Work Text:
Aaron is a good neighbour, and when he hears a door slamming downstairs, followed shortly by the sound of smashing, he knows he ought to go and check it out. Ruby and Caleb mentioned they would be away this weekend, so it is a bit concerning for there to be so much noise—especially at this hour.
There’s a draught blowing up the stairs as he makes his way down to the other flat, using his phone as a torch rather than turning on the light in the corridor.
A thud against the door startles him. It sounds like someone is being pushed against it.
Right, Aaron thinks, straightens up as adrenaline starts being pumped through his veins. It’s probably just kids messing about or something, they must’ve snuck through a window…
He gets down the last couple of steps and hesitates outside the door for a moment, before puffing out his chest and barging through the door.
~~~
It’s like he can’t ever quite get enough. His hands are everywhere; his waist, his hips, in his hair… but Robert wants more. Always wants more.
As lips move from his mouth to his neck, he makes the decision.
“Not here,” he breathes, reaches down for the hand on his waist and tangles their fingers together.
They stumble down the road together until they reach the main door to The Mill. As Robert unlocks it, determined hands are fumbling once again and he can’t help but chuckle as he turns into them, gratefully sinking into a kiss once again. He is ushered backwards towards the front door of the flat, the cool glass soaking through the cotton of his shirt. Hurried breaths tickle against his ear, goosebumps rising on his skin, as the keys are taken from his hand and that one is unlocked too.
The door flies open, banging against the wall, but Robert could not care less. He stumbles backwards, lips firmly against his as his jacket is shucked off his shoulders.
“Robert,” is mumbled against his lips, and it melts on his tongue like the most delicious chocolate.
Deft fingers are reaching for the buttons on his shirt, flying through them so quickly. He feels himself floating away in ecstasy, both feeling everything and nothing all at once.
But then he snaps out of it.
He leans back slightly and wide eyes meet his.
“What’s wrong?”
A smirk pulls up the corner of his lips as he finishes removing his shirt and lets it fall to the ground. He reaches out and pulls their hips together, the cocky grin on his face widening when he hears a soft groan.
“Nothing wrong at all,” he says, and pushes away playfully.
Unfortunately, they’ve both had quite a few beers at the Woolpack and they barge into a side table, knocking it over and sending a vase to the floor.
“Oops.”
Robert huffs out a laugh and brings them together again, and they crash against the door with a thud. The laughter in the air dissipates quickly and the intensity rises once more, deepened kisses and wandering hands always holding the promise of more.
Suddenly, there is a strong push against the door, sending them stumbling away. They trip over one another’s feet and crash to the floor as the door flies open. The bright light from the hall is enough to make Robert squint as he peers up at the silhouette in the doorway.
It’s a very familiar silhouette.
A silhouette he has just had his hands all over.
“Aaron?”
“Yeah?” a voice mumbles from next to him and he glances over.
At the other Aaron.
Who is now also staring at the person at the door.
“What the fuck?”
~~~
The words Aaron wants to say falter in his mouth, so he bites his lip instead. He can’t take his eyes off the couple on the floor in front of him, can only think about what they were probably getting up to before he forced his way in.
The last thing he expected was to interrupt a version of himself and Robert about to have sex.
For some reason, Robert looks guilty as he looks between Aaron and the man on the floor next to him.
Also Aaron. (Shit, this is trippy.)
Robert is shirtless, his pale skin stretching for miles until it reaches a small tattoo of three dates on his forearm. Aaron wants to step closer to read what they are, but he already knows that one of them is most likely 5th October 2018. His build isn’t quite the same as the Robert he knows — it appears that this Robert hasn’t been working on a farm recently. Perhaps he still works in an office.
His facial features are still slightly worn in, with a distinct lack of facial hair and a hairstyle that is slightly more refined than current Robert’s hair. (Of course, current Robert’s hair is the least of his worries at the moment, he can’t help but think.) His eyes are shining and he looks happy.
It is almost like looking into a mirror when he takes in Other Aaron. He has the same broad shoulders, covered by a black t-shirt, and almost exactly the same amount of stubble. There are some slight changes, sure — a notable one being a very similar tattoo, this one on his bicep, and the slightly longer mop of curly hair on the top of his head — but overall, Aaron has very much the same opinion about him. He’s happy.
Well, perhaps they aren’t entirely happy that they’ve been cockblocked.
“What the fuck?” Other Aaron says again, clambering back onto his feet. Aaron can tell by the way he sways slightly that he must have had a few pints.
Aaron switches his phone torch off and turns on the living room light of Ruby and Caleb’s flat. He still can’t quite find the words to address this completely and utterly bizarre situation.
Other Aaron’s eyes scan the room and he looks confused. “Where are we?” he asks.
“Well, considering there are two of you”—Robert gestures between the two of them—”I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Toto.”
Robert gets onto his feet now too and after a beat, gestures for Aaron to come in. Aaron does so, surprised that his feet are listening to his brain at least, as he shuts the door behind him.
“I’m guessing John’s asleep?” Robert asks carefully.
“How did you--?” Aaron croaks, words finally making the decision to come out of his mouth.
Robert sighs, glances over at Other Aaron. “It’s not my first time here. In this… other universe.”
“What? And you didn’t think to tell me?” Other Aaron exclaims.
“Oh yeah? And you would’ve believed me, right?” Robert says. “I can just hear the conversation now, ‘Hey, Aaron, guess what? I went to sleep and woke up on the floor of Victoria’s spare bedroom and saw another version of myself sleeping in the bed. We had a catch up. It was nice. Then we went to the Woolie and had a pint together!’”
Aaron’s still confused. “Other universe?”
“There’s this theory,” Robert explains. “Many worlds interpretation. I looked it up after it happened the first time. Basically, it kind of says that every decision could create a different universe.”
“So, you made a different decision to me?” Aaron asks Other Aaron, who is clearly wondering the same thing.
“No,” Robert says. “Me and your Robert talked about it and… In our universe, I didn’t attack Lee.”
~~~
Aaron has pondered over a scenario like this a million times. Obviously never believing it could be true, but sometimes, when the ‘what if’s start piling up and up, Aaron could almost write a book with everything he’s thought about happening in a different life.
And in every other outcome, he has stayed with Robert.
Whether it’s like this Robert, the one that never killed Lee, or a Robert that didn’t cut contact, or a Robert that didn’t divorce him, or a Robert that appealed his prison sentence… the list goes on.
But, the one difference here is that he is the Aaron who chose someone else.
“So, who’s John?” Other Aaron asks, joining him where he has perched on the edge of Ruby and Caleb’s sofa. Robert has wandered off into the kitchen to find a dustpan and brush (and probably to be nosy at what different people have done with their home).
Aaron coughs, suddenly finding his socked feet very interesting. “My husband,” he mumbles.
“Husband? What about Robert?”
“Um.” Aaron can’t figure out the right words to say. “He, uh, cut off contact with me in prison and divorced me.”
“He wanted you to have your life back so you didn’t waste it waiting for him,” Robert corrects as he walks back over to them and crouches down to sweep up the broken vase.
Aaron rolls his eyes. “It’s not that simple.”
“But he’s back now?” Other Aaron asks. “And you don’t have anything to do with him?”
“Did you miss the part where I said I was married?”
Other Aaron shakes his head and looks down at his lap. Aaron realises they both have their hands clasped together in the same way, except Other Aaron is twisting his wedding ring around his finger.
“We slept together,” Aaron blurts out, feeling a sudden need to be honest with this other version of himself. “A few days ago.”
Other Aaron looks up in surprise and there’s a sudden excited voice behind him from where Robert is leaning over the back of the sofa.
“Really? What happened?”
“It’s a long story,” Aaron grumbles. “But John and I are going away tomorrow. We’re… thinking of moving away.”
“Moving away?” Robert asks incredulously. “But this is your home. There’s no way you really want to move away.”
“That’s funny, ‘cause I suggested it,” Aaron replies, the words feeling all too familiar as they fall from his tongue.
“You’re running away.”
“From what?”
“From what you really want.”
“Ugh, stop it,” Aaron snaps as he stands up from the sofa and moves away. “You’re freaking me out.”
Robert frowns. “How am I freaking you out?”
Aaron doesn’t want to talk about the fact that he had this exact same conversation just yesterday with ‘his’ Robert. It had been difficult enough the first time, let alone having to rehash it with a Robert from an alternate timeline.
Jesus, what has his life come to?
He hears movement behind him but still jumps when there’s a hand on his shoulder.
“You love him, don’t you?”
There’s a pause before Aaron shakes his head. “I love John. He’s my future.”
Other Aaron sighs. “Aaron, I know you. And we know him.” He tilts his head in the general direction of where Robert is standing. “You know how much he means to you.”
Aaron feels a lump forming in his throat. He tries to swallow past it. “He didn’t want me.”
“You know that’s not true.”
And the thing is, he does know that. Since Robert has been back in Emmerdale, in the very few interactions he and Aaron have had, all he has wanted to do is open up to him. Robert has told Aaron how much he loves him multiple times, how much he was on his mind while he was in prison, how they belong together…
Aaron’s mind drifts back to Monday. He had told Robert he missed him, but couldn’t allow himself to say any more than that. It’s all so complicated and messed up. He’s an honest person; he can’t hang around here and cheat on his husband. Because, of course, that would be inevitable. Robert wasn’t wrong in what he had said in their conversation the other day. Aaron has even admitted it himself.
He couldn’t trust himself to stay away from Robert.
“Come on, Aaron. We ought to try and find out how we’re gonna get back. It’s getting late.”
Robert’s voice breaks through Aaron’s thoughts and he snaps back into focus. “Sorry I interrupted,” he says. “Just try not to wreck the Milligans' flat next time, yeah?”
“Of course we won’t.” He grins in a way that Aaron is all too familiar with and walks over, tangling his fingers together with Other Aaron’s. “Maybe one day we’ll meet again.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
There’s a look of hesitance on Robert’s face before he leans in and presses a kiss to Aaron’s cheek. Other Aaron squawks out an ‘oi!’ and slaps Robert’s arm.
“It’s only you, ya idiot,” Robert says lovingly, and kisses him too.
Aaron can’t help but smile at them. They really do fit together so well.
They always have.
~~~
They lie together, a tangle of limbs, Robert’s hand in Aaron’s hair. The heat has finally settled, leaving them in a pool of comfortable warmth which they are basking in. The only light is coming from Aaron’s phone screen as he checks for a message from Victoria, their chosen babysitter for the evening.
Robert’s lips are pressed against Aaron’s shoulder when Aaron suddenly lets out a soft sound.
“Oh, look at them,” he says, and Robert looks up to where he is fonding over a photo of their children fast asleep on Victoria’s sofa.
“It looks like they’ve had a good day.”
Aaron scrolls to a video of Seb and Sophie on the playground together. Seb is pushing Sophie on the swings and she is squealing in delight. It’s absolutely adorable. Robert smiles, his cheek pressed into Aaron’s neck. Aaron hums, looking at the photo for a moment longer before locking his phone and putting it on the bedside table, rolling over and snuggling into Robert’s embrace.
They stay silent for a while, just comfortable to lie in one another’s arms with the rest of the night stretching ahead of them. It actually almost feels a bit overwhelming, much like it did when they first dropped the kids off and thought, ‘what now?’. Since becoming Daddy Aaron and Daddy Robert, they don’t have as much time to be just Aaron and Robert anymore. But neither of them would change it for the world.
“Do you think it will work out for them?” Aaron asks into the darkness, his hand splayed across Robert’s chest.
“‘Course it will,” Robert replies. “It always does.”