Due to a low sign-up count, the deadline for the Robron Anniversary Secret Gift Exchange has been extended till September 17.
If you, or anyone you know, is still interested, please feel free to sign up here. Gifts do not need to be elaborate. Anything as simple as a kindly worded compliment or a playlist would do.
Gifts would still be due by October 2, with all of them posted here on October 5.
As this blog is having issues showing up in the tags, if you could please reblog and signal boost this post, it would be greatly appreciated.
It’s almost that time of the year again, when we gather to celebrate the second anniversary of Robert and Aaron’s second wedding!
With that comes a chance to give Mr. and Mr. Sugden-Dingle the celebration they deserve — and what better way to do that than to host a Secret Anniversary Gift Exchange!
You can sign up by simply filling out this form.
Sign-ups close September 11th, with assignments going out on September 12th.
Submit your gift to this blog by October 2nd. (And please notify this blog if you can’t make it, ASAP!) All gifts will be posted here on the date, with each recipient tagged!
It’s almost that time of the year again, when we gather to celebrate the second anniversary of Robert and Aaron’s second wedding!
With that comes a chance to give Mr. and Mr. Sugden-Dingle the celebration they deserve — and what better way to do that than to host a Secret Anniversary Gift Exchange!
You can sign up by simply filling out this form.
Sign-ups close September 11th, with assignments going out on September 12th.
Submit your gift to this blog by October 2nd. (And please notify this blog if you can’t make it, ASAP!) All gifts will be posted here on the date, with each recipient tagged!
It’s almost that time of the year again, when we gather to celebrate the second anniversary of Robert and Aaron’s second wedding!
With that comes a chance to give Mr. and Mr. Sugden-Dingle the celebration they deserve — and what better way to do that than to host a Secret Anniversary Gift Exchange!
You can sign up by simply filling out this form.
Sign-ups close September 11th, with assignments going out on September 12th.
Submit your gift to this blog by October 2nd. (And please notify this blog if you can’t make it, ASAP!) All gifts will be posted here on the date, with each recipient tagged!
It’s almost that time of the year again, when we gather to celebrate the second anniversary of Robert and Aaron’s second wedding!
With that comes a chance to give Mr. and Mr. Sugden-Dingle the celebration they deserve — and what better way to do that than to host a Secret Anniversary Gift Exchange!
You can sign up by simply filling out this form.
Sign-ups close September 11th, with assignments going out on September 12th.
Submit your gift to this blog by October 2nd. (And please notify this blog if you can’t make it, ASAP!) All gifts will be posted here on the date, with each recipient tagged!
It’s almost that time of the year again, when we gather to celebrate the second anniversary of Robert and Aaron’s second wedding!
With that comes a chance to give Mr. and Mr. Sugden-Dingle the celebration they deserve — and what better way to do that than to host a Secret Anniversary Gift Exchange!
You can sign up by simply filling out this form.
Sign-ups close September 11th, with assignments going out on September 12th.
Submit your gift to this blog by October 2nd. (And please notify this blog if you can’t make it, ASAP!) All gifts will be posted here on the date, with each recipient tagged!
It’s almost that time of the year again, when we gather to celebrate the second anniversary of Robert and Aaron's second wedding!
With that comes a chance to give Mr. and Mr. Sugden-Dingle the celebration they deserve — and what better way to do that than to host a Secret Anniversary Gift Exchange!
You can sign up by simply filling out this form.
Sign-ups close September 11th, with assignments going out on September 12th.
Submit your gift to this blog by October 2nd. (And please notify this blog if you can’t make it, ASAP!) All gifts will be posted here on the date, with each recipient tagged!
And that’s the end of this Secret Anniversary Exchange.
Thanks to everyone that participated and took the time to make and submit your incredible gifts! This event wouldn’t have been possible without each and every one of you.
Have a lovely rest of your day and see you again next year!
For the marvellous @letthe3000rain, who keeps the filth pit open for all of us. Thank you for making this fandom as fun as possible, and just that extra bit of filthy.
I hope you like this set and the fic that follows: a very literal glimpse of what Robert and Aaron might doing at the moment. (Each other. Upstairs. Now.)
upstairs. now.
Robert and Aaron spend their anniversary doing what they love best: Each other and reminiscing.
He wakes up to the sound of rain pattering on the window, dark grey skies filtering what little light there is, bathing their room in cool shadows.
He’d check the time, but his watch is on his bedside table, and he’s got his arm draped around Aaron, and neither heaven nor hell will get him to move it. Not right now. Not with what’s coming up. There’s a pit in his stomach and it’s growing.
But today’s not for that, Robert reminds himself yet again, pushing the stealing unease back further. He’d made a promise to Aaron before going to bed last night. Today’s meant to be a day of celebration for both of them. A day for them to cherish being husbands.
Husbands. Robert smiles when the word crosses his mind. They’ve made it to a year and counting.
He shuffles closer to Aaron, pressing himself against his back, letting the warmth of his naked skin soak into his bare chest; letting the comfort wash over him.
It’s always been this way, ever since he can remember, since that first night in that first hotel room. His last memories that night had been of the feel of Aaron curved against his chest, the solid weight of him infinitely comforting. (Chrissie’d never let him play the big spoon — not for long anyway — always needing her personal space come bedtime. She’d complained when he’d kicked, and said he’d snored a lot. The only thing Aaron has ever commented on is his dribbling.)
That’s what love is, Robert remembers his mum say once. Finding someone who doesn’t make you feel bad for being yourself.
He smiles, knowing he’s found him.
Because all Aaron’s ever done is try to help him be himself, and see that what they have is real and tangible.
As tangible as the man lying in his arms today. As tangible as the man he calls husband.
Robert leans forward and presses a kiss to Aaron’s neck, his lips landing on the base of it. But he doesn’t pull away, just lets himself linger, resting his forehead against the back of Aaron’s head and feeling that gentle pressure; feeling the grain of Aaron’s hair against the surface of his skin, the ones he’d shaved too short when he’d tried his hand at cutting his own hair.
He takes a deep breath in, lets a slow one out. Lays there, breathing in the scent of his husband.
Right now he smells of sweat, with hints of Robert’s shampoo — the one he used to insist he didn’t steal, back when he’d tease him about the price of his grooming products. (He still does that now, but it happens much less, seeing as they’ve simply taken to sharing them.)
He’s content to keep laying there, taking all this in, but he can feel Aaron start to wake up; his thighs tensing around one of Robert’s own, his right thigh sandwiched between them.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” Robert’s voice is rough with sleep. Judging by the way Aaron shuffles back into him, he likes that.
“What time is it?” Aaron asks, not bothering to lift his head.
“Don’t really know,” Robert admits. “Not that it matters.”
He presses forward and murmurs, “Happy Anniversary, Mr. Sugden-Dingle.”
Based on the way Aaron huffs, Robert knows he’s smiling in response.
He’s proved right when Aaron rolls over. “Happy Anniversary Mr. Sugden-Dingle.”
Robert feels a thrill, a shiver running down his back. No matter how many times he hears their shared last name he isn’t sick of it. (He uses it all the time when he introduces himself to new clients, having already added it to his email footer before they’d left on their honeymoon.)
He coasts on that wave and leans forward to kiss Aaron, thinking about how this time last year they still weren’t legally husbands — and how they’d lain in bed together, unable to spend the night apart, Robert wracked with nerves that someone might oppose their marriage.)
Aaron must sense his distraction, because when he pulls back, he asks, “What?”
Robert can feel his cheeks turn red as he glances away, suddenly feeling a bit shy under the scrutiny. He can feel Aaron’s gaze still on him; warm, waiting, gentle. A far cry from the searching it had once held when he so much as glanced at him. Back when he couldn’t trust Robert as far as he could throw him.
“Nothing,” he replies, looking back at Aaron’s face, a little awed to come back to such loving patience. “Just thinking about last year.”
He lets his hand drift down and rest on Aaron’s bum, cupping the curve of the cheek gently with his right palm.
“And how we woke up in that bedroom over the pub… Before you became my husband.”
Aaron grins, shaking his head and looking away. Robert can almost feel him thinking, Before you snuck away.
He’s proven right, because when Aaron once again gazes back he’s chuckling slightly. Robert can feel the movement in his hip under his right palm. He presses a little and rubs on it.
“Mum said she heard you, sneaking away. Reckoned everyone living there did too.”
“Now you tell me,” Robert groans into the pillow, feeling this loss keenly. He’d thought this little secret was just between them. But knowing that Chas and Paddy know it too makes it much, much worse — more so than the time his mother-in-law had inquired for photos from their honeymoon. Neither of them had had anything G-rated to show on that front, so they’d just done their best to avoid her.
“Guess I’ve lost my touch,” Robert finally laments, unable to stop himself from pouting. There had been a time when being discreet around Aaron had been his forte. He’d turned the post-fuck sneak away into an art form.
Like all those times he’d snuck away to the barn, or the days spent “working” in the portacabin, him and Aaron trying to squeeze in quickies between scrap runs. (Adam had almost caught them a few times. But thankfully his sister’s ex-husband hadn’t been the most observant. Or he’d have noticed all the times Robert’s shirt was incorrectly buttoned. Or the time when Aaron’s hoodie was inside out.)
Robert sighs, a tiny bit nostalgic. “Not as good as I used to be.”
“Well, it’s not like we need to be,” Aaron gently points out, while poking him in the chest with a finger. The silver of his wedding band is distracting in this morning light, which Aaron seems to know because he really stresses his next words. “Everyone knows about us. Robert, we’re lying here married.”
His eyes are loving, but his tone makes it clear that he definitely thinks this is ridiculous.
“Suppose you’re right,” Robert shrugs in acquiescence. “This is a much better bed, for one thing.”
“Will you shut up about that.” Aaron barks a laugh. “My old bed at the pub wasn’t that bad.”
“Wasn’t that bad?” Robert grows incredulous. “Aaron, your mattress was so loud, you could hear it in the pub!”
He’s being a bit hyperbolic, but he doesn’t care. “It’s a wonder we didn’t get caught that first time.”
“If I recall, being loud was never my problem,” Aaron argues, shuffling closer on his own. “You’re the one who almost got us caught by Charity.”
Robert can feel the air heat up between them, can feel the flush that’s stealing up his own chest. Under the sheets, his cock is already stirring.
“Don’t look at me,” he half purrs back. “It’s not my fault I have a very talented husband.”
He gives Aaron’s bum a playful squeeze and watches as he bites his lip, dark eyes dipping down to Robert’s mouth when he’s talking.
And just like that, they’re back years ago, to a moment by the pub’s back door. He’d pinned Aaron to the wall in a fit of rage, though now he knows there was a mix of jealousy and frustration. He’d wanted Aaron, but had been mad at himself, for this repeated and constant craving. He’d thought of nothing but Aaron night and day, their brief tryst in the garage doing nothing at all to cure him.
So he’d gone into that pub bathroom that night, hoping to see some sign that the other man had also been plagued by this fever. He may not have gotten that confirmation right away, but that had come later when he’d felt Aaron’s dick stiffen against his leg; when he’d looked at him with those same hazy eyes that he’d flashed him when Robert pinned him to the car at the layby.
He surges forward, not waiting any longer, that same hunger rising within him. He’s always craved Aaron, and that’s never stopped, even though they’re now blissfully married. (If anything, he’s always raring to go, it’s just low like an idling motor.)
Aaron anticipates him, lips parting right away, as Robert’s mouth comes forward to meet his; his tongue sweeping in, sliding against Aaron’s, drawing a moan from both of them.
Five years in and Aaron tastes the same — only now it’s been a year since Robert’s been kissing his husband. It’s that thought itself that fuels him anew, as he slowly push down, gently rolling them over.
It takes some work, but he’s soon on top, Aaron lying naked in a tangle of sheets below him. His eyes are dark, his lips are wet, his cock is hard against him.
Robert grins down, pleased at the sight, his own dick is already leaking.
“Go on then,” Aaron growls up at him, a bit of a bite to his voice like there used to be. He sticks his chin out, in some kind of challenge. Maybe Robert’s not the only one who’s feeling a bit nostalgic.
He must have waited too long, because Aaron thrusts up, causing their dicks to rub against each other. Robert gasps at the friction.
“You going to do something or lay there staring?”
Go ahead and do one
Robert nods, licking his lips. All he’d needed was confirmation.
“You’re the boss,” he smiles coming in for another kiss as he rolls his hips, unable to deny either of them that pleasure.
Aaron doesn’t hold back, groaning into Robert’s mouth, more vocal than he used to be.
The old Aaron used to be all swears and sighs, an enigma wrapped in a stubble. The new one isn’t afraid to ask for what he wants — even if it’s just Robert to lay beside him. It’s like that night, and yet it’s not. It’s now so much better. Discovery has turned into useful knowledge, and Robert armed and ready to use it.
He doesn’t stop when he pulls away, trailing wet kisses down Aaron’s throat and jaw now. He pauses to gently nip at Aaron’s collarbone, another souvenir from their old days. He used to do it to mark Aaron as his, to prove to himself that he could change some part of him. But now he does it because he can, and because he knows Aaron likes it.
There’s another hiss. Another low groan. Aaron reacting under him. He’s got his hands bunched in the sheets, gripping them tight, arms and chest glistening with sweat as Robert keeps kissing and licking his way down him and gently kissing any of the scars he encounters. (The first time he’d seen them, they’d given him a shock, and he’d wondered at the story behind them. But in the years since, he’s learned and known better, and they’ve taken on an added significance: a sign of everything the man he loves has worked to conquer.)
Robert smiles when he reaches Aaron’s groin, and finds his dick thick and glistening with precome. His thighs are trembling, anxious for relief. It makes Robert’s own balls ache to think of it.
“Robert…” Aaron groans, as if reading his mind. Robert nods even though he knows he cannot see him.
He wraps a hand around the shaft, and lowers his head down, taking Aaron’s dick into his mouth, feeling its thick girth start to fill him quickly. He mouths down slow, sucking nice and long, using his hand to stroke firmly. The way Aaron bucks, he expects him to explode, but all that comes out is another sustained, “Robert.”
He doesn’t stop there, already speeding up, sucking and bobbing at a quick pace. He can hear Aaron already start to come apart at the seams, hissing and swearing at every graze of his underside.
The sound is enough to get Robert going himself, his own cock throbbing under him. He starts grinding against the mattress below, but the gentle burn of the smooth cotton isn’t enough and that soon becomes obvious.
When he can’t stand it anymore, he pulls off with a pop, Aaron letting out another groan under him. Robert gets to his knees, rubbing at his swollen head, croaking, “Lube” as he reaches for the bedside.
He can feel Aaron watching him as he leans over, just managing to grab the half empty bottle on his side table.
He moves back onto his knees, still between Aaron’s legs, popping open the bottle and smearing the lube all over his fingers.
Aaron’s eyes are still on him, now leaning back on his elbows, eyeing Robert as he begins to prepare himself.
“What?” He asks, voice still deep and rough, the taste of Aaron still lingering in his mouth.
Aaron shakes his head and shrugs at him, “Can’t a bloke watch his husband.”
Robert throws away the bottle and lifts his Aaron’s legs up, going for better access. He slides his fingers into him, hearing Aaron groan, feeling him pushing down into him.
That’s still the same, that throaty sound Aaron makes when He likes something.
Robert goes with it, working him open, watching the way his husband writhes against him, hissing when he scissors his fingers.
This never used to be the case when they’d meet in the barn, no lube on hand or available. They’d had to do it the old fashioned way, just use their spit and their fingers.
Before long, Aaron’s all ready, Robert knows because he tells him. His eyes are scrunched tight and all he can utter are swears; a mixture of “Fuck” and “Robert.”
Robert pulls his fingers out and positions himself, unable to stop him from admiring the view as he does so. Aaron’s on his back, knees up to his chest; ready, eager and waiting.
He strokes himself a few times, breathes in the scent of sex and sweat, as he prepares to enter his husband.
Aaron lifts his head, but he doesn’t move. His eyes do all the talking for him. Robert’s never loved him as much as he does in this instant, and he thinks it’s been true of every moment like this. (He’d once drunkenly told Doug that fucking Aaron was a religious experience, and till this day they’re words he lived by.)
That’s definitely the case when he slides in slow, groaning as he enters him, wet heat instantly enveloping him.
The second he’s balls deep, Robert finds he cannot wait, he needs to fuck his husband.
So he leans down low, Aaron’s pants in his ears, indistinguishable from his own at this point. He meets Aaron’s gaze, Robert bracing himself on his elbows, his own wedding ring in the corner of his vision now; the band of metal squeezed tight between his fingers, the only thing between him and coming.
Robert starts to thrust, building up a quick pace, the front of his thighs slapping against the back of Aaron’s. With each roll of his hips, Aaron pushes down a little more, his groans hitting Robert’s ears louder and faster.
When Robert looks down, Aaron’s eyes are shut tight, his face a picture of pleasure. Robert can feel his cock, rubbing against his waist, a wet pool of fluid already building there. It’s clear he’s close, pants growing loud, his orgasm already on the horizon.
So Robert speeds up further, racing to join him, wanting to share the moment. He feels when it comes, hot come hitting his chest. He comes a few minutes later.
:::::
“I am sorry about those wing mirrors you know,” Aaron says after a few minutes of silence, both of them laying there spent and sated.
Robert grins, resting his head on Aaron’s arm. He’s since become an avid cuddler. “If you ask me, it was all worth it. I’d take a night with you any day.”
That earns him a smack on the bum, near where Aaron’s hand is resting.
“You’re tapped. You know that?” There’s a buzz to his words, Robert listening through firm muscle.
He tilts his head, and kisses the ball of Aaron’s shoulder. “Blame it on my husband.”
Aaron chuckles, just as their phones start to buzz — no doubt a flood of happy messages. They’d made it a year, beyond all the odds. The only stable couple in the village.
After a minute of intermittent vibration, the sound amplified by their side tables, Aaron moves to reach out, grabbing his phone to answer it.
“Wait,” Robert says, the word slipping out. Aaron pauses mid-action, looking at him questioningly.
“I just…” He tries to explain, feeling a bit silly, but now he thinks he knows how Aaron used to feel in that old barn. Having to lay there as Robert fielded calls, like sex with him was another minor errand he’d run as part of his day. Not the earth shattering experience it always was.
But they’re past all now. And he knows Aaron will understand. He always does when it comes to him.
“Can we just keep it the two of us?” He tries not to let his voice wobble. “Just for a little bit longer. Seb’s not going to be up till later anyway.”
Aaron must hear that note in his voice. The one he hadn’t meant to get out.
His eyes soften and he gives him a nod, as well as a soft, “Of course.”
Robert watches as Aaron draws his hand back, before moving to thread his fingers through Robert’s; warm silver wedding bands clinking against each other.
He smiles softly, appreciating the gesture, he loves it when they do this. Loves seeing the ways in which they fit perfectly together, his longer fingers amidst Aaron’s broader ones, his smooth palm flat against Aaron’s rougher one. It’s even better when he can see both their rings, like he does now a symbol of their bond and union.
He could never have imagined his life turning out this way, but now he can’t imagine it ever being anything else.
“I love you, you know,” Robert says aloud, repeating the only thought running through his mind all morning. “Mr. Sugden-Dingle.”
Aaron snorts and gives him another smack. “Love you too, Mr. Sugden-Dingle.”
@spamela-hamderson I was so happy to get you for this not just because you’re THE best [and it was hard for me to not just tell you as we cried over broken clown masks lmao] but because if this ends up being absolute trash you’re too nice to hold it against me ^-^ [its trash im so sorry :(] but I just wanted something light and fun because I couldn’t handle anything angsty so I hope you like it xoxo
//
“Where are all my jumpers?”
Aaron leaned out into the hallway, toothbrush between his lips, and blinked at Robert in confusion. “What?”
Robert stepped out of his bedroom, hands on his hips as he surveyed his small flat in confusion. “I couldn’t find my blue jumper and now I can’t find any of them. It’s like the flats eaten them.”
Aaron shrugged at him before going back to brushing his teeth, letting out a mumbled “Mabe you lef them somere.”
Robert sighed, “But we don’t go anywhere.”
That was half true anyway, sometimes they went to bars in Hotten and occasionally they took a weekend trip to a random hotel further away than that. But, aside from that, Robert wasn’t wrong.
“Dunno, mate.”
It wasn’t until he snagged the hand towel to wipe his face clean that he suddenly realized exactly where Robert’s blue jumper has ended up. He was also starting to get an idea where the rest of them had ended up as well.
Robert and Aaron were a ‘thing’ and had been for a while. What that thing was exactly Aaron wasn’t entirely sure. They’d never really defined it and no one actually knew about it.
They’d grown up together but you couldn’t have called them friends. Robert was a couple years ahead of them and so Aaron had just been one of Victoria’s annoying friends Robert liked to pick on for years. It didn’t stop Aaron from spending more than one afternoon in deep denial about why he cared if Victoria’s brother paid him attention or not though.
Robert had come out his senior year before leaving behind Emmerdale for Uni, his relationship with his family strained, and Aaron came out two years after that during his own senior year with a much more understanding parent.
He’d been out with friends a few months later, at some new club in Hotten, celebrating something he couldn’t remember, when he’d quite literally bumped into Robert. Robert has been tall, freckled, and still more attractive than Aaron felt anyone had any right to be. He’d made Robert pay for his new drink and Robert had spent the rest of the evening trying to get Aaron to dance with him. He never did manage it but they’d still ended their night at Robert’s.
That had been eight months ago. They still hadn’t defined what they were, neither of their families knew anything about whatever this was, and Aaron had just realized he had somehow stolen and worn home every jumper Robert owned which meant there was a semi decent chance that the bit about no one knowing about them wasn’t entirely true.
Because four months ago Aaron had convinced Robert to start visiting his sister again and he knew for a fact she’d bought at least two of the jumpers he owned because she’d shown them to Aaron to get his opinion.
Robert was going to kill him.
“Did you die in here?” Robert materialized in the doorway looking amused as Aaron jumped in surprise, managing to bang an elbow into the wall next to him. “I said your name like three times.”
“Sorry, I was just…” He motioned valugly at the toothbrush between his lips before rubbing at his elbow, the corners of his mouth pulled down in a frown.
Robert’s gaze took him in, lazily looking him over from.head to toe before his gaze doubled back to the jumper. “Hey, that’s the one I’ve been looking for.”
“Yeah I just realized I had it on.” Dropping his toothbrush back into the holder he turned to look back up at Robert, the older man smiling softly at him. “I can change if you still want to wear it?
“Looks better on you.” Which was a lie but Robert was already crowding him up against the counter, using his arms to bracket Aaron in place, so he didn’t bother to argue it. “Does this mean you have the rest of my missing jumpers too? Just slowly stealing my clothes piece by piece?”
“I…maybe.” At Robert’s growing smile he rushed on, tone annoyed. “Not on purpose.”
“Of course not.” He could tell Robert wasn’t really paying attention though, the other man already reaching a hand under the stolen jumper and his fingers grazing Aaron’s skin.
Aaron leaned his weight back onto the counter and tilted his head to the side watching Robert carefully, because he didn’t think the other man was getting the problem here. They were supposed to be casual, something just between them that didn’t have pressure or expectations. That didn’t involve either of their over the top families butting in constantly. And sure maybe Aaron had been staying over at Robert’s more often than he stayed at his own place these days and maybe he had his own toothbrush and drawer space but that barely even mattered. It was practical. This was something else because for weeks now Aaron had practically been wearing neon signs around the village about how they were shagging.
“Robert, you know this means your sister probably knows about us right?” He knew that he sounded nervous to his own ears, not that Robert seemed to care about the topic much if the hand currently working at unbuttoning Aaron’s jeans was anything to go by. “Robert this is serious.”
“No it’s not, you’re just being weird.”
Frowning Aaron grabbed at Robert’s hands and dragged them back up to his chest which finally seemed to get Robert’s attention. “Why’d you do that.”
“I’m trying to tell you that you’re going to have to deal with your family, sorry I don’t want a handjob while I do it I guess?”
Robert rolled his eyes but didn’t step back at all to give Aaron anymore space and then he as casually as if he was talking about the weather knocked Aaron’s world off course. “Victoria has known for weeks, Aaron.”
“I know that’s what I’m trying to tel-”
“Because I told her.”
“You…what?” It was like Aaron didn’t know how to process words for a minute. “I don’t - you wanted us to be a secret?”
Robert was smiling at him again, clearly amused by Aaron’s sudden confusion, and he shrugged a shoulder like none of it mattered before he leaned down to brush a kiss against Aaron’s lips. “I never meant we had to stay like that indefinitely, you just assumed. It’s been nearly a year Aaron what do you think we were going to do come holidays? Just pretend to be nearly strangers?”
“You never said anything, tho- christ.”
Robert had cut him off mid sentence by grabbing him by the waist and hauling him up onto the counter making them nearly eye to eye finally. His hand slipping across Aaron’s mouth to keep him silent. “That was mostly for your benefit.”
“My benef-”
“Aaron, stop talking. I’m trying to get your pants off. We’ll deal with the families and everything after, now can I please just get your damn pants off already.”
It didn’t take Aaron like to consider his options. People knowing was a good thing. People knowing meant it was real. It meant that maybe bringing over a toothbrush and clothing wasn’t just because it was practical. That maybe it was because they both wanted the same thing from whatever this was. It meant that Aaron had a boyfriend.
It meant that Robert was his.
But they could deal with all the heavy parts of things tomorrow, for now he was going to enjoy what was right in front of him. “Only if you start using that smart mouth of yours for something productive.”
Happy robron anniversary @amadya. This is a small gift from fellow robroner to you.
The mood board is based on one of the best robron fanfiction written.
Notes from across the hall.
P.S:I am not very good at editing and stuff. This may not be as per fandom standards but I tried my best and the feelings behind it were genuine. Hope you like it.
You’re always spreading so much love and joy to everyone in the fandom, I just wanted to give you something that would not only capture all the things you love about them, but also something that was worthy of you.
I hope you enjoy this, and have the most lovely day possible as we all celebrate Aaron and Robert’s undying love.
5 times they didn’t get to celebrate their anniversary + 1 time they did
October 5th 2019
It’s their anniversary and it should be as happy as the day a year ago, but it’s not. No matter how much they both try.
They got dressed up, Robert booked them a table in a fancy restaurant, and even a room in the same hotel they stayed at for their honeymoon last year.
Sure it was a nice evening, the food was great, and the hotel room even better than Aaron remembered it being. They’d put the massive bed and huge bath to good use and enjoyed themselves thoroughly until happily falling asleep in each other’s arms.
Only it was at night, with nothing else to occupy their minds, that the thoughts of prison and being separated for god knows how long would come creeping in. And, like many nights before, Aaron woke up in the middle of the night after a nightmare (usually involving Robert dying some kind of horrific and violent death at the hands of Jason in prison) to find Robert’s side of the bed empty and cold, and the man himself staring out the window, deep in thought.
“Hey.” Aaron said softly as he walked up to Robert and put a hand on his shoulder. “Couldn’t sleep?”
“Hmm.” Robert hummed and covered Aaron’s hand with his own, giving it a squeeze. “Can’t seem to switch my brain off tonight.”
“Yeah. I know the problem.” Aaron sighed. He’d given up on trying to reassure Robert everything would be ok and they’d all be alright in the end, because at this point, neither of them really believed it.
“I was thinking about giving Rebecca a call in the morning. I still haven’t told her.” Robert said after a few minutes.
“Did you want to tell her over the phone?”
“No. I thought we could drive up there and I’d ask her for a word while you keep Seb entertained… or maybe we should go for coffee and tell her somewhere public so she won’t yell at me…”
“Do you really think being in public would stop her from doing that if she wanted to?”
“I suppose not…” Robert ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve made such a mess of things. How am I supposed to tell her that her son’s father is going to prison for life?”
“You’re not going to get life.” Aaron said, adamant. “Your solicitor said you’d get a reduced sentence if you pleaded guilty, didn’t he?”
Robert shrugged.
“He said it would probably be at least five years. It could be longer. Knowing my luck, it probably will be.”
“Don’t think like that.”
“How can I not?” Robert said, probably a little too loud for the time of night. “I keep hoping it will only be five years and I’ll be home in three… but then it hits me I could still go to prison for a long time. That I won’t get to see Seb grow up. That I won’t even be around for his second birthday. That I’ll probably never meet your little brother or sister, or my nephew… I’ve ruined everything. As usual.”
Aaron could tell he was fighting back the tears.
“You haven’t ruined anything. You did what you did to protect your sister. I would’ve done the same for Liv. Hell I probably would’ve done the same for Vic if I’d been there.”
“But you weren’t there. And you didn’t do it. I did. I did it… and now I’m going away for possibly the rest of my life. I have everything I’ve ever wanted and I’ve thrown it all away.”
“You haven’t. You have me. You’ll always have me.”
“Will I? What if I get 10 years? Or 20?”
“Then I’ll wait. For as long as I have to.”
“I can’t ask you to put your life on hold for me.”
“You’re not.”
“But you still will.”
“Yeah.” Aaron said and wrapped his arms around Robert’s waist, resting his chin on his shoulder. “Come back to bed. You’re freezing.”
Robert sighed and let Aaron guide him back to bed.
“Suppose I better enjoy this while I still can…” he said, snuggling up to Aaron.
“What if you didn’t have to?”
“What?”
“What if you didn’t have to lose this? Us?”
“What are you talking about? Are you still thinking about getting locked up with me?”
“No.” Aaron said, sitting up in bed. “What if… What if we run?”
“We what? Run? Run where?”
“I don’t know. France? Spain? China for all I care.”
“But… how? They’ll look for us. For me. And there’s Liv… and Seb…”
“Liv will be fine. She’ll be 18 in a few months, she has the entire family looking out for her, and Sandra in Dublin. We’ll put the house in her name and the scrapyard… or I could sell to Kim and -”
“No. No I can’t let you do that.” Robert interrupted. “If we run, we can never come back. You’ll never see your mum or Liv again. We’ll never see Seb again…”
“I know. It’ll be hard… but it’ll be worth it. At least we’ll be together.”
“Aaron… I can’t -”
“Do you think I want to spend years without you? No. We run, we can stay together. We’ll settle somewhere, we’ll make it work.”
“I… You’re mad… But… Ok… Ok let’s do it. We say our goodbyes and we go.”
October 5th 2020
“You can’t bring that in with you. Either eat it now or throw it away.”
“It’s a cupcake.”
“That’s what you say. For all I know it has drugs in it. Or a weapon.”
“A weapon?! What kind of weapon would I be able to hide in a cupcake?”
“You’d be surprised. People get creative with these things.”
“It’s just a chocolate cupcake! The only thing in it is chocolate chips! Don’t you screen these things? Like at the airport?”
“Eat it or bin it. Those are your options. Choose now.”
“Aaron just do what he says.” Liv pleaded. “You take half and give me half.”
“Yeah mate, listen to your girlfriend.”
Aaron glared at the guard.
“Girlfriend? She’s my sister.”
The man shrugged.
“I’d still listen to her if I was you.”
Liv rolled her eyes, yanked the little box out of Aaron’s hands and shoved it at the guard.
“There. Decision made. Can you let us through now?”
“Fine. Sign in here, and you can leave your personal belongings - ”
“Yeah, we know. We’ve been here before.” Liv interrupted.
“Alright. Well… Off you go then.” The guard said and Liv dragged a still annoyed Aaron with her through the now opened gate to the visitation area.
Robert was sitting at a table, chewing on his lip and anxiously glancing between the clock on the wall and the gate. A smile spread on his face when he noticed first Liv and then Aaron.
“Hi Rob.” Liv said, trying to sound as normal as possible when she reached his table and stepped aside to let Aaron hug him.
“No contact Sugden, you know the rules. Do I really have to remind you every week?” Another guard said as he walked over to them. He sounded tired and not interested in actually pulling the two men apart, like some of the others had done on previous visits.
Robert quickly stole a kiss before letting Aaron go and both of them sitting down on opposite sides of the table.
“Sugden, please stick to the rules for a change, yeah? It’s my last shift until I have two whole weeks off and I’d like to get through it with minimal drama.”
“Alright, noted.” Robert said and turned to Aaron and Liv. “So how is everything at home?”
“It’s fine.” Aaron shrugged. “How are you holding up? You look tired.”
“I’m fine. Somehow they found out what I did… and well… they’re not very keen on rapists around here either. One guy called me a hero… but they leave me alone mostly.”
Aaron nodded.
“Good. That’s good. Just keep your head down and you’ll be home before you know it.”
“We told Seb we were going to see daddy, he wanted to come with.” Liv told Robert.
“No. Don’t bring him here. I don’t want him to see me like this.”
“I know, I know. He drew you this though.” She pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and put it on the table.
To daddy Robert, love Seb was written on it above what Robert assumed were stick figure portraits of their family.
“He wrote his own name on it. April’s been teaching him.” Aaron told him.
“April?” Robert asked, amused.
“Yeah she comes over with Marlon and plays with Seb while Aaron attempts to not burn down the kitchen.” Liv teased. “Marlon’s giving him cooking lessons.”
“Liv!”
“He’s getting better. He even made cupcakes the other day. They were actually fit for human consumption.”
“Really? You bake? Who are you and what have you done with the real Aaron Dingle?”
Aaron laughed and felt his cheeks heat up.
“I brought you one. A cupcake. But they wouldn’t let me bring it in. They were afraid I hid drugs in it or something.”
Robert smiled.
“Well I guess I’ll have something to look forward to for when I get home then.”
October 5th 2021
“If you’re not on the list, I can’t let you through.”
“Yes, you’ve said that. But I told you, there must be a mistake. Today is our… it’s a special day alright? Can you just check again? Maybe someone misspelled my name or something… or maybe they put it on the wrong list.”
“Alright. Fine. Spell it for me?”
“A-A-R-O-N D-I-N-G-L-E or Sugden – Dingle maybe.”
“Nope. Nobody on here by that name. I have a Victoria Sugden and a Sam Dingle but no Aaron.”
“Sam?! Sam is on the list? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Look, son, if an inmate doesn’t want to see you, I can’t make them. Your best bet is to go home and write to them or wait for them to contact you.”
“But I saw him last week and everything was fine. Why wouldn’t he want to see me now?”
“I don’t know, but I do know you’re not getting through if your name isn’t on the list.”
Aaron swore under his breath.
“Fine. Can you at least get a message to him? A note?”
“All correspondence has to go through the official channels.”
“If I just write a note here and now and give it to you, you can see what’s in it and that there are no hidden messages and you can just give it to him, can’t you?” Aaron pleaded. “Please?”
The guard sighed.
“Alright. Write it and I’ll see what I can do.”
—
“Sugden, next time you update your visitors list, let the home front know, yeah? I’m not doing this every week.” A guard said as he walked into Robert’s cell and dropped a note on the desk.
“What’s this?”
“Read it. And then do something about it because if he’s back next week kicking up a fuss again, I’m putting in a transfer request for you to the Isle of Man so you and him will be someone else’s problem.”
Robert frowned but climbed down from his bunk and folded open the note, recognising the handwriting immediately.
Dear Robert,
I know what you’re doing and it’s not going to work. I’m not giving up on you and I’m not moving on. You and me together, messed up forever remember? I love you and I miss you. Please put me back on your list. I’ll be back next week.
Love, Aaron.
P.S. Happy anniversary
October 5th 6th 2022
“One day. Just… Seriously? They couldn’t make an exception? It’s one day.”
“I get that you’re disappointed but he’s incredibly lucky to be getting out this early in the first place.”
“I know.” Aaron sighed and stopped pacing the car park for a second. “But it would’ve been nice to have him back for our wedding anniversary. Yesterday.”
“I really did everything I could. I called in every favour… but it’s a matter of days. Like I explained, today marks the absolute minimum of days he’d have had to serve with his original sentence.”
“We understand.” Liv said quickly. “And we all appreciate everything you’ve done for Robert and for us.”
Aaron nodded.
“Yeah, absolutely. Sorry if it doesn’t seem like it.”
Robert’s solicitor was nothing short of a miracle worker and they all knew it, but as the day of Robert’s release and their wedding anniversary had come closer, Aaron had hoped they’d be able to finally celebrate it together. Properly.
But then they heard he wouldn’t be released until the 6th.
“It’s alright. I understand.” He gave them a friendly smile. “I’ve heard worse over the years I’ve been doing this job.”
“Daddy.” Seb whined from the car and Aaron rushed over to him. “I’m hungry. I want to go home.”
“I know mate. We’ll go home soon. Daddy Robert is coming home today remember? I told you. We’re going to meet him here and then he’s coming home with us.” Aaron said, unbuckling Seb from his car seat and lifting him from the car.
“And then he’s never leaving again. Ever.” Liv added.
“He’s going to read you lots of stories before bed and maybe he’ll come to the pool with us on Sunday. That would be nice wouldn’t it?”
Seb nodded.
“But I’m hungry daddy.”
“Why didn’t you eat your toast before we left then?”
“You didn’t eat your toast either.” The boy pointed out.
“I know. I wasn’t hungry. But that doesn’t mean you can’t eat.” Aaron said, cursing himself for not forcing a slice of toast down that morning, knowing Seb was at an age where he liked to copy everything his dad did… or didn’t do.
“I think I have a mars bar in here…” Liv said, digging through her bag.
“He can’t have a mars bar for breakfast Liv.”
“Do you have a better idea then?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know. We’ll stop somewhere on the way home. Get some sandwiches. Some fruit. He needs vitamins instead of chocolate for breakfast.” Aaron argued. He was too wound up to think clearly.
“I don’t know, I’ve always been partial to having chocolate for breakfast. Especially on Easter.”
Aaron turned around and came face to face with a smiling Robert.
“Rob.” He said and threw his arms around the other man, grabbing two fistfuls of the back of his jacket and squeezing him tightly.
“I’ve missed you so much.” Robert mumbled and buried his face in the crook of Aaron’s neck, breathing him in.
“I’ve missed you too.” Aaron replied, unable to stop the tears from streaming down his face. “So, so much.”
They stood like that for several minutes before pulling back slightly to share their first proper kiss in much too long.
“Daddy, are you sad?” Seb asked when he saw his dad wipe the tears from his face.
“No mate, I’m really happy. Your dad is back with us, where he belongs.”
Robert smiled and walked over to where Seb was standing with Liv. He hugged her and kissed the top of her head before squatting down in front of Seb.
“Hi. Do you know who I am?” He asked the boy who nodded.
“You’re daddy Robert.”
“Yeah that’s right. I’m sorry I haven’t been around the past few years, but from now on I’m going to be the best dad ever for you, ok? I promise.”
Seb nodded again and let Robert pick him up. He looked a bit unsure, he knew who Robert was, he’d seen him in pictures and heard about him in stories but still didn’t really know him.
“Robert… sorry to interrupt…” Robert’s solicitor started “I have an appointment in there in 10 minutes and I have to go through security…”
“Right. Of course. Thank you for everything.” Robert said, moving Seb to his left side so he could shake the man’s hand.
“I’m glad everything worked out in the end.” He handed Robert a card. “My new office. Meet me there Friday at 10 and we’ll go over the conditions of your release and I’ll introduce you to your probation officer.”
“Alright. I’ll see you Friday. And thanks again. You really are a miracle worker.”
The man gave him a smile and a nod, before waving to Aaron and Liv and turning around to walk into the prison to meet his next client.
“Are you ready to go home mister Sugden-Dingle?” Aaron asked, picking Robert’s bag up from the ground.
“Yeah. More than ready.”
October 4th & 5th 2023
“Here. Bad hospital coffee.” Robert said, handing Aaron a Styrofoam cup before sitting down next to him. “Any news?”
“No.” Aaron shook his head. “They’re still working on her I guess. On both of them.” He sighed. “How was everything at home?”
Robert shrugged.
“Fine. Seb and Isaac are helping Moira on the farm. She let them feed the sheep. Cain said he’s having a blast.”
“Good.” Aaron said and leaned his head on Robert’s shoulder. Exhaustion starting to kick in.
“Come on, drink your coffee, we’ll go find a nurse to update us when you’re done.”
Aaron sat up a little and sipped his coffee, grimacing at the taste.
“Every time I see someone walking down the corridor I think it’s someone coming to tell us our baby died.” He admitted a few minutes later.
“Don’t think like that. The doctor said she was confident they would be able to stop the bleed and everything would be fine.”
“Then why is it taking so long? It’s been hours.”
“I don’t know. But I’m planning on finding out.” Robert said determined and stood up, ready to grab the first medical professional he saw and get some information out of them.
It turned out he didn’t have to look very far because at that same moment one of the doctors from earlier came through the double doors.
“Mister and Mister Sugden-Dingle?”
“Yes. How are they? Is everything ok?”
“Why don’t we go to a family room where we can talk in peace.” The doctor suggested.
“Is she dead?” Aaron asked. “I don’t need you to put me in some little room to tell me our baby died.”
“No, no, nobody died. I promise.” The doctor said quickly. “I just wanted to sit down with you to talk through everything that happened.”
“Can’t you just tell us here?” Robert pushed. “We’ve been waiting here for hours.”
“Alright. Well, the good news is mum and baby are both stable.”
“Why do I sense a but?”
“But… we’ve had to deliver the baby. And at 25 weeks that’s… less than ideal.”
“But she’s stable? You said she’s stable.” Aaron asked.
The doctor nodded.
“Yes, the machines are keeping her stable for now.”
“Wait. Machines? What machines?”
“She’s being transferred to the NICU, the Neonatal, Intensive Care Unit, where she’ll have to stay for a while. Usually until the original due date. It depends how quickly she develops.”
“Right, Right.” Robert started, trying to get his thoughts together.
“They’re getting her settled in on the NICU, I’ll get someone to come get you when they’re done so you can meet your daughter.” The doctor said and turned to leave, but Aaron stopped her.
“Wait.. doctor… can I ask you something… Do babies this small… do they usually make it?” he asked carefully, not sure he wanted to hear the answer. “Be honest.”
“There is about a 50/50 chance right now. But we’re doing everything in our power to improve those odds. She’s in good hands, I promise.”
The doctor left and the two of them sat back down again.
“There’s a fifty percent chance she won’t make it.” Aaron said, staring into space.
“Yeah and a fifty percent chance she will.” Robert reminded him. “Let’s focus on that.”
It was another half hour before someone came to collect them and take them to see their daughter. The nurse made them both put on a gown and disinfect their hands thoroughly before entering the ward.
“It looks scarier than it is, trust me. It’s just standard procedure.” He said. “And try not to look at all the tubes and wires too much. They’re all there to help her, and us.”
The two men nodded and followed the nurse who lead them to an incubator with a tiny baby inside.
“Here she is, the lady of the hour. The iv is to give her fluids and meds, the tube in her nose is to help her breathe, and this keeps track of her heart rate.” He explained.
“She’s so tiny…” Robert said looking at the little girl. Their little girl, so precious but so fragile. He blindly reached out for Aaron who took his hand right away.
“I can’t believe she’s here.”
“Can we… can we hold her?”
“I’m afraid not. She’s not quite strong enough for that yet… but you can touch her. You can open the incubator here and put your hand through it.” The nurse said and showed them how to navigate the equipment.
“Are you sure she’s alright like this?” Aaron asked, carefully stroking the girl’s head.
“Absolutely. Pull up a chair and sit with her as long as you like. I’ll leave you three to get to know each other now, I’ll be back later to check how you’re getting on.”
They sat with the girl for a while, switching between staring at her and each other. Robert holding her foot and Aaron letting her hold onto his little finger.
“Hey… it’s after midnight.” Robert said some time later after glancing at his watch. “Happy anniversary.”
October 5th 2028
“Good morning husband.” Robert said as he leaned over Aaron to wake him up with a kiss. “Happy 10 year anniversary.”
“Happy 10 year anniversary.” Aaron replied. “What time is it?”
“About 7. I turned the alarm off to wake you up before the kids got up and the madness started again.”
Aaron gave him a sleepy smile.
“Yeah we’re definitely not having a party at home next year for Keira’s birthday.”
“You said the same thing for Seb’s birthday last year.” Robert grinned. “And he’s having a party at home too.”
“Yeah, well… he’s older isn’t he? A bunch of 11 year olds is easier to deal with than 5 year olds.”
Robert laughed.
“I thought I was supposed to be the old man in this marriage?” He teased.
“Shut up. You were complaining about your back hurting when you carried Keira up to bed last night.” Aaron reminded him.
“Yeah… she’s not the tiny baby anymore she was when she was born.” Robert said and snuggled up to Aaron, both men getting lost in thoughts of their daughter defying the odds and growing into a happy, and most of all healthy, little girl.
“Let’s sack off work for the day.” Aaron suggested after a few minutes. “Stay in bed all day.”
“Tempting.” Robert groaned. “But I have a meeting and the kids have school. And didn’t you have a big delivery coming in?”
“The boys can deal with that. Charity’s been nagging me to give Noah more responsibility, this is me doing that.”
“I really have to go to this meeting though. It’s a big client and we could use the money.”
Aaron sighed.
“I know. And it’s Keira’s last day at nursery, she’ll be gutted if she misses that.”
“Yeah.” Robert agreed. “We should probably get up and get them ready… But tonight, when the kids are in bed… you’re mine.”
“Oh really now mister Sugden-Dingle, what did you have in mind?”
“Oh I don’t know. You, me, some pasta and a bottle of wine… a little Netflix and chill.” Robert said and they both laughed.
“You’re terrible.”
“You love it.”
“Suppose I do yeah.” Aaron grinned and pulled Robert in for a kiss. Morning breath be damned.
Just as they were about to get out of bed, first Aaron’s and then Robert’s phone beeped with a message.
“It’s Jimmy.” Robert said, frowning at the screen. “He’s already on his way to Manchester for that meeting… the meeting I was supposed to go to…”
“Really? Cain’s just texted me that he’s got a job on in Hotten and that he’s taking Isaac to school and Seb can ride with them. Looks like we’ll get that lie in after all.” Aaron said and turned his attention back to his phone when it beeped again. “And Noah and Ellis are at the yard waiting for the delivery.”
Robert frowned.
“Something’s going on here. Our family and friends are never this helpful.”
“Yeah it’s weird… Do you smell coffee?”
“Is that your way of making me get up to make you some?”
“No. I smell coffee. Like someone is making some.” Aaron said, throwing the covers off of himself and getting out of bed. “Liv isn’t home… and Seb knows better than to try make coffee without us around.”
They rushed downstairs, only to be met with not only fresh coffee but also a full breakfast table with toast, croissants, fruit, and even a bottle of champagne in a cooler.
“Happy birthday daddies!” Keira yelled when she saw her parents coming down the stairs and Robert made a mental note to talk to her about using inside voices – again.
“It’s not their birthday, silly, it’s their anniversary. From when they got married.” Liv explained laughingly.
“What’s all this?” Aaron asked, looking around the kitchen.
“It’s a surprise. For you.” Seb told him. “Do you like it?”
“Yeah, yes, yes, it’s great. Come here.” He pulled the boy close and kissed the top of his head. “When did you do this?”
“This morning. We had help though.”
“Was this your idea?” Robert asked Liv.
“Parts of it.” She shrugged like it was no big deal. “You two just deserved something nice on your anniversary.”
Keira walked up to Robert and grabbed his hand to lead him to the table.
“You need to eat daddy.” She decided. “You too daddy.” She said to Aaron who sat down next to Robert.
They’d tried to get her to call one of them papa for the longest time but she refused. They were both daddy and that was that.
“What about you two eh? Shouldn’t you have some breakfast too?”
“Already taken care of.” Liv told them. “We had breakfast with April and Marlon. It’s all kind of a family effort.”
“Wait… Cain giving you a lift to school is part of the plan too?” Aaron asked Seb who just grinned and nodded.
“And Jimmy going to your meeting, and Noah and Ellis dealing with the delivery at the scrapyard.” Liv added. “And Chas and I are taking this little lady to school. So you’re free to be as disgustingly loved up as you want today, without bothering the rest of us.” She joked.
The next half hour was the usual madness that was breakfast in the mill. With Keira too busy chatting about her plans for the day to even entertain the thought of taking a bite of the piece of toast Aaron had given her, and Seb joking and teasing his dads with his aunt Liv.
The sound of a car horn coming from outside was Seb’s sign to go, and Liv took the opportunity to scoop Keira up to go meet Chas for their school run.
“Alone at last.” Robert said when the front door closed and the house was quiet again.
“And a full day ahead of us without responsibilities.” Aaron said and grabbed the bottle of champagne from the cooler and poured them both a glass. “Here’s to the next ten years.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Robert said and a devilish grin appeared on his face. “How about we take this bottle and celebrate properly… upstairs.”
Aaron’s biggest reward was resting on this moron’s inability to hide away even though he has several planets and moons that would be a better choice than the most populated one. Aaron is thankful though because he can cash in on the warrant because Eureka Maru was getting old and rusty and she was barely functioning. He thought to himself, eyes up, hand to gun, and in the dirty bar overrun with aliens of the lowest walks of the moons. Aaron looked around, he was feeling a bit nervous. No sign of any person of interest. There was loud screaming coming from the people gathered around a cage where some sort of boxing match was happening.
He decided to stay at the back of the crowd watching, waiting for something to happen and for his mark to come in. All of a sudden, the crowd parts and he can see on the other side of the boxing cage and he sees a familiar face. A face staring him right in the eye, like he was sitting there just waiting for the perfect moment to make his presence known in the most dramatic fashion he could conceive. Aaron hated him, his Killjoy nemesis, the one who was always one step ahead of him, one minute earlier than him, Robert. Tall, blonde, as far as Aaron was concerned Robert had sex with half of the planetary system and he was planning to get through the other half. Aaron’s thinking was that the warrant is everything. Nothing else mattered to him and Robert was only an unfortunate obstacle that he would have to get over. At least he knew that his rival was there and he had to get to the target before anyone else.
Robert smiled from across the cage as two men were punching each other, as Aaron stared him right in the eye, then he moved to the right and Aaron followed the same direction of movement when all of a sudden commotion happened and he saw someone running away just as Robert himself started running.
“Tenlio! Stop running!” Aaron yelled as he tried to push drunken people out of his way but he lost visual contact with his target. He tried looking for Robert’s big blonde head but he couldn’t see him either. He decided to still make a run for it in the same direction and as he was pushing through the crowd, he noticed that Robert was grabbed by a group of very strong built nefarious characters. He stopped for a second, and then he thought that nefarious attracts nefarious and followed the same direction.
It led him out of the bar, somewhere in a street with random people. He went in the middle of the street and saw Tenlio running away, so he followed suit yelling after him and pulling out his gun in nonkill mode. As he was running he saw Robert being punched into a small vehicle. Aaron stopped in his tracks and looked. Robert was hunched down, beaten, not looking around him. He was looking dark and scared which for one second made Aaron dark and scared. But he switched focus back on his target because the warrant is everything.
As he was running after Tenlio he felt his feet slow down, his entire body becoming heavier with each step he took, his breath was unwilling to cooperate and his eyes were curious about what was happening in a corner, rather than following Tenlio.
“Goddamn it. GODDAMN IT!” Aaron shouted to himself as he turned around and made a sprint towards where Robert was being shoved into the vehicle.
“I’m regretting this move already”, Aaron said to himself again as he was running in the opposite direction of his warrant. One of the most prolific killjoys in the galaxy and he was leaving his target to runaway. He knew in that second that he will be mocked for it, but truly the reason why he was so competent at what he was doing was because he had Robert as competition.
Robert’s brother had mysteriously disappeared after having been accused of crimes that weren’t ever truly specified. Robert’s father has poured all his energy and money into trying to find his other kid, leaving Robert to live a life of thieves. He mostly raised himself from his teenage years, wandering through bars, picking fights, ending them on the ground. But mostly he listened. He listened to people and then talked to them back with a charm that cannot be matched and he would obtain absolutely any kind of information he wanted. The day he was approved to become a killjoy, Robert solved 3 warrants. He was smart, on his feet and willing to do whatever it took. It kept Aaron on his toes all the time because he was competition. They would often pick the same target, because they wanted to measure against each other.
Many times they have shook hands and decided to work together on catching a target. Many times they have talked over some drinks, or in the same tight spot while doing surveillance, many times Aaron never felt that snakey charm taking over him. Robert never acted like that with Aaron even though he would have multiple reasons to sneak out information from his rival Killjoy. Surely, there have been one conflict or two. A push and shove against a wall. Hot breath against hot breath, brushed fingers against skin by accident.
This is why Aaron couldn’t leave Robert in the hands of those people, whoever they were. Maybe they were enemies, maybe they were the family of someone he’s turned in for a warrant. However, that decision that Aaron has made was that he was about to save his nemesis, just because having a bit of competition made him better at finding people.
Many hours later, he found the place where Robert was kept. The security was laughable at best, all he had to do was immobilize a guard and steal their coat, nothing more, nothing less. He followed the voices that were coming through a dimly lit hallway.
“So, tell us where he is and you can go free, promise”.
“Look, you tell me where that moron is and I’ll finish the job myself”, Robert jabbed back and Aaron decided to follow his voice. He tried to tune in to his breathing from that line, he had hoped he could pick up inflexions in his voice. However all he did manage to pick up was a groan of pain as the sound of knuckles hitting a jaw bone have reverberated through every fibre of Aaron’s muscles. He tensed up again, but he didn’t lose his cool. He had a plan, and he would stick to that plan, besides Robert can take a punch.
“You, Killjoy, tell me that you cannot find your own brother? How do you still have a job?”
“Well, even my skills aren’t good enough to track down someone with his training. What am I going to do? Look through every snake hole in the universe? Besides, he can die for all I care, he’s not my brother”. Aaron believed him, he knew Robert harboured this deep dislike for Andy, who could not ever be wrong. Even as he was suspected of murder, Andy was still loved by their father. Robert was left alone to mend for himself because the family needed Andy to come back. Robert told this to Aaron some months ago over too many beers. Aaron’s heart broke and that’s when he grabbed Robert and hugged him. And he did it back. Aaron knew when Robert was being honest and this was one of those moments. The bad guys, whoever they were, had a different opinion on the truthfulness of their prisoner.
“I have reasons to believe you’re a liar, Sugden. You’ve stole, cheated, lied and slept your way through half of the galaxy. How can I believe the words of a renegade Killjoy?”
“You don’t believe anything then.” Aaron marched in there confident. “I’ll take it from here. Would you rather leave or stand back and watch as I make this one talk?”
Aaron didn’t plan further than impersonating a guard. He looked around panicked because he had no idea where to move from this point on, and he could clearly see some relief in Robert’s eyes and at the same time he could see a little bit of anger. Aaron then spotted next to Robert a case of torturing instruments. He moved towards that direction while rolling his sleeves up.
“Well, I reckon words will flow out of your mouth easier if it weren’t for all those teeth acting as a barrier..” Aaron said to Robert while gesturing desperately from his eyebrows. Robert’s expression has turned to full annoyance
“Sure, because that’s how speaking works”.
Aaron didn’t understand what was happening to Robert and he took a second more before pulling out his gun, not set on kill mind, and emptying the room.
“What have you done, you idiot!” Robert yelled from his tiny little chair. He was beaten, bruised, bloodied and even though, it was quite clear that the anger he was spitting out was directed at him, Aaron was fantasizing about dressing his wounds.
“I was working, this moron was giving me everything.”
“He was giving you everything he had in his knuckles, yes. I have noticed and yes, you’re welcome Robert. Now sit still so that I can untie you.”
“I don’t want to be untied, I want that dude awake because I know he knows my brother’s last whereabouts.”
“You know what? Fine.” Aaron dropped the knife he was cutting the rope around Robert’s hands and turned his back and walked away.
“Wait!!! Don’t leave me here!”
Aaron kept walking.
“Fine!! Ok, i’m sorry, I should have had a go at you. Please untie me?”
Aaron stopped, turned around and picked up the knife from the floor. Although he wasn’t looking at Robert he knew that the jerk was smirking. He could feel that smug smirk, Aaron swore that the temperature in any room would go up two degrees whenever Robert does that.
“That’s a phrase I’ve never said before. It’s usually the reverse” Robert said to Aaron as he leaned towards him. Aaron felt it, and moved back up. “Come on, we don’t have a lot of time. Where’s your ship?”
“My what?”
“Your ship? The thing you travelled here on?”
“Oh”, Robert rubbed the back of his head while looking at Aaon and smiling cheekily. “I don’t have a ship anymore. I came to this godforsaken moon with someone. Uhm.. he was kind enough to drop me off on here while he.. Uhm… carried out his journey to another moon. Actually, I was kind of hoping to find you here working this warrant. It’s the only reason I took it. I knew I was being followed, and I knew that you would be here in case I needed help. So I decided to take the same warrant as you, hitch a ride here, and then keep you close enough so we could… do this.”
Aaron couldn’t believe what he just heard. He was manipulated in the worst way possible, not only did Robert know exaclty what he was going to do, he also assumed that he would care enough to go on a dumb rescue mission and neglect the warrant. He was frustrated, angry, hateful and impressed at the same time, but he didn’t want to let Robert know he felt anything, so he kept his cool front and replied with “OK, loverboy, let’s get that warrant. Regardless of your plans, it’s not a good look on either of us to allow a target escape like that.
Robert showed one of his few genuine smiles, filled with sincere joy. He sprung up from the chair where he was held hostage and he felt his bones hurt and let out an involuntary “ow!”. Aaron made a joke about him getting too old for this business and Robert poked his side triggering the lesser known and very well hidden, Aaron’s ticklish side.
As they were chuckling and crossing the hall together more footsteps echoed. Robert put a hand on Aaron’s chest and told him to stay back, putting his much taller, leaner, wider body in front of Aaron as if he was being shielded by this offensively good looking man.
“Wait what?” Aaron shook himself awake.
“I said wait here, behind me. They’re gone now, we can leave this place” Robert replied and Aaron thanked all the moons that he managed to avoid that awkward moment. He entertained for a second the idea that Robert could have a different interest in him rather than just some good old competition. He smiled and he shook his head at himself.
“Move faster, Sugden, we don’t have all day to drag your old bones through dodgy hallways.”
Robert smiled at him again, and Aaron swore that the hallway was all of a sudden brighter. And it actually was, because they were outside where this flickering street light was trying to do its best at a corner of an empty street.
“Right, so where’s Eureka Maru?! Let’s go!” Robert started pacing across the street and Aaron stood there until Robert realized he wasn’t followed.
“Erm.. it’s.. Resting. She’s broken and I can’t fix her because she needs this part, that is kind of hard to get so.. I.. I don’t have one, no.”
Robert stood under the flickering light and if one were to choose to see the humour in this situation would be that the flickering light was nothing but a metaphor of Robert’s mind trying to work out the information that they have no means of escape from the compound of these people who they have royally pissed off and who were most likely to come after both of them, to kill them in a few minutes.
“OK, OK, it’s alright, I can fix this” Robert started muttering while walking into circles like a scared animal.
“I know a solution. Mine’s 2hr walk from here, where’s yours?”
“Back, but In the basement.”
They were walking through complete and utter darkness. Aaron couldn’t see an inch in front of him.
“Aaron, I know I usually follow you because warrants and stuff, but please know that this will be the last time I follow you anywhere.”
“Shut up and stop complaining. We need to get out of here. We need a ship, their ship is in here, we’re stealing” Aaron said in a firm tone of voice as he moved his hand around until he found Robert’s.
“Hold on tight. We’re getting out of here” and he held Robert’s hand as tight as he could, with a force that could not be broken by the strongest winds. And Robert squeezed back. They’ve put their confidence of survival into each other. Aaron, the one who was always supposedly one step behind was leading Robert to freedom. Robert, the control freak, the one who needed to have all the cards dealt before he could make a move, he let himself guided by this yelly and grumpy Killjoy.
In the hangar where the ship was parked light came back to them and they stood and watched it. Hand in hand until Aaron got excited and sprinted to the ship. He looked back at a frozen in place Robert who had this warm expression on his face. Aaron marched to the ship and he heard Robert’s footsteps behind him.
They climbed in the ship, Aaron made it start immediately under Robert’s admiring eyes.
“Are you ready to do this?” Aaron asked even though he knew the answer.
“Yeah.” Robert replied softly.
And off they went. Aaron was hoping he would be able to put the ship outside of the atmosphere and outside of the defense sensors. In spite of all the story start to finish, he was having a good day.
“So, are we going to chase Tenlio, or… do you have someplace you might want to check out” Aaron tried to make a suggestion to Robert.
“Tenlio is too stupid to be the one warrant that should claim that they’ve escaped the Sugden - Dingle duo. So after him we go.” Aaron tried to say something, but Robert cut him off “I know what you’re about to say, and no, I don’t want to, and yes I am sure. I don’t know where he is. So we keep ahead of course.”
“Alright. Our job it is then.” Aaron looked at Robert with a softness in his eyes that he didn’t know he had. Robert had this deep stare. Fixed and intense. Determined. “What’s happening?”
“Nothing” Robert shook his head and got up from the seat near the left side panel of controls of this ship. “Do you know the name of this ship?”
“No. Why would I? What does it matter, it’s just a loan”
“Do you really want to go back to that moon?”
“Of course not, but I know these things are worth a lot in scrap value. Spare parts are a good commodity to negotiate with around these moons.” Aaron replied but he wasn’t really in the mood for this conversation.
“Yeah, well, you shouldn’t negotiate with idiots”
“Oh that is long done and dusted since I’ve met you”
“When did you meet me? Where did you see me for the first time?”
Robert started leaning his tall body against the wall that would lead to the sleeping rooms downstairs.
Aaron didn’t even have to think about that moment. He remembered that day as if it were yesterday, the memory of seeing Robert for the first time would be etched into his eyelids forever. He was just getting his badge from the receptionist at the RAC and he was making googly eyes at everything that was moving. They locked eyes for a nanosecond and Aaron’s felt that deep burn inside of him since then. He needed to know things about Robert since then.
How does he go about his day, how long does he sleep, what does he eat, where does he come from.
When he used his RAC accredited search prowess, Aaron couldn’t find any information on Robert. There were loads of stuff about his family, his hero brother, his hero father, his beloved and late mother. But nothing about Robert specifically as a person. Just some silly paperwork, but it was as if he had nothing special about him, as if he had only existed inside his little norms. On paper, Robert was unremarkable. In person, Robert was a volcano.
“I know how I met you”. I was drinking at the bar on the furthest moon and you walked in, waved your credentials and gun and caught this guy and you got money. I wanted to be like you. Walk in anywhere, free of the stigma, free of the family name. So i went and gave it up when I signed on. I had hoped that we could become partners but then I learnt that the majority of the Killjoys were going about it alone. But I didn’t want to do that, so I had to find you.”
Aaron froze on the spot as Robert was being more honest than ever with his words, his voice changed, his entire body language was trying to be silenced by the brain. “Well, you should have said something”.
“I’m saying it now.” And Robert just moved in and he grabbed his face and he kissed Aaron so hard that Aaron almost melted in a puddle at Robert’s feet. But he caught up fast as the shock of the first two seconds had washed off and he started pulling at Robert’s jacket. Robert started pulling at his hoodie’s zipper and immediately jammed his hands underneath Aaron’s tshirt. Aaron felt his hands like something his skin didn’t know it needed. Aaron felt Robert’s touch with every second passing the more intense, the more sure, like his hands were made to touch him.
His tshirt flies away and a hand is taken away from his skin, only to be met with his belt buckle as it was dragging it downstairs towards the sleeping chambers.
They stumbled on each other, Robert’s head got stuck in his shirt, Aaron has hit his elbow as he was trying to shove off his trousers. They were clumsy but they were doing it together. Each second when Aaron didn’t have Robert’s lips and tongue on his, those were wasted seconds. If only he could have accepted to himself earlier that the reason why he was so infatuated with Robert and his loud and obnoxious stories was because he thought that he was painfully unavailable. Robert on the other hand was just trying to be obviously available. They only needed the better part of a year, light kidnapping and theft of a spaceship in order to give in to the attraction.
That hunger they both felt as they were undressing and the state of contempt and calm Aaron was experiencing in the moments when Robert was in between his legs. No one else has fit that way, no one else has felt that way and no one else has touched him that way. He needed it so bad, he grabbed Robert’s shoulders and dug his fingers into his skin, receiving an approving moan back from Robert.
Neither of them realize how long it has been, or what was happening on the screens because they have been intelligent enough to disable the ship’s AI.
As they sat in bed super satisfied, peaceful and calm, Robert was holding Aaron who was facing the opposite way. Every inch of his skin was covered by every inch of Robert’s skin. They were tangled with legs, arms, fingers and purpose.
“You know, I heard that Killjoys that are couples have a better success rate in closing warrants”.
“Did ya really?” Laughter came out with that reply from Aaron’s mouth. Truth is he was feeling happy. He didn’t quite understand why this feeling was so closely tied to Robert. He’s had a plethora of men suitors, but none of them has ever felt like Robert did then.
He was laying on his side, fingers tangled with Robert’s. He was peaceful and he closed his eyes and fell asleep against an already sleeping Robert.
Nothing to wake him up like a good healthy jog of the ship. Robert however was having none of that and he looked just as calm and perfectly asleep as before.
“Robert, wake up!” Aaron shook him with his entire body, and he jolted a bit.
“Yeah I’m awake, what happened where’s the rush?” Robert attempted to make an effort as he was clearly only half conscious.
“We’re being boarded you idiot, quick, wake up, please wake up and grab your gun”
“We’re being wh.. OH!” and that was the exact moment when Robert’s brain decided to produce some cooperation. They both simultaneously jump from the bed and look for their guns in the pile of clothes on the floor and Aaron can’t find his. “Well, where did you put it?!!” Robert looked at him with giant panicking eyes.
“Well, I don’t know Robert, I was so careful and meticulous with how I undressed before my slumber last night.” Aaron mocked him and he saw that Robert enjoyed it.
“Dingle, you’re meticulous alright but in other areas of activities” and Aaron felt Robert’s eyes on his body, measuring him up and down. Too bad this flirting was rudely interrupted by the door of the chambers being knocked down, Aaron jumped behind Robert’s back as Robert began to fire his gun and then lunge very naked at the people trying to fight them.
As Robert was trying to keep them at a distance, two other men came storming in and Aaron went on hand-to-hand combat in which he had a slight disadvantage with him being naked and all. Robert paused for a second to admire Aaron’s naked fighting skills.
By some miracle they manage escaping the first wave of attackers. Without thinking twice or even showing a remote to stop to get dressed even a little bit, they advanced in the halls. The ship’s emergency systems weren’t activated either which was an inconvenience, but at least they can put this chapter to the lessons learnt section.
“I hope some other dude comes at you trying to best you in combat. I like to see you fighting” Robert told Aaron and he rolled his eyes in reply. They kept advancing along the halls of the ship, in complete silence. Aaron’s focus isn’t fully on their escape from the stolen ship. He likes to occasionally take a glance at Robert, and once he caught Robert doing the same thing.
“OK, this is serious now. We have to focus and decide how we’re gonna get out of this mess” Aaron tells Robert.
“Well, finding something to wear is high on my list. And I think we can take on these guys. How many can they be? 10-15? We just took out 4 of them with barely any problems. We’ll be fine, Aaron, trust me” Robert said before he gave Aaron a quick kiss on the top of his head and also before a voice came from behind.
“Well, I’ve seen a lot more things than I was planning on seeing today, so let’s cut this short, shall we? You tell me where the other Sugden brother is and then I will kill you quickly, I promise no pain. Never had any complaints so far, so you can trust me.”
It was the same man that was interrogating Robert when Aaron came in and fooled him into taking a step back. They turned around and were facing him.
“I don’t know where he is, and I am not interested in finding him. The further away he is from me, the better. And for the record, he’s not my brother, so you can stop using that word.” Robert spat back. Aaron knew that this attitude would get them in trouble, and he tried to motion with his head and eyes that he should probably stop being like that, considering their present circumstances.
“Right, sure. I believe you. And to show you a token of my belief you will have the privilege of coming with me.” he turned around and gestured to his goons to take them away as well. However, when one of them tried to grab Aaron’s arm, he started fighting back, disarmed the guard and immobilised 4 of them in a few seconds. Before Robert could understand what was happening, Aaron had his gun pointed towards the interrogation man.
“Yeah, I don’t fancy going back to that moon, ta.” and he shot him, neutralising but not killing him. “Alright, so I think these were all. I think they need sending back home, don’t you?”
Robert was standing there stunned, in full admiration and disbelief that Aaron would do anything for him.
“Yeah, let’s send these suckers back to where they came from.” and they started dragging their currently neutralised bodies back to their ship. While Robert was carrying out the last few, Aaron rigged the autopilot to send them to the furthest moon in the Quad system.
“There. Gone.” Aaron said as they watched the small ship pulling away and flying off into the dark void. Robert turned around, crooked smile on his face, and kissed him. Hard and decidedly. “You know, we did all this while naked and basically unarmed. Imagine what we can do when we are armed and clothed.”
“Well, I don’t plan on putting on clothes anytime soon.” Aaron got up and took Robert’s hand into his, leading him back to their chambers. He didn’t look back, he knew Robert would follow with that dumb look on his face, but unexpectedly he felt Robert stop. “What’s wrong?” Aaron turned around to find Robert staring wide eyed and basically frozen at a piece of paper on the ship’s floor. Aaron examined the paper closely, and he saw that it was from an old book. He hasn’t seen one of those in a long time, and next to it, there were some words scribbled by hand. Aaron never learned how to read old human handwriting and he asked Robert what was it.
“That’s 1984. That’s…” he took a small breath and paused a little before finishing what he had to say. “That’s my mother Sarah’s favourite book. She was reading this for the millionth time right before she died. I think this is a message from Andy, to me. This is why they thought that I knew where he was!”
Aaron was stunned and kneeled on the floor next to Robert whose hands were trembling as he was holding onto that piece of paper. Then he looked up at Aaron, eyes shining and shallow and quick breaths. “Will you.. Help me?” he asked as his hand reached for Aaron’s arm.
“ ‘course I will. We’ll do this, together. We’ll find Andy.”
