Archive of Our Own ^beta

Sometimes when things were too good to be true… they simply weren’t. 

Aaron should have known it, really, but desperate times and that, so when Jimmy King, co-owner of Home James Haulage had offered him the job of running the garage on the company ground it first seemed like a win-win situation, since Aaron wanted nothing more than gain independence from his former boss - who also happened to be his uncle - and his family in general.

Running a garage by himself, even if it was only on lease, was a step up. 

The service of the vehicles of HJH guaranteed a steady income and Aaron had already won new clients in a short amount of time. It all could have been so perfect.

Except for when it wasn’t.

Because did Aaron mention that Jimmy King was only the co-owner of Home James Haulage? Meaning there was another owner and currently the bane of Aaron’s life. Goddamn, he had to be the most arrogant prick Aaron ever met. And Aaron knew Ross Barton for years so that said something. 

Just right now, he swaggered across the yard in his grey coat, his trademark smirk plastered on his face while he sweetly talked to the petite brunette, put his arm around her and she laid her hand on his stomach. Then he looked over to Aaron and winked like a twat. Who the hell winked at people? Especially when they were arm in arm with their significant other?

Robert Jacob Sugden obviously.

Aaron bristled quietly, twisted that wrench in his hands angrily and turned around to the car he was working on. 

• - 

To say they started on the wrong foot would be an understatement. It was literally the first day Aaron was on the HFH premises, checking out the garage and its tools, thinking about possible changes and improvements. The guy who worked here before just retired and it’s painfully obvious that he didn’t bother in updating the place or the machines for years. Taking notes on his phone, Aaron walked around scrutinising everything. He was deep in his thoughts when suddenly someone behind him cleared their throat. 

Aaron swirled around on the spot and promptly froze a second when he saw who approached him. Like, oof, the bloke was a ten out of ten with striking green eyes, neatly styled hair and when he smiled an immaculate white row of teeth appeared, framed by what were, just from the looks, very snoggable lips. 

Sadly he had to open said lips and ruin everything with the words that came out of them. “So, you’re the new mechanic then, eh? I’m Robert, the other co-owner, but you can call me Mr Sugden,” he said with a cocky tone and paused as if to wait if Aaron would laugh about that lame joke. When he didn’t, Sugden cleared his throat and looked around. “Oh, I see you’re already decorating? Dirty little greasemonkey.” He smirked.

Aaron frowned confused and followed his gaze to the wall behind him. 

“That’s not mine,” he grumbled and stared at the naked tits and the tiny hot pants covering the private parts between the obscenely spread legs of the model on the nude calendar. The former lessee must have put it up.

“Ah, don’t be shy. I don’t mind,” the blond man offered generously and if anything, his smirk got even wider. “And besides, it’s part of every garage interior, am I right?” 

So, basically the guy walked in here, reeking of money and wealth with his tailored suit and his pristine shirt, just to insult Aaron by insinuating all mechanics would be dick-driven hets. What the hell?

“Yeah well, not mine.” Aaron strutted to the offensive piece of paper and ripped it off the wall. He felt he was quickly running out of fucks to give if Sugden was his landlord. He’d so much prefer the bloke would just go back to be silent and pretty. “I’m gay.” 

It’s not like his sexual orientation was a secret, not after the struggles and depression he had suffered along his painful process of coming out, but he usually isn’t peddling with it either. He wasn’t sure why he had just blurted it out like that, but at least it effectively shut up Robert’s mouth.

His kissable mouth.

Fuck, was Sugden so damn irritating. 

The landlord took a step back and his expression changed to something Aaron couldn‘t quite decipher. Only a heartbeat later the smirk returned, like a mask that slipped back in place. “Well, how enlightening,“ he said and clasped his hand and Aaron wanted nothing more than to swipe that smugness off his face.

Enlightening?

Aaron bristled.

“I‘ll guess I see you around,“ Robert continued with an expressive cheerfulness that didn‘t match the unreadable emotion in his eyes. 

And while his attitude had seemed arrogant at first, it now felt awfully fake. It was obvious he suddenly felt uncomfortable around Aaron. There was only one logical reason for that, wasn‘t there? His landlord was a homophobe. Amazing. 

“I guess so,“ Aaron muttered and couldn‘t stop himself from adding: “Mr Sugden.“ Referring to Robert‘s earlier introduction. 

The bloke took another step back, awkwardness showing in his posture for a moment, before he nodded and walked away. 

Aaron looked after him and sighed. Why did the pretty ones always have to be pricks? That certainly hadn‘t been mentioned in the small print of his contract. 

It‘d be best just to avoid Sugden as much as possible. The man was probably glued to his desk anyway, shoving folders back and forth and making important phone calls and what not, whereas Aaron was out here across the yard. He won’t see much of Sugden.

Good.

• - 

Not good. 

He saw Sugden. Like, a lot. 

Aaron found it quite remarkable how often the boss walked across the yard going God knows where, multiple times a day in fact, and he would glance at the garage, seeking out Aaron. And Aaron knew that because… Because, well. He looked. He always stilled and looked when he spotted that grey coat in the corners of his eyes. It’s not beneath him to admit that Sugden was a gorgeous lad, eye candy his mate Adam would call him with a cheeky grin and a saucy wink. Robert Sugden fit the category, but sadly he was aware and it showed in the way he swaggered, how he raised his chin, how his hair was neatly styled every time, with the matter of course how he dashed with his silver Porsche on the yard of the Haulage and the somnambulistic surety he steered it into his parking spot right next to the entrance of the office building. Damn, it was one beautiful car. Aaron would love to get his hands on it. And on the driver, too. 

He didn’t know what to think of Robert Sugden, if he was honest. The man was just so irritating. It didn’t go unnoticed, not to Aaron’s observing eyes at least, how often the boss welcomed female visitors.

Occasionally there was a red head, slightly older than Robert, Aaron reckoned, who he linked arms with and strolled down the street into one of those flashy restaurants who were primarily specialised in offering pricy business lunch with ingredients Aaron had never heard before. He checked them out once or twice, but Aaron was a Dinge with the inherited penny-pinching gene so why the heck should he pay 15 quid for a ‘vegan buddha bowl’ with ‘quinoa’. Seriously, he’d rather settle for his homemade bacon sarnie, saving his money and the hassle. Plus, he didn’t mingle well with those business people anyway with his dirty fingernails and the stains he somehow managed to get on his clothes despite wearing an overall. 

Other times, Robert was seen with the tiny brunette. She actually came quite often, at least once or twice a week, so Aaron assumed she was the girlfriend and called her SO in his head. She and Robert were close, the intimacy showed in all their shared laughs, exchanged smiles and casual touches. The pang in Aaron’s chest was hard to describe whenever he spotted them and it also was something he didn’t want to dwell on, so he shoved it deep down and away from his brain.

Things got spicy when another brunette showed up one day, arriving with an Aston Martin and wearing a fur coat. It’s not like Aaron wanted to eavesdrop, but even if he didn’t there was no way he’d have missed the scene this woman caused. Jesus Christ.

As soon as she saw Nicola, Robert’s personal assistant, coming out of the office, she exploded. “Oh no, not you! I want to talk to Robert!”

Nicola said something back that Aaron couldn’t hear, but it apparently did nothing to soothe the furious woman. “He what now?” she screeched. “He orders me to stay away from his company? Robert!” she then yelled at the building. “ROBERT! Get out of there, now! I won’t- Get your hands off me!” Nicola had tried to touch her arm, but the brunette was having none of it. “I won’t leave until he gets outta here!”

Yikes, what a dragon. 

A few minutes later, Robert emerged through the glass door, looking like he licked a lemon and poor Nicola took that as her queue to flee. What followed was a fight like a movie scene, Aaron picked up ‘daddy’ and ‘sister’ and strangely the word ‘lucky’ was dropped a few times. Nothing about those two seemed lucky in Aaron’s humble opinion. The lady stabbed her red finger nail accusingly into Robert’s chest and barely gave him time to talk back during her ongoing rant. As the sneering went on the man looked more and more pissed off. It could only be the ex. It had to be the ex. 

Understandably Aaron didn’t have much expertise when it came to women, but even he acknowledged that Robert got quite an upgrade with his new SO, because this lady was fucking toxic. 

Out of nowhere her attitude twisted from furious to smug and she said something to Robert that caused his own face to falter. Aaron wasn’t typically nosey, but since he kinda witnessed the whole car crash against his will, he wished he knew what she had been saying. It must be something that hit a nerve, because the colour faded from Robert’s cheeks and he crossed his arms defensively as the fight left his posture. He said something back, very quiet, but she threw her head back and laughed out loud, a taunting sound, as if he just had said something hilarious before she leaned close to Robert speaking. Then she went to her car and drove off without deeming him worth another look. 

Welp. That was… uncomfortable to watch. 

Robert Sugden stood there for a long moment, then he suddenly kicked over the bin next to the entrance with full force and the waste flew in all directions. When he looked up, their eyes locked and Aaron felt caught staring. Sugden’s expression hardened instantly.

“What are you staring at, eh? Got no work to do?” Robert shouted angrily. 

Aaron quickly turned back to the car he was fixing, but he noticed Nicola coming back out.

“Spare me that speech!” Aaron heard Robert yelling at his assistant. “And get someone out here to clean this mess up!” he added before he went inside.

So, that was the infamous ‘ex incident’. Luckily, it was the only time the woman showed up and it didn’t take long for Sugden to slip back into his arrogant mode as if nothing ever happened. The brunette visited again and things went back to normal and Aaron couldn’t help but wonder if she was the reason for the breakup. Maybe she and Sugden had an affair behind Toxic-Ex’s back, which would explain that Hollywood-style fight. Aaron thought it deserved some recognition that the new SO stuck by Robert through those messy times. They must really love each other, he mused when he watched them hugging goodbye. She laughed about something he had just whispered into her ear and wow, Aaron honestly didn’t think Robert Sugden had any sense of humour. But then again, he thought as he glanced at the happy couple, maybe he and Robert just started on the wrong foot. Maybe Robert wasn’t a stuck-up twit after all. And wasn’t Aaron the first to step up when it was about fighting clichés and wrong first impressions? He should give his landlord the benefit of the doubt. The guy was apparently just turning his life around that counted for something, didn’t it? Well, good for him.

And also, Aaron seriously spent way too much time thinking about Robert Sugden. He didn’t even know why but it certainly had to stop.

Back to the original plan. Back to ignoring Sugden.

• - 

Surprisingly, that worked well for a few days.

Until Robert started winking at him.

• - 

Maybe it was Robert’s game, Aaron reckoned. It still irritated him to no end. It made him feel mocked. Sugden obviously mocked him and Aaron did not like being messed around. 

He threw his tool onto the workbench, annoyed with the landlord, himself and the world in general. Somehow the bloke had managed to occupy most of Aaron’s thoughts against his will. It seemed the blond man just had sneaked into his head and made himself a home there. 

Fuck.

“Fuck!” he hissed quietly.

“Careful!” A voice piped up behind him. “Wouldn’t want to destroy the interior.”

Aaron had heard that voice only once so far, but he recognised it in a heartbeat. That sharp pronunciation, that slightly arrogant undertone. With a sigh he turned around to Robert Sugden who looked so out of place in the garage with his expensive looking coat and his shining leather shoes. 

“Although this place really could use new one…” Sugden added with a look around and Aaron glared at him.

“What do you want.”

“Was that a question? Because it didn’t sound like one.” For some unknown reason, Sugden smiled when he said that, maybe he thought he was funny.

Aaron only rolled his eyes.  

The grin died on Sugden’s face and Aaron watched his jaws grinding, before his features slightly softened. “Look,” he started and he sounded more normal now, too. Nice almost. “I feel like we didn’t have  the best start…”

Yeah, you mean when I told you I was gay and you got awkward, Aaron thought bitterly, turned around to sip from his coffee and pulled a face when it was just lukewarm by now. 

“Sooo…” Robert stretched the word. “Here.” He held up a slim, rectangular present. Like, it was even wrapped. Like a real present. 

Aaron eyed the item in his hand and the face of the man, seeing a glimpse of shyness before the mask reappeared. But the emotion was there, Aaron was sure of what he saw and damn, was there a genuine person hiding behind that shield of smugness? He felt his resentment weakening and curiosity rising, so he took the gift, gave Robert another long look before he eventually ripped the paper off.

And then he just stared at what Robert Sugden, his landlord, got him. 

And then his body flushed hot and cold and his stomach suddenly felt it was filled with brick stones, heavy and dragging.

He wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat. “Wha-” 

“It’s December, time to throw the other calendar out anyway, right?” Sugden said, back to using his smug voice. “Thought this one might be more up your alley.”

“You thought it’d be appropriate to buy me gay naked calendar?” Aaron sneered as soon as he rediscovered his ability to form words, waving the offensive item.

What the fuck?

Robert’s face fell and all of a sudden he looked like a kicked puppy, as if he was the one who just got offended. Unbelievable!

“C’mon Aaron, it was just a joke,” he argued.

Aaron threw the calendar aside and shoved him against the nearest wall, almost choking on his fury. “This is just a joke to you?” he hissed, only inches away from Robert’s paling face.

He didn’t have it in to appreciate the beauty of his green eyes right now. The urge to punch either the freckled cheekbones or the nearest wall was overwhelming. Somehow Aaron resisted, but it was a close call. 

Aaron had gotten homophobic slurs in the past, when he had been pulling his community service sentence the court had forced on him. He knew people in the village had been talking behind his back, making sick jokes about him being gay. Aaron had heard it himself. He had seen the looks when he was only so much as walking down the road next to Jackson or when he was talking to Ed. 

He was so done with it. 

He was also done with this.

“Get the fuck out.”

It didn’t matter that Robert Sugden was his landlord and Aaron wasn’t supposed to act up like that. God, he almost dared the man to terminate their contract, he was that furious. Aaron held his chin up, staring Sugden down. 

There was another slip in Robert’s facade, his green eyes flicking over Aaron’s features without really focussing on anything, until Aaron pushed his fists that were still gripping the collar of Sugden’s coat into the man’s chest before he let go. Suddenly the face had become too much to look at and Aaron turned away quickly, not wanting to deal with any of this any longer.

“I said, get out.”

Grinding his teeth and tapping with his fingers on his thigh, he waited until Sugden shuffled around behind him and finally left. At least he kept his mouth shut now, thanks for small mercies and that. As soon as Aaron was alone again, he deflated.

The calendar was lying in the corner of the garage, opened, with Mr April staring lasciviously at him while sprawling on a blanket and pulling his barely existing thong down to expose his pubes. 

Maybe he should have listened to his mum and stayed at his uncle’s garage. While working under Cain hadn’t been ideal, at least it had come along with a certain safety. 

Aaron put his hands on his hips, stared at the ceiling and took a few deep breaths. Breathing, what his therapist always used to say, so important. At first Aaron had been laughing about that, because breathing? Really? Surely he wasn’t paying a hundred pounds per appointment to be told to fucking breathe. The truth was that it helped though.  

Inhale. Exhale. 

He took the calendar and threw it into the bin. Yes, better.

• - 

Since he negotiated the contract with Jimmy King, he hadn’t seen much of the man. As long as Aaron paid his monthly rent to the Haulage, King was a pleasant and invisible business partner. 

“Aaron.” However, he was here right now.

Aaron nodded in greeting. “Everything alright?” He was already checking in his head if he had transferred the rent on time, fairly sure he had done so. 

“Sure, yes. And here? How did your first few weeks go?” 

“Good.” Apart from your grade A tosser business partner that is, Aaron added silently. 

“I see you made a few changes,” Jimmy King commented and Aaron wondered what the purpose of his sudden visit was. 

Was he kinda snooping? Or had Sugden snitched something about the incident a few days ago and now King wanted to give him the boot? 

Aaron steeled himself for the worst. 

“So, with the holidays coming up soon, we’re going to have a little work Christmas celebration at the Haulage,” Jimmy said casually and Aaron nodded along, not sure where this was going. “Nothing big, just a little… thing, you know.” 

Aaron did not know, he kept nodding though.

“Like, we’re having a bit of mulled wine and cake and maybe we’ll play a few games. Just a nice evening.” 

“Cool,” Aaron threw in since Jimmy made a pause and he didn’t know what else to say. 

“We have this little tradition where we put up a tree and everyone brings an ornament, nothing fancy, just things we like or that have something to do with us, and then we decorate together.”

“That’s… a lovely idea.” Aaron got more and more the impression that Jimmy wasn’t here to kick him out of the garage. He still didn’t know what all that talk about the party had to do with him.

Jimmy’s face lit up. “Isn’t it? You can buy something new, but you don’t have to. It can also be something from your childhood if you want,” he went on.

“Wait, what?” Aaron frowned. “Me?”

“Yes, you!” Jimmy snorted. “You’re invited!”

“I am?” This was only his second conversation with Jimmy King and suddenly he was invited to the company’s Christmas party? Aaron barely resisted turning around and checking if there was a hidden camera and this was just a prank. 

“Course you are!” Jimmy laughed as if Aaron was dumb for even asking. “It’s on the twentieth, so don’t forget to get your ornament ready by then. If you wanna drink something different than mulled wine, beer or water, you’d better bring it to make sure it’s in stock. Food will be ordered. See you then, Aaron.”

And with that the Haulage boss left again while Aaron was still processing the conversation. Only then it dawned to him that Robert would be there as well. A Christmas party with that guy, just bloody amazing. Had Aaron even agreed to come? Maybe it wasn’t too late to just bail out. Eventually the stubbornness, written in his Dingle DNA, took over and he sighed and shook his head at himself. Fuck no, Robert Sugden didn’t have that power over him, he thought adamant. 

Aaron went into the little office where his computer was and opened his browser. It was only one week until the party, he should start looking for an ornament already. 

• - 

Awkward didn’t even come close to how Aaron felt, when he walked into the office building of HJH with the little box in his clammy hands. He wasn’t sure what to expect, he only knew a few people who worked here. Jimmy King and Robert Sugden of course and Nicola Wheeler, the assistant of the two bosses, who he had been in contact with to manage the formalities of his leasing contract.

Aaron followed the noise into one of the conference rooms on ground level, where the typical Christmas pop songs were blaring. Someone had tried to put in some effort to give the clinical room a festive upgrade and unfortunately it ended up being a touch too much. For Aaron’s taste, at least. Twinkling lights on the walls, fake snow and fir branches on the tables and the giant plastic Rudolph in the corner looked like it had seen better days. 

There were about 20 people in the room, Aaron reckoned, standing in small groups, talking and holding mugs. The smell of mulled wine was hanging heavily in the air. For a moment, Aaron just stood on the threshold, not sure where to go or what to do. It turned out, the decision was taken from him as soon as Nicola spotted him. 

“Aaron! There you are!” she shouted like he was the best thing she saw the whole evening.

Everybody turned to look at him and only then Aaron spotted Robert Sugden at the far end of the room, staring right back at him with huge eyes and a dropping jaw. 

Sugden didn’t look like someone who was all too happy to see him. Aaron straightened his back and squared his shoulders, trying not to let it get to him. Suck it up, Sugden. 

“Uh…hi,” he said to Nicola, who made her way towards him, and put on a fake smile. “Jimmy told me to bring drinks, so where can I put them?” He slightly turned for her to see his backpack full of beer.

“You can leave them either here on the tables or if it’s something for the fridge, the kitchen is across the hallway.” She tugged him along while she spoke, rambling about how lovely it was that he came, that they’d ordered a finger food buffet from Victoria - whoever that was, Aaron had no clue - and that she’d stuck to eggnog this year after she vowed herself after last year’s party to never touch mulled wine ever again. Providing information Aaron didn’t need at all, namely to ‘ hop on the loo’ , she left him in the tiny kitchen and he took a minute to breathe. Because breathing and that. Once more it became obvious how socially inept he truly was, he thought bitterly when he really needed that calming technique right now.

He put the beer in the fridge and kept one to drink right then and there. Alcohol wasn’t a solution, Aaron knew that, but it helped to loosen him up a little. Taking big gulps, he emptied the first bottle in seconds, put it on the counter, burped quietly and took another one out. He was determined to go slow from now on. The line between getting tipsy and less awkward and embarrassing the fuck out of himself was very thin and Aaron wasn’t keen on exploring the latter tonight. Not with Robert present. 

There he was again. Why was this man always in his head? Aaron didn’t even know him really, for God’s sake. He most certainly should get laid soon to get the bloke out of his system. With that resolution in mind and the feeling he’d procrastinated long enough he finally decided to join the others. Just when he was about to step out into the hallway, he heard a voice.

“... is he even doing here?” Robert Sugden’s voice to be precisely. He sounded tense.

“I invited him, okay?” That had to be Jimmy King.

“This is the haulage Christmas party, Aaron isn’t part of the haulage.”

Aaron didn’t want to eavesdrop, but they were obviously talking about him and what the fuck? Robert really didn’t want him here, did he. Aaron took a tiny step back and made sure the two men wouldn’t see him, while he listened to their conversation and his belly filled with a heavy sensation.

“He is more or less working for us, his profit is our benefit.”

“You did this to piss me off,” Robert accused him.

“I’m doing you a favour!” Jimmy shouted and immediately got shushed by Sugden.

“Keep it down, will you!”

“Robert, let me tell you something. And I’m saying this not as your business partner, I’m saying this as your friend, in the most caring, helping, understanding, fatherly manner….” Jimmy made a meaningful pause. “You need to get your bloody head out of your arse.”

There was a little huff and another pause, while in the other room the staff were laughing and Band Aid asked to feed the world. 

“This was Nicola’s idea, am I right?”

“She always has the best ideas,” Jimmy confirmed matter-of-factly. Then Aaron heard a slap and Jimmy added: “C’mon, let’s make the best of it.”

From his little hiding spot, Aaron heard them walking back to other guests and he let out a long sigh. Robert Sugden hated him. It didn’t add up with his stupid winking though and it was doing Aaron’s head in. Why was he like that? What was his problem? 

It was tempting to storm in there and just ask him in front of his whole team, but not even Aaron had the guts to do that. He just went into the conference room and formed a plan to quietly leave after that beer. All his plans flew out of the window, however, when suddenly a young lad Aaron had seen a few times stepped up to him, wearing the biggest grin on his face.

“Oi, you’re the mechanic, right? I’m Gerry, nice to meet ya! I’m Robert’s personal assistant.”

Aaron frowned. “I always thought, Nicola…” he started, but was cut off quickly. 

“Nah, man, she’s Jimmy’s right hand and not only in the haulage, if you know what I mean, right?” Gerry elbowed him as if they’d known each other for years and made a saucy noise that sounded like squeaky bedsprings.

Aaron’s eyebrows flew up to his hairline. Jimmy and Nicola? Well, now that he thought about it, it kinda seemed like a good fit. 

“It’s an open secret, everybody knows it” Gerry waved him off, obviously not caring about sharing personal details about the company boss. 

Huh, that might come in handy, actually. Aaron started smiling at the younger man. “So, you said you’re working for Robert, huh?”

• - 

Robert’s assistant, it turned out, was hilarious. Probably without even knowing which made it even more hilarious. Gerry reminded Aaron so much of his best friend Adam - that puppy like attitude, a bit naive and too trusting, with that ever present huge smile - it was no wonder they clicked immediately. 

The ten minutes they spent together so far, Gerry hadn’t stopped rambling about the food that was supposed to come in the next 30 minutes and the woman who made it, Victoria. Gerry wasn’t shy to use words like ‘goddess’ and ‘queen’   when he mooned over her. 

“So, you and this Victoria…?” Aaron asked and made an odd gesture. 

“What?” Gerry asked, confused, before the penny dropped. “Me and…? Noooo! Oh no! Robert would kill me on the spot. And then fire me. Yup.”

Ah. So, Victoria was Robert’s girlfriend or wife or whatever. The tiny brunette he’d seen so often. The confirmation for what he had known anyway shouldn’t do that uncomfortable thing with his stomach, but it did. It didn’t matter if Robert was taken or not, he was an idiot anyway. 

“He’s a great boss otherwise though,” Gerry was quick to add, emphasising his point. 

“Yeah?” Aaron muttered, finding that hard to believe. Not that his opinion mattered. 

“Yeah, he’s cool. I mean, he’s a bit of a workaholic, but it’s because he cares about this company.” Gerry made a pause, thinking.

Aaron only hummed and nursed his beer. He was hoping to get some saucy details about Robert not a glorified hymn about his greatness. 

“He also likes cars,” Gerry said out of nowhere. “You like cars, don’t you?”

“I’m a mechanic,” Aaron says deadpan, not sure what to make of that sudden turn of the conversation.

Gerry didn’t take his grumpiness bad, because he laughed loud and carefree. “What was the nicest car you ever had to work on?”

“Well, it wasn’t as nice as Mr Sugden’s Porsche,” Aaron said with a bitter smirk. ‘You can call me Mr Sugden’ , he really had said that and Aaron still wasn’t over it. 

“Ohhhh, the Porsche, right?” Gerry's eyes started shining as he completely missed Aaron’s sarcastic undertone. “Isn’t that a lovely babe? He got it from his ex, but don’t ever mention it to him, it’s kinda a sore spot.”

Now, things were getting interesting and Aaron perked up. “You don’t say. His ex?”

Gerry leaned in. “An absolute dragon. We were actually cheering when he gave her the boot. He’s doing so much better without her.”

Yeah, that’s what Aaron had been thinking too. Why would you stay with someone like that furious woman when you could have someone sweet like Vic? It’s kind of a miracle how an idiot like Robert managed to pull her. From what Aaron learned about Vic she had to be some wonder woman. 

Right on cue said idiot suddenly stood before them, looking between Aaron and Gerry, somewhat alert which was quite irritating. Was Aaron not allowed to talk to “Mr Sugden’s” assistant?

“What are you doing?” Robert hissed to Gerry.

Apparently not. Twat.

“We were just talking about Vic,” Aaron let him know. It’s meant as a little stab, for all the stupid and unnecessary winking when in fact Robert couldn’t even stand being in the same room with Aaron and also had this beautiful SO. Like, all of it made no sense whatsoever. 

“Oi, you grass!” Gerry complained and Aaron felt a tiny bit bad for throwing him under the bus. 

Robert just rolled his eyes. “She’s off the table, I told you that.” He sounded exasperated like they had this conversation at least once a week. 

“What about Bernice then?” Gerry asked, making puppy eyes.

Bernice? Aaron frowned again. Another girlfriend? How many women did Robert have?!

“I’m not even answering that.” Robert shook his head before he gave Gerry a pointed look. “Behave.”

What followed was a stare battle between the blond boss and his young assistant. Aaron wasn’t sure what all that was about, but there was some serious eye language going on. Eventually Gerry sighed.

“Okay, okay.”

“Good,” Robert said, clipped.

“Good,” Gerry snapped back. 

Somehow they reminded Aaron more of friends than boss and employee in that moment which was pretty odd, since until that moment he couldn’t imagine Robert as the type capable of being friend-ish.  

As soon as Robert was out of earshot, Gerry sighed again. “Why does he have to make everything so complicated?”

Aaron didn’t know what to answer, so he just stayed silent and emptied his beer. “So when Vic’s the girlfriend, who’s Bernice then?” he asked instead, his curiosity winning. 

“Huh? Whose girlfriend?” 

“Robert’s?”

Gerry stared at him before he pulled a face. “Ew, mate! That’s gross! She’s his sister ! Bernice too. Robert’s single!”

And just like that the world shifted on its axis and everything he ever assumed to know about Robert Sugden crumbled to dust. Like, what? His sister? So what did all that winking mean, when he was actually single? And why was he acting all shifty this evening? While Aaron still processed that new information, Gerry beamed at him and made things a thousand times more confusing by repeating: “He’s totally, absolutely single.” And then he winked. 

• - 

Vic was a goddess, at least in the kitchen, Aaron could confirm that now as he merrily munched away on her bruschetta and her cheese sticks. Jeez, it tasted like heaven.

His original plan, to silently vanish after the second beer had been cancelled quickly with the new knowledge about Robert and the arrival of the buffet. Aaron was really hungry, okay? It was nobody's business but his that he kept secretly staring at Robert talking to his sister. Now that he knew they were family, he had to admit that there was a certain similarity, eyes and nose wise. Suddenly, Victoria looked right back at him and most definitely caught him staring, whispering something to her brother and oh no! Robert turned as well to have a look himself and Aaron… quickly focused on his plate. He hoped the light was dim enough to hide his heating cheeks. It was a relief when Gerry stepped up next to him again, because it gave something to focus on. Something other than the fit, mysterious idiot on the other side of the room.

“So, hey…!” Gerry started and only swallowed then his food down. “What about you?”

“What about me?” Aaron asked back, not following.

“Are you single?” Gerry asked, smiling brightly as ever.

Aaron choked on a piece of bread and started coughing. It got so bad, the assistant had to beat his upper back until he heaved the food back up from his windpipe. “You what?” he croaked and damn, was Gerry gay? Was he hitting on Aaron? It was hard to believe that his gaydar was that off to be honest. “I’m not… I’m sorry mate, I’m not interested,” he said awkwardly when he finally got his voice back. 

The younger bloke really wasn‘t his type. Seemed his type these days was tall, blond and douchebaggery. 

Gerry blushed furiously and chuckled. “Oh. Ooooh. No, I’m not… I’m straight,” he explained and Aaron quickly thought ‘thank God’, before Gerry added: “I’m just asking for a friend.” Then he laughed again.

“How does your friend know me?” Aaron asked, frowning. As nice and funny Gerry was, he was also so damn confusing. 

Gerry’s eyes darted to the side, before he cleared his throat and got serious again. “It’s just a saying.”

While he ate his mozzarella, Aaron narrowed his eyes at Gerry, not really buying it. Before he could reply, Jimmy spoke up:

“Okay, everybody, time for one of the highlight of the evening if I dare say so… right after Victoria’s excellent food…” he paused and smiled at Robert’s sister, “The decoration of the tree! Please get your ornaments and then we will meet in the lobby in five minutes.”

So, Aaron found himself standing amongst the HJH staff, holding the little box and looking around, waiting for further instructions. Were they doing it one by one or all at the same time? Aaron preferred the latter, not too keen on being on display. He still felt like a guest despite Gerry‘s attempt to make him feel included. 

When everybody started taking out their ornaments, Aaron did the same and then stood back while the first ones were attached on the Christmas tree. 

Jimmy had said that it didn’t need to be something that held a personal meaning, but in the end Aaron had chosen a personal ornament nevertheless. He looked down at the car in his hands, it was a car, with an acceptable amount of glitter in the edges and then he glanced to the left and right, checking what the others had bought. His breath hitched when he spotted the exact same ornament, in the hands of… His eyes travelled up and. 

Oh yeah, sure. Robert Sugden, of course. Of course, the douchebag had bought the same ornament, out of like a possible gazillion pieces. Like, what were the odds.

Aaron swallowed when he noticed Robert staring at Aaron’s hands and then looking up at him. He was met with the same surprise in those green eyes.

“Haha, no way!” Gerry stood behind him, laughing gleefully. “You bought the same! That’s so funny! And also… so lame, mate!” He slapped Aaron’s shoulder and Aaron rolled his eyes. Gerry truly was a younger version of Adam, wasn’t he. 

Aaron heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes before he seeked out a twig for his ornament, resolutely not looking to the side where Robert did the same. 

• - 

“Never have I ever… farted in the bathtub!” 

People were laughing and cheering and at least 4 out of 7 necked their shot. This Christmas party somehow turned into a black hole, timewise, because Aaron could swear he blinked twice and suddenly it was after midnight and only 8 people were left. Besides Aaron there were Jimmy and Nicola, Gerry, two women named Priya and Kerry, a smarmy guy called Al and Robert. 

Robert, who had currently rolled up the sleeves of his grey knitted jumper to his elbows, boasted strong, tanned forearms with a light dust of golden hair on it as he filled the glass again. Not that Aaron had checked those arms out. They were just a thing that happened to be on display and Aaron was one to notice stuff like that. He was an attentive guy. 

“My turn,” Robert stated and he sounded like the alcohol had no effect on him at all although Aaron had seen him drinking all night. 

Goddamn, his traitorous brain immediately thought of stamina. 

“Never have I ever lied to get out of going to work.”

Everybody at the table groaned. “Never playing with the boss again” and “He’s such a spoilsport” were muttered before eventually everybody obediently drank. 

Robert smirked, probably feeling incredibly smug right now. 

“I’m next!” Kerry said, words already slurring a bit. “Never have I ever stolen anything.”

Gerry, Priya, Jimmy and Nicola looked around curiously, their shots staying untouched. When Al downed his booze, Kerry looked at him with huge eyes.

“You?!” she shrieked. “What did you ever steal?”

Al put his glass back on the table with a clang, then he looked at Kerry and put on a smile. “Your heart, baby.”

She cooed and Aaron felt like gagging when they performed an eskimo kiss. Yikes. So, they were a couple as well. Home James Haulage was quite a couple-y company as it seemed. 

“And why did you drink?” Gerry asked him and Aaron ducked his head, feeling caught. 

He didn’t like talking about his teenage years, but it wasn’t like they were a secret either. “Just… was a troubled kid,” he muttered and shrugged. “Did some things I’m not proud of.” All eyes were on him, but it was the unreadable look from Robert that made his face burn and he squirmed on the seat. 

“Didn’t we all!” Nicola declared loudly and patted his arm in sympathy. 

“Talking about teenage years…” Kerry started, voice a tad too loud, too hysterical. “We heard quite some rumours about you… and Robert…” She cackled.

Priya squealed and slapped her hand on her mouth, while Gerry spluttered his beer straight across the table on Al’s jeans who made a disgusted face.

“Ohmygod Kerry, you didn’t!” Gerry wheezed and coughed.

“What?” Kerry shrieked. “Someone had to ask!” 

Someone had to take her home soon, Aaron reckoned. She was really, really pissed at this point. He watched the whole madness unfold in disbelief. This Christmas party was something else, for sure. 

Robert’s mood turned sour in a heartbeat and Nicola blushed and for the life of him, Aaron couldn’t imagine these two together. And he also didn’t want to. Like, ew.

“Enough,” Robert barked.

“Agreed,” Jimmy added, looking pretty unamused himself. 

Right, he was dating Nicola, Gerry had told earlier, so the jealousy he currently showed was somewhat understandable. It took a few minutes until everybody calmed down and the game continued.

“Okay, guys,” Gerry raised his voice, “never have I ever… had a crush on anyone at the table!” He laughed.

Unsurprisingly, Kerry and Al necked their shots immediately, then Nicola and Jimmy followed, glancing at each other. Aaron wasn’t sure what to do. There was definitely something when he looked at Robert. A spark. But was it a crush, really? And while Aaron still stared at the schnapps glass in front of him, Robert stood up so quickly that his chair toppled over. 

“I’m not playing anymore,” he said and strode out of the room.

Awkward silence stretched and everybody glanced around as if waiting for someone else to say something first. 

Aaron thought that someone should check on Robert, because whatever just had happened, the man was clearly pissed off about it and he might be a douchebag, but he was still boss- douchebag and hadn’t Gerry even called him ‘great’ and ‘cool’ earlier? Aaron nudged the younger man who was sitting next to him and nodded towards the door with a meaningful look.

It took a moment for the shoe to drop. “Oh. Fine. Okay.” Gerry got up. “I’ll check on him.”

Another quiet minute stretched and just when Aaron thought once more that this was just the weirdest party ever, Jimmy leaned over to Nicola and stage-whispered: “So you really did the horizontal with Robert?!”

This time ist was Kerry who made a mess on the table when the Vodka snorted out of her nose. 

• - 

Gerry returned without Robert. When he was asked, he just muttered that Robert was still sulking. Aaron noticed the look Jimmy and Nicola shared while the others were either oblivious or too drunk to care at this point. 

Aaron wondered why that stupid drinking game had struck a nerve and he came up with the theory that Robert might still be crushing on Nicola. Why else would he react like that, right?

Not long after that, Kerry and Al were leaving, meaning he had to carry her since she was uncontrollably stumbling over her own feet. It was only a small group left and Aaron finally took that as a sign to sneak out, too. 

Before he left, his curiosity took over and he took the chance to snoop a little and walked around through the corridors of HJH. The office rooms were rather large and pretty modern from what Aaron could see with the light of the hallway. He even discovered a common room with a kitchenette, a table football and a dart board. It all looked super nice and staff friendly. The haulage seemed to be a good place to work at and Aaron was positively surprised about that. It also showed that Jimmy and Robert cared about their employees.  

At the end of the corridor was a giant glass front and Aaron saw light shining through the Venetian blinds. When he came closer, he spotted Robert Sugden’s name tag next to the door and surely there was a figure sitting at the desk. Aaron tiptoed to the door and peered through the crack of the door. 

Sugden was sitting in his ridiculously huge leather desk chair, elbows on the armrests, holding up a glass with what looked like Whiskey and staring into nothing. He didn’t look exactly happy and Aaron imagined that the man was probably thinking about different ways to fire his personal assistant. The heartbreak over Nicola must sit deep. 

Just when Aaron decided to let Sugden sulk and finally leave, the man looked up and caught him staring. “What are you doing here?” Robert snapped. “Are you snooping around?”

“No,” Aaron said defensively although that was precisely what he was doing. 

The blond man huffed, clearly not believing him, and snarked: “I bet you’re still laughing about me, huh?”

Aaron frowned, stepped forward and opened the door to get a better look at Sugden. “What?”

When he only got an eye roll for an answer, he insisted: “I have no clue what you’re on about, mate.”

Robert downed his drink and slammed the glass on the table, before he got up. “Oh, please!” 

What was he being accused of? Aaron hadn’t done anything! “Listen, what your employees did got nothing to do with me!” he hissed and scowled.

That earned him another huffed sarcastic laugh. “I told them not to do this!” Sugden exclaimed, upset, pacing back and forth. “I told them… but they… just…” He let out a frustrated growl.

Aaron was out of his depth. What the heck was Robert talking about? But irritation aside, he kinda felt bad for Robert with the messy situation in the company. Aaron couldn‘t imagine working like that, seeing the person you love with someone else. Your business partner, no less. 

“Look, I think you should talk to Jimmy about Nicola,” he offered his two cents. 

“He won’t let me fire her,” Robert said miserably.

“You want to fire her?!” Nothing made sense anymore. Aaron gave up. “I thought you loved her?”

Robert nearly tripped over his own feet. “What?” His eyes widened in shock. “Nico-... what? No! God no!” He paused. “God, no. This woman is the bane of my existence.”

“But.. I… you and her… and what Gerry said… I thought…” Aaron stammered. 

Never have I ever had a crush on anyone at the table.

“Me and her, we were…” Robert paused, shook his head and smiled bittersweet. “I was a curious teen and she was there and it was an experiment. That’s all it ever was.”

But, if all that wasn’t about Nicola - who was Robert’s crush then?

Oh God, it wasn’t Kerry, was it? Aaron groaned inwardly. He couldn’t see those two together, not in a million years. Yikes. 

Suddenly he noticed that Robert stopped his pacing and stood right in front of him. “You’ve got no idea, do you?” he asked and Lord help Aaron’s weak heart, but his voice sounded so damn soft now.

And for the first time, the mask was dropped and Aaron looked into those green-blue eyes, seeing more than the arrogant douchebag with his aloof attitude. It was the first glimpse of the man behind the wall of smugness. 

He was lost for words for a moment and all he could do was stare at the man, at his sparkling eyes, his countless freckles, sharp jawline, perfect lips and that tiny dimple on his chin. Just like when they met each other the first time, Aaron was struck with how gorgeous Robert was. 

Aaron couldn’t quite place the emotion he was met with, but he could tell it was genuine. And fuck, did he want to kiss Robert right now, so bad, just to feel him, taste him. Maybe get him out of his system. He licked his lips and Robert’s gaze snapped down to trace the motion. Aaron definitely didn’t imagine the little gasp and the eyes glazing over. 

As if Robert wanted to kiss him, too.

Suddenly the atmosphere shifted and Aaron could almost taste the sexually loaded tension on his tongue. 

Before he could say anything or react in any other way, Robert lunged forward and pressed his lips on Aaron’s, dry, hard and urgent. It caught him off guard and Aaron froze, his brain too slow to catch up with the situation.

“I’m sorry, I-” Robert panted heavily, when he pulled back and his breath tickled Aaron’s chin, “I just…” He swallowed and grabbed the black hoodie with both fists. “I just wanted to do this for a while now.”

“I don’t understand,” Aaron said as soon as he remembered words again, voice scratchy and wavering. “I thought…” He shook his head. What had he thought? Robert was together with Victoria, but she only was his sister. Robert still was in love with Nicola, but he had said he wasn’t. Aaron didn’t know what to think at all. “I thought you’re a homophobe.”

Robert frowned at him and barked out a surprised laugh. “What?”

“You acted all weird when I told you I was gay! And then the calendar… I mean…” Aaron argued and it had made sense in his head, okay?

Robert ducked his head and took a step back. “Oh, yeah. The calendar.” At least, he had the decency to look embarrassed.  “That wasn’t my finest move, was it.” Then he sighed. “I told them it was a stupid idea.”

“Who?” Aaron narrowed his eyes.

“Nicola and Gerry.”

Silence followed while the gears in Aaron’s head were slowly turning. Nicola and Gerry had told Robert to buy a guy calendar? Why would they do that? 

“Oh my God, they tried to set us up!” he blurted out and finally, fucking finally it all made sense. Why Jimmy had invited him in the first place, why Nicola was so welcoming, why Gerry constantly tried to point out how nice Robert was and how much he had in common with Aaron. Even the conversation he overheard between Jimmy and Robert made sense now! And Robert telling Gerry to behave… 

It was like the final puzzle piece fell into place and now the whole picture was visible. “You wanted me!” he whispered in disbelief.

Robert huffed and his hands found their way into his hair. “Wasn’t that obvious?!” he shouted exasperated.

And…

“What?! No!” Aaron paused. “No?” How had that been obvious? 

“I winked at you all the time!” Robert said, desperate. “But you always turned away and ignored me!”

“Uhhh,” was Aaron‘s intelligent response and all the anger he had carried around for weeks melted away just like that.

Robert’s shoulders dropped, he smiled sadly and let out a little sigh. He looked defeated. He looked nothing like the man that had welcomed him months ago.  “It’s okay, you know. I know you’re not interested. Just because you’re gay doesn’t mean you’re automatically into me. It’s fine.” Then he abruptly turned around, grabbed his coat from his chair and tried to make a bee-line for the door. “Anyway- oof!”

He never got to finish that sentence.

Because Aaron had spun him around and shoved him against the window and the blinds crinkled, but he barely heard the sound over the rushing of blood in his ears and the broken moan he made. When he kissed Robert. 

God, he had wanted to kiss that stupid face for so long. 

Finally he got to learn how soft these lips truly were, how perfect they fit together, as if they were made solely for the purpose to kiss all thoughts out of Aaron’s brain and the air out of his lungs. And Robert tasted so damn good. Fuck, he wanted more. His hands climbed up Robert’s arms, subtly checking the muscles and humming pleased with what he felt, up to the shoulders and Aaron hugged him, having to get on his tiptoes as he did. His initiative was rewarded with a little tap of Robert’s tongue against his mouth and Aaron let him in, let him explore and kissed back with just the same passion. The proof that Robert wasn’t as straight as Aaron always assumed is pressing hard and demanding against his hip.

He didn’t know what that was yet, if it was just a one time thing for Robert or if it even might be more, but for now Aaron didn’t care, body downright burning with desire and need. Tasting the water, he slowly grinded his crotch against the other man.

“Fuck!”

Yeah, that was the plan, Aaron thought wildly before he leaned to the side, grabbed the cord and pulled until the blinds were closed.

• - 

Sometimes when things are too good to be true… Aaron has to pinch himself to make sure this isn’t a dream.

Someone steps behind him and Aaron recognises the person just from the scent of his aftershave. His stupidly overpriced aftershave that smells just amazing. Yeah, Aaron admits that and he smiles even before long, warm and strong arms are wrapping around his body to pull him close.

Robert noses along Aaron’s ear, all too knowing that he’s hella ticklish there and he squirms and snickers. A shiver runs down his spine when Robert lowly hums and Aaron swears he feels him sporting that pleased, smug smirk. It’s that smirk that had used to make Aaron’s blood boil - and it still does, but for entirely different reasons. 

Aaron loves that smug smirk. And the stupid face it’s on. That belongs to the nightmare of a man that is Robert Sugden. 

“Hey, you.”

“Hey,” Aaron breathes back and puts his hands on Robert’s, leaning back against him.

From the other room they hear Gerry and Nicola laughing, other people talking animatedly and Christmas music blaring. It’s not a year later on the dot, this year’s infamous HJH Christmas Do is a few days earlier, but Aaron can’t quite believe it that he’s been with Robert for 12 months now. 

Well, at least they started fucking 12 months ago. 

Aaron wouldn’t say it was a casual thing at first, because they both were interested in getting to know each other and going on dates. They just skipped the part where you wait until the third date for the first kiss, so to say. There is no denying that their physical relationship was a lot quicker settled than their feelings. It might have been not the ‘right way’ to start this, but who the hell makes those rules and what is their purpose when you can’t break them?

“What’re you thinking about?” Robert mumbles against his neck. 

“About this year.”

“Yeah? And what are you thinking?”

That it’s been a hell of a time. The best ever. That Aaron is happier than ever, with his business that doesn’t feel like work most of the time and with his boyfriend who is so damn extra, it drives him insane. Aaron doesn’t want it any other way. 

He never thought he’d reach that point in life, but here he is. Here he is.

Suddenly he gets emotional and he entirely blames it on the mulled wine Jimmy gave him earlier. Aaron is a lightweight when it comes to heated, sugary wine. 

“That I’m still not dancing,” he jokes to lighten his own mood, wiggles out of Robert’s embrace and turns around. “But nice try.”

“We were only swaying,” Robert pouts before he smiles again, bright and beautiful. God, he was such a handsome bastard, Aaron loves him so much. “Remember when we bought the same ornaments last year?”

Aaron laughs. “Yeah.” He rubs Robert’s forearms, highly appreciating the fact that his boyfriend has the sleeves of his grey knitted jumper rolled up to the elbows. The soft hair feels nice under his palms. He glances to the side, to the Christmas tree he was staring at the whole time. The tree where everybody put their ornaments ten minutes ago. “Hey, I always wanted to ask you… why a car? I mean, it‘s pretty obvious why I chose a car, but why you? Because you love your Porsche so much?“ he teases lightly.

“You‘d think she‘s my one true love, wouldn‘t you,“ Robert says with the typical smug voice and Aaron rolls his eyes, but he smiles nevertheless. Then Robert‘s attitude shifts and that soft side appears that only a few people get to meet and Aaron is one of these lucky souls. “I didn‘t think of my car when I bought it,“ he admits with a quiet voice. “I thought of you.“ Once Robert lets you into his heart, he loves to share it and it‘s one of those qualities that Aaron admires so much. “My dirty, little greasemonkey.“

Aaron gets emotional now like he always does when Robert says things like that and damn, Aaron didn‘t know he was a sucker for romantic stuff before he met the man. He hugs Robert and rests his head on his shoulder, so now Aaron is facing the Christmas tree again. This year, he and Robert ordered one bauble together, because it seemed fitting. It hangs right on eye level on the front side, for everybody to see.

Again, they chose something personal. Something that reflected the year.

It‘s only been a few months since they made it official and Robert came out to his employees as bisexual. Apart from Jimmy, Nicola and Gerry they hadn‘t known, but everybody took it as a naturalness that makes Aaron‘s chest tighten as soon as he thinks back to that meeting in the conference room. Especially since not long before that , Robert had told his father and his brother and sadly they had reacted a lot differently.  

It still is a sore topic for him and they don‘t mention Jack and Andy often. Aaron squeezes him, like an unspoken promise to support him as long as he will let him. 

“I like ours this year,“ he whispers.

It‘s a shiny rainbow, both ends disappearing in clouds, with the inevitable glitter on the edges.

“Yeah,“ Robert whispers into Aaron‘s hair, “me too.“