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It’s 7.55am, and they’re going to be late.
Every morning goes like this: Aaron arrives at Vic’s house, knocks on the door, is informed by one of her family members that she will be ‘just a second’, and then proceeds to wait outside (no matter the weather) until she finally appears and they have to run for the bus.
And today is no different.
The sound of the latch on the door attracts Aaron’s attention.
“Oh, thank fuck for that - she finally appears!”
He then realises that it’s not Vic.
“Unfortunately not,” Robert says. “She’ll be a while yet.”
“Jesus Christ, what is she playing at?” Aaron mutters.
“Dunno. Should we just ditch her?”
“No.”
Their eyes meet, eyebrows raised and a cheeky grin mirroring each other. They don’t have to say anything else, hitching their rucksacks over their shoulders and legging it down the road.
She’ll learn eventually.
~*~
Shortly after getting off the bus at the school gates, Aaron and Robert catch sight of Victoria marching over to them, arms crossed and a very unimpressed expression on her face.
“Hey,” Robert drawls sarcastically. “She made it!”
Vic reaches out and shoves her brother. “Fuck off!” She then turns to Aaron. “And you -- why? Diane was so mad at me. I only missed the bus by like one minute.”
Aaron shrugs, and receives a shove of his own. Robert lets out a giggle and Vic is clearly torn as to where to direct her anger, so she just storms off to her form room without saying anything else.
Robert has the grace to look slightly guilty, but then laughs again, throwing an arm around Aaron’s shoulders as they head towards the main doors.
Aaron’s facade falters a little, as it always does when Robert does these kind of casual, friendly gestures. The feeling of his body pressed up against his side, even through the ridiculous number of layers he has to wear for school, is enough to set his skin alight, a flush threatening to redden his cheeks at any second. As he focuses on giving himself an inner pep-talk to prevent that from happening, he realises that he has missed everything that Robert has just said.
“Do you think that’s a good idea, or am I being stupid?”
“You’re always stupid,” Aaron mumbles, and Robert bumps his hip against Aaron’s, making everything a million times worse.
“Stop it, I’m being serious.” He stops walking and Aaron realises that they’re outside his form room. “Should I do it?”
“Is this one of those things where you ask my opinion, and then just go ahead and do it even if I tell you not to?”
“Maybe.”
“Then just do it, dickhead.”
Robert grins. “Okay then. See you later, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Robert does finger guns and winks before turning to head over to the sixth form building.
Aaron sometimes has to remind himself why he fancies such a prat.
~*~
As soon as the register is complete, and the volume in the classroom builds back up again, Victoria is tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention.
“Since when have you been teaming up against me with Robert?”
Aaron shrugs sheepishly. “Sorry, Vic.”
She shakes her head. “I’m not even bothered, I’m just asking ‘cause… I thought you said you weren’t--”
“Don’t,” Aaron cuts her off, his expression now firm. “I’m not going into that now.”
To give Victoria some credit, she does stay quiet and leans back in her chair, but Aaron has known her since they were eleven; she won’t leave it alone for long.
When Victoria found out that her best mate had feelings for her older brother, she laughed. Like, proper laughed out loud. Granted, they were fifteen and pissed up, having stolen a bottle of White Lightning out of Zak’s fridge and guzzling it on the steps outside the cricket pavilion over a game of Truth or Dare.
“Truth.”
“Ugh, you’re so boring,” Vic drawled, shoving Aaron playfully. “But, actually, I have been meaning to ask you something.”
Aaron rolled his eyes. “Get on with it then.”
“Who do you fancy?”
“Oh, how original.”
“C’monnnnn,” Vic whined. “You finally tell me that you like boys but you won’t tell me who ya like!”
Aaron made a point of pointing to the bottle and knocking it back, chucking it down the steps when it was empty.
“Dickhead.”
“Fine,” Aaron relented. “But if I tell you, you have to promise me you’ll forget about it tomorrow.”
Victoria let out a squeak, clasping her hands together and jiggling with excitement. “Tell me, tell me!”
“Robert.”
“Robert? Robert-Robert? As in, my brother?”
There was a brief pause, and then the squeals of laughter came, shaking Victoria’s entire body as she flopped back on the decking. Aaron chucked his hoodie over her face.
Aaron still hasn’t experienced a level of embarrassment anywhere near what he felt the following morning, when he woke up to a text from his so-called ‘best friend’.
Vic: still cant believe u fancy rob lol xx
~*~
Aaron chooses to sit in the form room at lunchtime. Vic is at one of her clubs and he and Robert don’t see each other much when they’re at school, and the last thing he wants to do is sit in the lunch hall on his own. He could go and join a game of football out on the field, but he's not in the mood.
His peace is interrupted when a gaggle of girls burst into the room, perching on a desk in the corner. They’re clearly gossiping about something -- Aaron couldn’t care less, but he can’t help but overhear.
“I can’t believe Robert Sugden asked you out!”
Aaron freezes, thinks about turning up the volume on his mp3 player, but hesitates.
“I can’t believe you said yes,” another girl says. “He’s a dork.”
“But he’s fit.”
They all erupt into giggles, and Aaron can’t resist glancing over to see who it is. He can’t name two of the girls, but one of them is from his form. Chrissie White.
“He’s not my usual type, but I can imagine him being really sweet,” she says, tucking her hair behind her ears. “I’ve also heard his family owns a farm…”
“Ew, so you’re gonna be a farmer’s wife?”
There’s another cackle of laughter.
“Farmers are rich,” Chrissie explains. “So, that’s a bonus.”
Aaron can’t listen to any more. He shoves his headphones back in his pocket (the last thing he needs is to have his mp3 player confiscated again), puts everything else in his bag and leaves the room. There’s a thought in the back of his mind that hopes it wasn’t too obvious why he was leaving so suddenly.
He doesn’t know where he’s going. He could go and drag Vic out of her club, but she would be annoyed with him. He could find Adam, his friend from PE, just to have someone to talk to about anything other than Robert Sugden.
But, the gods are clearly against him, and he finds himself outside the sixth form building just as Robert is closing the door behind him.
“Aaron? What are you doing here?”
Aaron can feel his lip wobbling, the tough kid facade beginning to crack once again at the sight of Robert’s concerned expression.
“What’s the matter? Has something happened?”
Aaron finds himself nodding, which is such a stupid thing to do. What the fuck can he say to Robert to explain why he’s stood here on the verge of crying like a baby?
Robert steps closer, his hand reaching out to brand a mark onto Aaron’s upper arm. “Come on, let’s go for a chat.”
It’s what he could really do with right now, just listening and taking in words of comfort from Robert; soaking in it until he can lie to himself that he feels better. Trouble is, it’s not like he can actually talk to Robert about this.
“I can’t,” Aaron eventually says, his voice coming out as just a whisper. “Sorry, I should just--”
He walks away, moving as quickly as his wobbly legs can carry him.
~*~
Vic: rob said u were upset. do u want me to ring? xx
Aaron flips his phone closed, chucking it on his bedside table as he curls up on his side. His mum was out when he got home from school, so he thankfully dodged any questions about his foul mood. So, he’s doing what he does best, drowning out his feelings with loud music. He can’t hear his thoughts if the volume is high enough.
He’s going to have to get over it. He can’t go on forever feeling like this about his best friend’s brother; it’s enough to drive himself mad. He has two options: get over him, or tell him.
Aaron’s stomach ties itself up in knots just at the thought of telling Robert. He would probably laugh even louder than Vic if he found out.
So, he just has to get over him. It’s fine; he can do that. He’s only liked him for two, maybe three years -- that’s nothing. He’s fine.
He’s fine.
~*~
The weekend comes and it’s a relief. There is no reason for him to see Robert at the weekend, even if Vic invites him over for tea on Saturday. He politely declines, which he knows will have set off alarm bells in Vic’s head, but she doesn’t push him.
When he’s listened to all of his favourite albums, completed his latest Xbox game and nagged his mum enough times to let him sneak a beer from behind the bar, he decides to go out for a walk before he goes stir crazy.
The sun is beginning to set as he perches on the steps outside the cricket pavilion, sipping at the bottle of Bud he nicked from the cellar after Chas said no for the final time. He leans back on his hands and closes his eyes, feeling the cool evening air over his skin.
“This is why you should talk me out of my stupid ideas.”
He sits up to see Robert standing a few feet away, a surprisingly neutral expression on his face.
“You don’t look too fussed,” Aaron points out.
Robert steps forward to take the beer from Aaron’s outstretched hand. “Cheers. And I’m not, not really. Chrissie is… not who I thought she was.”
“Oh?”
This is a dangerous conversation topic that Aaron really needs to move away from.
“Well, nevermind, at the end of the day--”
“Do you think I’m boring?” Robert asks, not meeting Aaron’s eye as he sits down next to him.
“What? Did she say that to you?”
“Among other things.” Robert is fiddling with the hem of his shirt, and Aaron can see his hands shaking slightly.
He has never felt so protective of someone, ever.
“Robert, please, please, don’t pay attention to a word that bitch says.”
Robert shrugs. “Perhaps she was right. People would only want to be with me for my looks -- or my money, apparently. Did you know I’m rich?” He chuckles darkly.
There’s so much Aaron could say to reassure him. So much that he can’t.
He shuffles along the step so they’re sat closer together. “One day, you’ll find someone who likes you for you,” he says. “They’ll like your stupid ideas and rubbish jokes. They’ll like how you listen, and how much you care for people. They might even like your ugly shoes.”
“Oi,” Robert complains. “They’re not that bad.”
“They’re not. I like them.”
Robert finally meets Aaron’s eyes, a soft smile pulling up the corner of his lips.
“Thank you,” he whispers.
Despite his attempt at avoiding Robert being an absolute failure, Aaron feels the most content he has in days. He could sit here with Robert forever, even while they’re not saying anything.
“What else do you like about me?” Robert asks after a moment, completely breaking the unspoken rule of no awkward questions.
“Stop fishing for compliments, Sugden.”
“You were the one handing them out, Dingle.”
Aaron giggles, and Robert’s gaze softens.
“You’re so cute.”
What. The. Fuck.
Aaron splutters, and then his breath catches in his throat and he coughs, quickly chugging the rest of his beer to wash it away.
“Now who’s handing out compliments?” he eventually asks, ignoring the smug smile on Robert’s face.
“Worked though, didn't it?” Robert says.
Aaron carefully puts the beer bottle down in an attempt to remain nonchalant. “Worked to do what?”
There’s a beat, and then Robert throws his arm around Aaron’s shoulder and says softly, “I love making you happy. Even if it does nearly make you choke.”
The knot in Aaron’s stomach is getting looser by the second, his body relaxing in the warmth Robert is radiating through his words. Foolish hope is dancing through his veins as he looks into Robert’s eyes, and he lets himself say, “Rob, I don’t know--”
“It’s okay,” Robert interjects. “I know. Just, tell me after if this is a stupid idea.”
And then there are lips against his, and he is powerless to stop himself melting into Robert’s embrace. Emotions are overwhelming him; relief, nerves, joy. He gasps into Robert’s mouth and Robert takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss, pulling Aaron closer by his waist. Aaron’s hands make their way up into Robert’s hair, his fingers tangling with the soft strands at the back of his neck.
Robert pulls away, resting his forehead against Aaron’s, his breath fanning over his lips. “Well?”
“So stupid.”
Before Robert has chance to protest, Aaron is leaning in to kiss him again.
~*~
It’s 7.45am, and Vic is already waiting on the sofa when Aaron arrives.
“I’m not letting you two run off without me again,” she explains as she shoves the last of her books into her bag.
Aaron nods, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach in anticipation of seeing Robert. It’s been less than 48 hours since they first kissed, but god, Aaron has missed him since then.
Vic leans back to look behind Aaron, into the kitchen where Diane is cleaning up after breakfast. “Shall we wait for Rob outside?” she asks, and without waiting for an answer, she grabs Aaron’s hand and drags him out the door.
“What’s up?” Aaron says when they’re out of earshot.
“I was going to ask you the same,” Vic replies. “Were you so upset the other day because Rob was going out with Chrissie?”
Aaron shrugs, but a smile fights its way onto his face and Vic gasps.
“What? What happened?”
Aaron opens his mouth to respond, but is interrupted by the front door closing behind Robert, who walks over and takes Aaron’s hand, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
“Ew, get a room,” Vic groans, covering her eyes and pretending to gag. But then she grins at Aaron. “Last one to the bus stop has to smuggle the next booze stash!” And then she runs off.
Robert rolls her eyes. “She’s such a child.”
Aaron hums. “Yeah.”
Their eyes meet, eyebrows raised and head tilted. Aaron shoves Robert away playfully so Robert’s bag falls off his shoulder and then legs it after Vic, an outburst of laughter erupting from him.