Work Text:
Tea For Three
Robert Sugden usually did not do nervous, well certainly not about a tea but this was the first time in ages that he had been asked somewhere or to do anything by Aaron in a very long time. He had various combinations of shirts, jeans and jackets on the bed. Eventually all that remained was the black leather jacket, white shirt, blue jumper and dark nave jeans. He assumed Aaron would still appreciate his rear so had gone for the tighter jeans but was not sure what the reason for this actually invite was.
It could have been for Liv. The thought of her still sent a shudder down his spine. He would never forget finding her slumped under a tree with a bottle almost empty. There were only two incidents he could remember striking him with as much fear, one of them involved a barn blazing into a dark sky and the other the darkness of the bottom of a lake. Loss was the thread that linked the incidents. She had made it, he had been relieved beyond belief while also being shattered. She had welcomed his visit to the hospital; he had assured her that the words on the bridge were his true feelings. Liv believed him but felt her brother would never forgive what had happened. The weeks that had passed saw Arron and Liv together a lot and Robert always felt like he was looking at some strange alternative life where the space that he should have been occupying had been left vacant.
His phone beeped, ‘Don’t know where this came from but do not, I repeat do not mess this up. Doc perfect hair and body is nice but he’s no you xx’. It was Liv, he smiled and his stomach tightened a little. He knew the good doctor had been on the scene but somehow he felt the second half was just beginning. He might have felt sorry for Alex in different circumstances, after all Robert and Liv would make formidable opponents for anyone.
oOo
‘Mate, you sure about this?’
‘It’s a flippin tea Ad, nothing to get too excited about’
‘Look Aaron, I know I was off with him but that was because you were in a bad place’
‘I’m not now and Liv is better and all’
‘I know mate, that’s what I’m saying, look Alex is a top bloke but I think…’
Aaron winced a little, Adam did not notice, he rarely did even when his eyesight was perfect.
‘Look mate this is just tea, Liv has been badgering me and there is nothing going on, I like Alex too’, his voice dipped as he finished his sentence. For some reson he could hardly bring himself to end it.
Adam looked at him carefully but decided to say nothing; he loved Aaron like a brother, more than he did any of his half brothers. Day by day he could see the similarities between Aaron and Robert and Vic and himself.
‘Ok, I best be off, try not to set the place on fire’
Twenty minutes later there was bolognaise sauce dripping from the table to the table to the hob, pasta was boiling over and Aaron was getting redder.
‘Wow, Rob will have a fit when he gets here’
‘Ah, you decided to come home, could do with some help’
Liv, when she wished to, could get things in tight shape in minutes. Aaron went upstairs to change. It took longer than usual, which his sister noted but decided to ignore. The signs were there, he was irritable which meant he was nervous. He had tasted the dish four times and had mulled over extra seasoning more than once. She smiled, knowing that Robert was particular about the taste and that her brother usually erred slightly on the salt and pepper.
She smelt him almost before seeing him.
‘Did you have a bath in the stuff?’
‘Aftershave, wow it’s the Chanel he got you’
‘No idea, it was what I laid my hands on first’
She would have ribbed him but was interrupted by the bell. She decided to answer it and one look at their visitor was enough to tell her that the fidgeting wreck that was checking over everything carefully in the kitchen was matched by the blonde in the carefully chosen ensemble at the door.
‘Rob’ She said pointing at the beers he was holding ‘thought you might have brought brandy’
He laughed, the tension had been broken he thought. That was until Aaron appeared. Bang. He was whooped in the stomach and only one part of his anatomy seemed to have a blood supply.
‘I…um…I brought these’
Aaron examined him and almost smiled, Robert was nervous, which made two of them.
oOo
The food was nice, and after a few minutes the chat was easy. Liv watched and listened, joining in when required. She limited the jibes at Robert to three. He had been forgiven after his visit to her in the hospital. That was after she had encouraged her brother with Alex, although she knew it was going on a train to nowhere. Aaron was interested but she saw it was the same level of interest she might have in a lanky lad towards the end of the school disco.
‘Boys, I’m going to leave the wash up to you, I’ve homework to do’
Robert spluttered his beer into the glass.
‘Homework? Kidding right’
‘No’ Aaron’s face and tone mirrored the winter Yorkshire wind ‘Liv is actually working hard and doing well at school’.
‘Umm yes, of course…..God….sorry I didn’t mean anything’, Robert was reddening fast and his throat was getting dry. He was beginning to stutter and sweat.
Aaron broke first and smiled from his mouth to his eyes while a moment later Liv laughed loudly.
‘Lousers’, Arobert exhaled.
The wash up was quickly done. Robert checked his watch.
‘Have you somewhere to be?’
‘Nowhere at all’
‘A cuppa and biscuits?’
‘Sure’
They moved towards the sofa passing by the gaming seats that Robert had bought in July.
‘Dinner was lovely Aaron, thanks’
‘No problem’
Silence. Awkward silence filled the small space between them. Robert looked around the room, it was homely but not his home. His mark was here in the kitchen and furnishing but there was no photograph of them. A sadness, ever latent in him surged through his body and his heart physically ached. Here was where he had felt home would be and here, just upstairs was where he had ripped it all asunder in a night of stupidity. The shaking was involuntary and the tears unstoppable.
‘Robert, are you ok? What’s wrong?’
‘Aaron’, he got up quickly, ‘I’m sorry, I should go’
Aaron looked up at him. He looked lost and alone, like he had done on so many occasions since that evening in May.
The sound of nothing was interrupted by Aaron’s phone beeping. They could both see the name on the message.
‘Bye’, Robert said quietly, took a look around the room and moved towards the door.
Aaron didn’t think, he didn’t need to, the decision was made.
‘Rob’, Robert turned around, tears streaming down his face.
‘You’re not leaving like that, come here, I think…I think we should probably talk’
Robert felt a wave of relief break over him and he sat down. Aaron put the phone on silent an upside down.
‘Another brew might be handy’
‘Yeah’
Upstairs Liv had heard it all. She was about to come thundering down when Aaron had spoken. She could see him in the kitchen and she knew he had it under control. This might just be ok.