Chapter Text
“Come on, mate, at least consider it.” Adam says and Aaron doesn’t know whether he wants to laugh at him or throttle him.
The warm California sun is shining on them, making Aaron sweat under his long sleeves, but he bets he has nothing on Adam’s smart suit. He can’t say he can muster a lot of sympathy at the moment.
“Give me one good reason why I would want to get into a PR relationship with Robert Sugden, of all people.” Aaron asks, voice rising towards the end. He hopes that if he says it enough time Adam will come back to his senses and realize that the whole thing is ridiculous.
Adam opens his mouth to reply, but Aaron cuts him off. “A good reason that isn’t ‘because Victoria flippin’ Sugden asked.’” He adds. Adam rolls his eyes but Aaron can see a pink flush rise on his face. He’d laugh but he’s afraid it might undercut his anger.
“He’s trying to rehabilitate his image after the whole debacle,” Adam says, half whispering the last word, as if speaking too loud might reignite the whole issue again. In a city like Los Angeles, Aaron’s not too sure it wouldn’t be possible, “and you’d be perfect.”
“He was outed as bisexual not as a drug lord.” Aaron snaps without any real heat. He doesn’t want to do it, but he knows that if Adam keeps pressing, he will. “You can say the word.”
“I was trying to be sensitive!” Adam shoots back, already laughing.
When Aaron had decided to try acting as a sort of therapy, most people had laughed at him. When he had decided to really get into it, try to make it into a career, most people had told him he was crazy. When he had decided to move to Los Angeles and try it for real, most people had deserted him. But not Adam. Never Adam.
Adam had sat outside every single one of Aaron’s acting classes and in the audience of every single one of his theater performances. He’d read every single book, article, or internet page he could get his hands on about managing actors. He’d cashed in every single chip he had and bought a ticket to L.A. with Aaron.
Aaron knows he owes Adam. He is acutely aware.
But Robert Sugden is a nightmare.
“You’re failing.” Aaron replies, his tone dry.
They both laugh. Adam doesn’t ask again.
-
Robert Sugden is famous. And rich. Handsome. Talented too, if you care to see him in anything other than the soulless blockbusters he keeps making.
Aaron is not a snob. He enjoys a nice, soulless, Michael Bay movie as much as the next bloke who likes cars. He also understands, in somewhat abstract terms, that money is important. What annoys him, is that Robert could do so much more than the umpteenth mediocre action movie. He’s got the fancy education and the early indie movie cred to prove it (not that Aaron has obsessively watched those or anything).
Aaron had said that to his face once.
He thinks this feud might be his fault.
-
Aaron is aware that he’s looking at Adam like he has two heads. He knows mostly because Adam’s smile is wavering slightly, getting wobbly at the edges.
“You’re joking.” Aaron says. It must be a joke.
“Aaron, I would never joke about David Fincher.” Adam says and Aaron knows it’s true.
Aaron is going to be in a David Fincher movie.
He feels like he could fly away, he’s so happy.
“There’s just one small thing.”
And he’s back on the ground.
“What?” Aaron asks, wary.
“Robert Sugden has been cast as well.” Adam says.
-
Aaron sees Robert coming in from the glass walls of the conference room and has to take a moment to remind himself to breathe like a normal person. He’s not star struck. He’s met Robert before, unfortunately. It’s just that, well, sometimes when people see Aaron on set before hair and makeup have done their jobs, they think he’s a member of the crew. No one could ever mistake Robert for anything but the movie star he is.
He’s wearing a suit to a table read, like the posh twat he is, his hair is artfully tousled, and Aaron is pretty sure the watch on his wrist costs more than Aaron’s car. And Aaron’s car is pretty much the only luxury he indulges in.
Robert comes in, shakes Fincher’s hand and hugs the script writer, whispering something in her ear and making her laugh. He sits down. Then, he smirks in Aaron’s direction.
-
The table read has gone well, really well, and Aaron is buzzing. He has all these feelings and thoughts swarming inside his head and they aren’t his and it’s making him itch to go out and do something. Anything. He’s feeling reckless and happy.
It’s probably why when Robert sides up to him and says “let’s get a drink” low enough that only Aaron can hear him, Aaron says yes instead of shoving him aside and running out of there.
“Come on, I’ll drive.” Robert says, climbing into his car, a silver beauty Aaron has dreamed about more times than he cares to admit.
He’s half expecting Robert to drive them to a fancy club, somewhere with heavy bass music and overpriced drinks. Robert instead makes a turn towards Hollywood Hills.
“I thought we could get a drink at my place.” Robert says, smiling at Aaron and Aaron smiles back.
There’s a weird sort of tension in the car, but it’s not unpleasant. Aaron knows where this is going.
It’s not a good idea.
They’re co-stars. Robert’s a dick. Robert was just recently outed. Robert apparently wanted to date Aaron as a sort of PR stunt.
Aaron hasn’t managed to beat the odds and become an actor by letting opportunities pass him by.
They slip inside Robert’s house and it’s not what Aaron was expecting. It’s modern and sleek, yes, but it also feels warm and lived in. There’s a rumpled duvet on the massive sofa, as if someone has slept on the couch and forgot to straighten it out. Aaron doesn’t know why he finds it such an endearing thing, but here he is.
“What can I get you?” Robert asks, walking towards the kitchen.
“Beer, please.” Aaron replies, making himself comfortable on the couch. He starts going through the books on the coffee table. There’s a couple staples of every actor’s home, big picture books about old Hollywood that no one ever really opens, but there’s also three novels. All three have bookmarks stuck in them.
“Here you go.” Robert says, handing Aaron a beer. It’s fancier than what Aaron usually goes for, but at least it’s not American beer.
“So.” Aaron says, while Robert sits down next to him, simultaneously too close and not close enough. “You’re not doing the next summer blockbuster this year.”
Robert laughs. “Someone told me I should get back to, and I quote, ‘movies worth the price of the ticket.’”
Aaron scoffs. “And since when you listen to what anyone has to say?”
“Well, it also helps that I’ve been offered significantly fewer action roles recently.” Robert says and he’s looking at his beer to avoid looking at Aaron.
“I’m sorry about that.” Aaron says softly, putting a hand on Robert’s arm. It’s warm and solid.
Robert shrugs awkwardly.
He looks at Aaron from under his lashes and Aaron knows this is a move. He knows it. It doesn’t matter, it works.
They kiss, and it heats up immediately, Robert’s hands finding the skin under Aaron’s t-shirt, Aaron shoving Robert’s suit jacket off. They’re a flurry of hands and clothes and want.
They tumble into Robert’s bed, a huge and soft thing, moaning and laughing and kissing.
Aaron might have been waiting for this one for a while.
-
“I can’t believe we haven’t done this earlier.” Aaron says. He’s craving a cigarette, but he doesn’t have any on him and he refuses to leave this bed. Possibly ever.
“I tried.” Robert replies, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on Aaron’s chest.
“What? When?” Aaron asks, turning to look at Robert. He’s even more gorgeous now, stripped of all the artifice.
“I had my sister get in touch with your manager, didn’t he tell you?” Robert says, like this is normal.
“Was that your way of asking me out?” Aaron asks.
Robert shrugs as much as he can while lying on his side. “Sounded like a good idea at the time.”