Chapter Text
“Oi! Soft lad! Do you work here or not?!” Cain yelled over from the car he was working on. “Only I seem to remember you asked for your job back so if you’d like to actually lift a finger that’d be great.” Aaron frowned at his uncle's sarcasm, pushing himself up from the bonnet he was leaning on and stuffing his phone back into his pocket.
“This finger do?” He replied, raising his middle finger at Cain who threw his spanner down and strode towards Aaron. “Alright, alright, I’m sorry.” Aaron laughed.
“I only took you back on ‘cause your mam begged me. Now get your back into it before I throw you out on your ear.” Aaron turned away, smirking as he picked up a spanner and started to fix the car. At that moment the phone rang and Cain headed into the garage to answer it. It had been a couple of days since Aaron was cleared for arson and absconding. Life was getting back to how it used to be before he left for France – well sort of – and he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. It was certainly strange being back after so long. Emmerdale dragged up so many memories (some more than a little unwelcome). Chas was thrilled to have her son back, that was for sure, but somewhere deep down Aaron was unsettled by being back in the village. “Right I’ve gotta go out on a pick up. Can I trust you here on your own?” Cain called as he came back out of the garage.
“I’ll be fine.”
“It wasn’t you I was worried about.”
“Nice.” Aaron sniped sarcastically. His uncle clouted him on the back of the head on his way to the way to the van. “Oi!” Cain drove off leaving Aaron alone. He wandered inside to put the kettle on and then stood there looking around the place. It really was weird being back. It had barely changed at all.
“Excuse me!” A call came from outside. Aaron stepped out to see a man in his late twenties, sweat dripping down his forehead, swinging some car keys from his fingers.
“Can I help you?” Aaron asked plainly. It came out more harsh than he’d meant and for some reason that seemed to matter.
“Yeah. My car – well I say car – my piece of junk," he corrected, "has just packed up at the top of the village. I’m pretty sure it’s a loose HT lead…”
“You sound very knowledgeable.” Aaron cut the man off. He smiled and nodded.
“I’m a mechanic.”
“Oh right….why do you need me then?”
“I don’t have any tools so I was wondering if…”
“You could borrow some?”
“Yeah, if that’s okay. I’ll pay you of course."“What do you need?” Aaron asked, already heading for a box of tools.
“Spanner, some screw drivers…you got any gaffa tape?” Aaron went back to the bloke and handed over the stuff. “Thanks.”
“No problem."
"How much do I owe you?" The man attempted to wipe the sweat from his brow as he spoke.
"You're alright mate."
"Are you sure?"
"Just call it a favour." Aaron smiled.
"Well, thank you."
"You sure you don’t need a hand?”
“I’ll be fine. Thanks for these. I’ll bring them back in a bit.”
“Sure.” The man smiled.
“Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“Aaron.”
“I'm Robert.” The man introduced himself, balancing the tools in one arm as he extended the other. They shook hands. “Well thanks Aaron.” He nodded as Robert turned and headed back up the road. Aaron stood there watching the man go for a minute. His white t-shirt had a few black smears on it from where he'd been rummaging about in the bonnet of his ‘piece of junk’ and his blond hair was messed up in a way that somehow made it all the more striking. Aaron smiled at the way Robert strode confidently up towards the top of the village. He caught himself and shook his head. Now was not the time.
“How was your day?” Chas questioned her son across the bar.
“The same as yesterday.”
“Enlightening.”
“Just stop checking up on me mum, I’m fine.”
“I’m not checking up love. I’m just asking you a simple question.” Aaron took a deep breathe.
“Yeah. Sorry. Just tired.” He smiled lightly at Chas. “Can I have another?” Aaron pushed his pint glass towards his mum who smiled and took it to fill it up again.
"Hi. Aaron wasn't it?" The blond man from earlier greeted as he appeared beside Aaron at the bar. Aaron looked up at him. Robert was now wearing a leather jacket and he'd obviously fixed his hair.
"Yes. Hello again Robert."
"I brought the tools back earlier. You weren't around."
"I got called out." Robert nodded in recognition.
"Well I'm glad I tracked you down anyway." He said with a smile. "Now I can buy you a pint."
"There's really no need..."
"Just call it returning the favour." Aaron smirked.
"Alright then." Aaron looked the bloke up and down. "You seem very comfortable around here." Rob looked over to the pictures of the previous Woolpack owners as he replied.
"I'm from here. Not been back in a while mind."
"Robert Sugden." Chas said plainly when she looked up from what she was doing. Robert snapped his gaze back to look at her. "Vic said you were due back."
"Alright Chas?"
"I see you've not lost that smarmy smile of yours then?" Robert just shook his head with a smirk.
"I'll have a pint when you're ready. And I'm getting his too." He gestured to Aaron who was watching the exchange a little confused.
"When did you two meet then?" Chas asked.
"He popped into the garage earlier." Aaron half spoke half mumbled.
"Check up on him a lot do you?" Robert accused Chas as he leant forward on the bar. It made Aaron laugh that this bloke who barely knew him had picked up on that exact fact too.
"She's my mum." He explained.
"Oh..." There was a moment of silence. It was almost as if Robert was judging a decision on this new found information but Aaron wasn't sure why he got that sense.
"So you're Vic's brother then?" He asked to break the silence.
"Yeah."
"I should've guessed when you said your name was Robert and you were from 'round here."
"Know Vic well then do you?"
"She's a mate." The lads looked at each other for a second and then something seemed to click in Robert's head.
"Hold on...are you Aaron as in ex-boyfriend Aaron, Aaron who's gay, Aaron?" Aaron cringed.
"Please tell me that is not how Vic introduces me?" Rob laughed.
"No mate. I'm sorry if that sounded blunt. Vic tells me pretty much everything that goes on around here whether I want to know or not. Unfortunately that's what comes of having a sister. Those just happen to be the two things about you that have stuck in my head." Aaron smiled.
"Fair enough." Chas put the two pints down in front of them.
"Thanks." Robert picked up his glass and took a swig. Aaron had to stop himself from staring as the bloke licked his lips before resting his pint back down on the bar. "Hey, d'you wanna grab a table and continue this conversation? I've gotta admit I'm quite interested to learn more about you and my sister." He raised his eyebrows with a smile.
"Sure." As they both stood to head for a table, Chas gave Aaron a warning glance which had the exact opposite to desired effect, only making her son more determined to learn more about this mysterious 'Robert Sugden'.
"So how long have you been away for?"
"Years." Robert pushed a coaster between his two index fingers on the table. "I never really fitted in 'round her. Not once I got older anyway." Aaron watched the bloke as he stared down. He wanted to ask another question - to ask why or where he'd been - but he thought better of it. "How long have you been around here then?"
"I actually only got back recently. Spent some time abroad."
"I don't remember you being around when I was still here though."
"I only came to live with my mum when I was fifteen."
"Bet you were thrilled about moving to a quiet village where a good eighty percent of the population are over forty-five." Robert joked, reaching for his pint again.
"Not exactly every teenagers dream." Aaron smiled. "I guess it's not so bad though. Mum likes having me around anyway."
"So why d'you leave then?" Aaron looked down.
"It's complicated."
"What isn't?" Robert spoke sincerely. Aaron looked up and caught his eye. It felt like they understood each other. It was like Robert knew exactly how Aaron was feeling....and it felt good.
"What the hell are you doing back here?!" Andy bluntly interrupted. He glared down at his brother with a look that could kill.
"Andy..." Rob began.
"Vic said you were back."
"I was gonna come see you tomorrow. Vic said you had a lot on today. I didn't wanna bother you." Robert stood up to face his brother. "How've you been bro?"
"Get stuffed. What gives you the right?! You didn't even have the decency to come to dad's funeral and then you vanish for five years without so much as a letter. Vic was going spare Rob." Aaron wondered if he should go but something made him stay and listen.
"Andy..."
"No! Victoria might've forgiven you but I can't." Andy looked Robert up and down with disgust. "Just do us all a favour Rob and go back to wherever the hell it is you've been hiding all this time." He looked down at Aaron. "He doesn't deserve you're time mate. He's a waste of space. Always has been." Andy gave Rob a final shake of the head and stormed out of the pub leaving the doors swinging and Aaron with a head full of unanswered questions.