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Robert had ended up taking his car back to the garage with the same fault that had apparently been fixed. Being a mechanic in a former life, Robert knew this kind of thing could sometimes happen, especially with the kind of fault it was, but he couldn’t resist taking a few digs at Ross by suggesting to Cain that he hired more capable staff. Cain ended up intervening in the verbal sparring that subsequently occurred between the two men.
The next day, one of the Barton taxis had been vandalised.
…
Brenda handed Robert his americano and he nodded his thanks, only to have to put his cup down on the counter again temporarily while he answered his ringing phone,
“Hello...yeah, yeah, I've seen it...you did great...yeah...the paintwork is just...I couldn’t have asked for better. Definitely done the job...yeah...I'll send the rest of the payment later. Thanks,” Robert hung up, picked up his coffee, forced a smile at Brenda who had clearly been listening in and left the café.
…
Later in the day, Finn was handing over his money to Brenda in the café and complaining to his brothers, “The insurance company were a nightmare to deal with-”
“The police weren't much better,” Pete sighed with a shake of his head.
“Police?” Brenda couldn’t help but ask.
Ross narrowed his eyes at her and was about to tell her to mind her own but Finn chose to fill her in,
“Yeah, one of our taxis has been wrecked.”
“Wrecked?” Brenda probed.
Ross rolled his eyes but once again it seemed his brothers were more than happy to talk,
“We found it vandalised this morning. The paintwork is all scratched,” Pete explained.
Brenda's eyebrows shot up, “Paintwork?”
“Are you gonna repeat everything?” Ross shot at her, finally having enough.
He didn’t have much of an effect on Brenda though; she merely shrugged, “It’s just that Robert was in here earlier, on the phone, thanking someone for the ‘paintwork’”
“You what?” Pete blinked.
“He was saying that they'd ‘done a great job' and he'd 'pay them later.’” Brenda went on, proving her nosy reputation was well earned.
Ross clenched his fists by his side, “Robert? That...I'm gonna kill him.” He turned to make a move to the door but Finn reached out,
“Hang on! You can’t- we don’t know it was-“
“He had a go at me yesterday,” Ross told him, “And you heard Brenda.” He easily freed himself from his younger brother’s grip and stormed off out of the café.
Pete followed after him, gesturing for a flustered Finn to do the same.
…
“Pint please, Chas,” Robert asked, sliding into a stool.
“Make that two,” Cain said as he came to stand next to the younger man, holding up keys, “Sorted. Properly this time.”
Robert took the keys, “Thanks. Although, are you sure?” Cain narrowed his eyes and Robert snorted, “Ok, you're sure.”
“Think you may be needing a few new tires soon,” Cain told him, taking a seat.
“Think I may be needing a new car soon,” Robert stated, handing over his money to Chas, whose eyebrows rose,
“Didn’t you just swap cars a month ago?” she asked, handing over his and her brother’s pints.
“Yeah, surely you can’t be bored already?” Marlon questioned, joining in the conversation as he returned round the back of the bar after serving food.
Robert shook his head, “It’s not that. It's...”
“Proving a pain to maintain,” Cain finished for him with a look.
“Alright, I should have listened to Aar-“ Robert never managed to finish his sentence as a fist connected square with his face and sent him flying from his stool.
“You absolutely bastard,” Ross shouted, shaking his fist but then lunging forward for another hit.
“What the hell?” Cain growled, putting himself in front of Robert who was now bleeding from his lip.
“You! You couldn’t leave it, could you?” Ross jabbed his finger at Robert as he continued to try and push passed Cain. Pete and Finn were now stood behind him watching the scene unfold with a resigned attitude to Ross's actions.
“Right, someone get him out of here now!” Chas yelled as she passed some tissue over to Robert.
Robert, however, glared at Ross, gesturing to his rapidly bruising cheek, “What the hell?”
Ross shook his head, “Don’t play the innocent!”
Pete stepped up albeit rather reluctantly, “Brenda heard you in the café. Talking about 'paintwork.’”
“What’s that got to do with anything?” Cain asked on Robert's behalf as Chas was inspecting the younger man’s cheek over the bar.
“He vandalised our taxi!” Ross exclaimed, throwing his hands up in frustration and fury.
Chas dropped her hands from Robert's face and narrowed her eyes, “You got that from 'paintwork’?”
Finn pushed his glasses up his nose as he awkwardly backed up his brother, “Brenda said he was on the phone. Thanking someone for a good job.”
“Good old Brenda, gossiping again,” Marlon sighed, running a hand down his face.
“You still blame me for your damn car!” Ross argued, eyes dark with anger.
Robert shook his head in disbelief, “Are you serious?”
“The car got sorted, Ross. He hasn't touched your poxy taxi,” Cain said firmly causing Robert to blink in surprise at the way he was being defended. Although, the rapid blinking made him wince and he was then further surprised at the supportive shoulder squeeze Chas gave him. He missed the next few utterances in his daze and only tuned back in when Pete asked,
“You have to admit. It is suspicious. What was he talking about?”
“It’s none of your business,” Chas answered back exasperatedly, “But it-“
“Vic’s van,” Robert cut in loudly, the throbbing in his cheek making him want to end things as soon as possible.
“You what?” Ross narrowed his eyes.
“I paid to have my sister's food van repainted. She wanted a revamp,” Robert explained, dabbing at his lip.
“Oooh yeah,” Finn nodded slowly, his eye widening in realisation, “Vic did mention something.”
Robert gestured to the younger man as if to say ‘see’ and couldn’t help but feel satisfied as Finn’s brothers both turned to look at him like he had grown an extra head.
“You didn’t think to mention that earlier?” Pete said on behalf of everyone.
Finn stuttered, “Well...no...but then it’s not like I could have stopped him.” He pointed at Ross who was now holding his head in his hands.
Cain glanced between the Barton’s, “I think it's best if you three just do one.”
Pete nodded in defeat, “No argument from me. Come on,” he grabbed Ross's arm and pulled him until he walked of his own accord to the door.
Finn followed but not before giving Robert an apologetic smile and a quietly whispered, “Sorry.”
Pete turned back too. “Yeah sorry,” he offered lamely.
Robert shook his head, “No worries.”
They could all hear Ross berating his 'soft’ brothers behind the door and angrily stating that they still didn’t know who wrecked their car but no one left in the bar particularly cared.
“Right, you,” Chas said, pushing gently at Robert's arm, “Let’s get you in the back with some ice.”
“I’m fine,” the younger man tried to argue but Chas rolled his eyes,
“Robert, don’t argue with me ok?” she told him, eyes sparkling.
“I wouldn’t,” Cain snorted, “You’ll probably end up with another shiner.”
…
“You are like me,” Marlon said, looking down at Robert who was sat on the sofa pressing ice to his face, “You bruise like a peach.”
“Don’t you have potatoes to peel or something?” Cain growled at him, causing the chef to raise his eyebrows but ultimately leave, which Robert was grateful for. He was grateful for another thing too,
“Thanks for defending me,” Robert said, feeling slightly awkward and unable to look anyone in the eye.
Cain glanced at Chas and shrugged, “We look after our own.”
Robert’s eyes shot up at that. He looked intently between Cain and Chas trying to detect a hint of insincerity but there was none to be found. Swallowing round a lump in his throat, he tried to play it cool, “Oh hell. Am I one of you now? God help me.”
Chas saw the joke for what it was and smiled, “Less of the cheek, thanks.”
“Yeah, or I can always give you another shiner,” Cain said, giving him a pointed look.
Robert wasn’t given time to respond because the door flung open and a concerned Aaron rushed inside,
“Marlon just said-“ he started but stopped when his eyes landed on Robert, “I am going to kill him!”
“No, you’re not,” Robert mumbled, raising his eyes to the heavens.
“Robert? Look at you,” Aaron argued as he took a place next to his boyfriend and gently moved the ice away from his face so he could see the extent of the bruising.
“I’m fine,” Robert tried to assure by flashing a smile but that only made him wince in pain. Aaron replaced the ice and shuck his head fondly,
“You’re an idiot, you know that?”
“Hey,” Robert pouted, “I'm injured here.”
Cain and Chas shared a look as the two men on the sofa began to share looks of their own.
Clearing his throat, Cain nodded at them, “Right, we'll, erm, we'll leave you to it.”
“Yeah,” Chas agreed and then they both headed to the door.
Cain turned back briefly, “And don’t worry about Ross. I'll make sure he gets all the delightful jobs for the next week.” Both the younger men seemed happy with that so he left them with a quick smile.
Robert smirked as best he could, “Not sure, I'd want to be Ross this week.”
“Shouldn’t have hit you then, should he?” Aaron pointed out, then he frowned, “Are you sure you’re ok?”
“I’m fin-“ Aaron glared at him, “Ok, it hurts, a lot, but I'll live.”
Robert shut his eyes as Aaron leaned in and kissed his uninjured cheek leaving a whispered 'good' ghosting on his skin.
“Although,” Robert said, with a snort, “apparently I am practically a Dingle now so I'm not sure if I should be worried.”
Aaron’s eyebrows shot up, “Practically a Dingle, eh?”
Robert realised what he’d said and was quick to explain himself, “Only because they defended me. I am still not taking your name.”
That made Aaron laugh, “We’ll see.” He smirked as Robert pulled a face at him but then he glanced down, “Did you think they wouldn’t defend you?”
His boyfriend shrugged, “I don’t know. I know we’ve been together for-“
“Robert, I love you,” Aaron told him with a soft smile, “I am marrying you.”
“Exactly,” Robert stated, “I’m marrying you. Not them. I never thought they’d actually accept me.”
Aaron leant in and whispered, “You are going to have to accept it. Your family got a whole lot bigger.”
“And a whole lot crazier,” Robert couldn’t resist joking.
“Keep’s life interesting though, doesn’t it?” Aaron said, closing the gap again and placing a kiss just the side of his nose.
Robert removed the ice for a moment and tilted his head so his lips met Aaron’s, “I love you so much.”
…
“Did we just defend Robert Sugden?” Chas asked Cain in a sudden moment of disbelief as they walked back through to the bar.
Cain snorted and ran a hand down his face, “I think we did, yeah?”
“When did that happen?” Chas said, wrinkling her nose.
“He’s right for our Aaron,” Cain stated plainly as he overtook her.
Chas stopped and opened and closed her mouth a few times before continuing, “I actually can’t argue with that.”
Marlon, who had been listening, raised his brows with amusement, “That’s good considering, you know, he is marrying our Aaron.”
“Oh don’t mention the wedding,” Cain groaned, “You’ll set her off again.”
“Er...excuse me,” Chas said, pointing at her brother, “I am just happy my boy is happy.”
“He won’t be happy when he finds out you’ve ordered those flowers,” Cain told her with a laugh.
“Er…what flowers?” Aaron asked, appearing from behind them with Robert holding his hand.
Chas shook her head, “No…erm…nothing.”
“Mum, what have you done?”
“So…Robert is thinking about getting another car,” Chas stated, trying to divert the attention from herself. It worked as Aaron turned round to face the man in question with raised eyebrows,
“You what?”
Robert glared at Chas, “Well, you being on my side lasted for all of ten minutes.”
Chas shrugged and smiled at him, “Yeah, gotta admit that felt weird.”
Aaron raised his eyes to the heavens, “Right, Marlon, I am going to need a pint. Mum, don’t think I have forgotten about flowers and you,” he bumped Robert’s arm, “don’t think I am letting you off because you got hit.”
Robert looked at him with puppy dog eyes, “But you wanted me to get a new car?”
“No, no,” Aaron corrected, “I didn’t want you to have the car you have now. There is a difference.”
“Is there?” Marlon asked, pouring Aaron’s pint.
Robert gestured to Marlon with a grateful nod but Aaron stared at them both unimpressed.
“Sorry, you’re on your own,” Marlon told Robert backing down.
Robert threw his hands up, “And that’s another who has left my side.”
Cain patted his shoulder with a smirk, “You’re on your own now, Sugden.”
…