wanted him, the two kisses they had shared had already left him wanting more, but then the itch should’ve been gone after their escapades the other day; it wasn’t gone, if anything his body craved more. He also knew Robert was right. Getting involved would complicate things at work. Especially now that they were in the same show and in these roles that shared so many scenes. Was Aaron willing to risk the fragile working relationship they had managed to build over the last few weeks?

---

“My sister is coming to the show today,” Robert said a few days after opening night. They hadn’t mentioned what had happened the day before opening night, but they hadn’t gone back to avoiding each other either, so Aaron considered it progress.

“That’s nice, right?” Aaron said with a smile, it always felt great to have family in the audience, he assumed Robert felt the same.

“Yes, it’s great. She would’ve come on opening night, but she couldn’t get out of work.”

“Ah, that sucks. What does she do?”

“She’s a cook in a pub,” Robert said with a frown.

“Not what you had in mind for her?” Aaron questioned.

“No, she’s way too good to be stuck in a village pub cooking grub for the local boozers. I’ve been trying to convince her to apply to a culinary school over here for ages now. I think she’s about to finally give in, now that I’m back in London, and she’s been moaning about her colleagues a lot lately.”

“It’s nice that you look after her like that,” Aaron replied.

“Yeah, well, I missed too much of her growing up already, guess I’m trying to make up for that still,” Robert sighs with a wary look on his face that intrigues Aaron.

“Why is that?”

“It’s complicated,” Robert replied too quickly, like it has become a rehearsed answer.

“Try me?”

“It wasn’t by choice. After my mum died… stuff… happened and I didn’t see her anymore, not until 7 years later when my dad died. She’s been coming to my shows ever since though, even came to Paris a bunch of times and we were able to forge a pretty great bond over the years.”

“Well, you should invite her backstage, introduce her to everyone,” Aaron responded, though his mind was racing with this new information. What was the ‘stuff’ that had happened all those years ago? Why hadn’t he seen his family for years? He had a feeling it was something to do with his father. Robert really didn’t like talking about him, but he didn’t want to push the other man. Knew he wouldn’t want people pushing him to talk about his. If Robert wanted to tell him he would, eventually.  

---

“Victoria?” Aaron asked as Robert was about to introduce them.

“Aaron, hey.”

“Wait, you’re Robert’s sister?”

“Duh, you hadn’t made the connection yet? Sugden?

“Yeah, well there’s bound to be more Sugdens around than just your lot,” Aaron shrugged.

“What about all the times I mentioned going to London to see my brother called Robert perform,” Victoria chuckled.

“Wait, you two know each other already?” Robert asked, confused by the conversation going on in front of him.

“Why’d you never say you’re from Emmerdale?” was the response he got from Aaron instead.

“Hang on, you never did either!”

“Oh boys, you’re both as thick as each other,” Victoria said shaking her head. “With you both in the same show, I’d assumed you knew.”

“Okay, so how exactly do you know each other?” Robert asked again.

“Emmerdale is a tiny village, everyone knows everyone. Don’t tell me you’d forgotten about that. And well she works in me mum’s pub.”

“Well, I haven’t really been back since I was 21 and then before that I hadn’t been back since I was 14,” Robert shrugged.

He sees Vic give Aaron a don’t ask look, which he’s grateful for. Though he assumed Aaron would be able to connect some of the dots after their talk about his parents.

“Wait, so you couldn’t come to opening night because my family was coming?” Aaron interrupted his train of thought.

“Yeah, they should really get some more non-Dingle staff at the Woolie! I was stuck working the bar and kitchen on my own until Bob was done at the caf! Anyway, now that we’re all caught up, let’s hit the town eh.”

“Vic, come on it’s the middle of the week, we’ve got a full day of work tomorrow,” Robert groaned, his body was already starting to ache now that the adrenaline boost from the performance was wearing off.

“Oh come on Robert! It’s one night, I’m sure you’ll be alright you old sod,” Vic said grinning broadly at her brother. “You coming with Aaron?”

“Yeah alright then, don’t want to be called old now do I? Is it okay if I ask Adam along as well?”

“Sure, the more the merrier. See Robert, Aaron’s coming.”

“Okay, okay, stop pestering me already,” Robert whined, but a smile starts pulling at his lips.

---

They had found their way to a pub not that far from the theatre, none of them feeling up to getting a taxi somewhere further away. The pub’s bustling around them, but not over crowded. It reminds Aaron of the Woolpack in a way, some obvious regulars are propped up at the bar. The booths filled with people nursing pints, some shoving handfuls of prawn cocktail crisps into their mouths as they chat amicably. There’s a more even mix of regulars and outsiders than there ever is in the Woolpack, but then they are in London after all. A young couple sits in the booth next to them, speaking a language he can’t really make out; a group of men with American accents are laughing loudly over at the booth in the corner, clearly having already downed a few. But it’s nice, easy, letting his sore muscles relax in the worn down leather from the booth they had managed to snag.

Adam and Vic had hit it off pretty quick and were now lost in their own world, leaving Aaron and Robert to entertain themselves.

“So why didn’t you tell me about her before?” Aaron asked.

“Well, I told you I had a sister didn’t I. Didn’t really think you’d know her, so why bother? And you never asked either,” Robert shrugged.

“Fair. Why’d you tell me about her coming today though?”

“Ever heard of making conversation, you know what we’re doing now,” Robert grinned. “Nah, I told you she couldn’t come opening night didn’t I, so I guess I wanted to tell you. Wanted to tell someone and as you may have noticed I don’t really have any other friends here yet. Not in the company at least and most of my old friends have moved to other places by now.” Robert seemed to hesitated slightly on the word friend, was that what they were?

“Right, so I was your only option?”

“Well, we had at least talked before,” Robert smirked, insinuation clear.

Aaron blushed slightly, mind all too eager to bring what had happened in the rehearsal room a few days ago back up to the forefront of his mind. He tried to ignore the insinuation though, in favour of questioning Robert some more; he wanted to find out more about him.  

“So, why’d you come back to London if most of your friends have gone?”

“Like I said, London is my home. I guess I’m just a sentimental fool like that…” Robert said wistfully.

“Emmerdale not home to you anymore then?”      

Robert just shook his head. “As I mentioned before, I haven’t been back there in 10 years. And that was only for two days, I hadn’t been back for 7 years before that.” Robert said, still avoiding the reason why he hadn’t been back there in so long. “It is to you?”

Aaron thought about that for a while. His family was back in Emmerdale, but it hadn’t really been his real home in a long time. Which is what he told Robert. The other man nodded.

“So, you go back there often?” Robert asked, turning the questions back on him.

“Hmm, not as often as I like. My mum comes down to London often enough, but I still miss her a lot. And the rest of ‘em only come down here every so often, opening nights mostly. So whenever I get the chance to make the trip up there I do. Wouldn’t dream of living back there full time though, much prefer the city life.”

“No gossiping old ladies, amiright,” Robert chuckled.

---

They talked some more about Emmerdale, but eventually the conversation diverged to other topics. They didn’t even talk about ballet, the conversation flowing easily without the need to fall back on that common ground.

Aaron saw Robert trying to stifle a yawn; feeling a yawn of his own start in response. He glanced over at the clock by the bar, it was almost midnight, the pub would be closing soon; it already being open later than most.

“We should probably head home, about to get kicked out anyway,” Aaron said. They were the only people left apart from the lone stranger sat at the bar that had just downed the last of his pint, and the bartender who was beginning to give them more and more dirty looks, clearly eager to close up.

“Yeah, let’s go. We can walk together, what way is your place?” Victoria asked.

Aaron told her which street him and Adam lived on and they found out that they lived only a few streets away from Robert, so they could walk a fair bit together.

Adam and Victoria walked a few steps in front of them, still chatting along easily even though they hadn’t stopped to catch their breath all night. Robert and him walked together quietly, happy to let the noises of the city be their soundtrack. Their shoulders brushed lightly every so often with how close they had ended up walking, sending a shiver down his spine every time. He could see his and Adam’s house dooming up all too soon and found himself slowing down his steps, not ready to say goodbye to Robert yet. They had both opened up more in the few hours in that pub than they had in the almost 2 months that they had been working together and he couldn’t help but want to know more.

“Oi Aaron lad, you coming or what?” Adam called out to them, already at their front door.

“Well this is me…” Aaron murmured.

“Right. See you tomorrow then?” Robert said softly, eyes roaming over Aaron’s face as if to take him in just once more. His hair was all floppy, falling over his forehead, having dried naturally after his post show shower; cheeks slightly red from the cold wind. He looked slightly sleepy and so much younger, and it made Aaron feel all soft inside.  

“Yeah,” he sighed. And then all of a sudden lips were pressing against his cheek, gone all too soon again, but they left a his cheek tingling. A slight blush creeped up his neck as Robert hurried away, grabbing his sisters hand as if to get away as quickly as possible.

“Mate, you’ve got it bad,” Adam said all of a sudden, he hadn’t even notices his best friend walking up to him.

“Shut up,” Aaron huffed, quickly drawing the hand that was pressed against his cheek away, when had that happened?