we're all stories in the end

• my ao3 is here (username wafflesofdoom if the one day the link doesn’t work)

Thanks to all these lovelies for the tags! @robrondale, @jackiemerrick, @nerdyfangirl76, @maybemystcha, @illbeyourreasonwhy, @stuckinanothertimezone, @thatnervouswreck, @aaronsugdens, @bartonmatty, @barnbert and @livflahertydingle!! Love you all long time 🫶

I wasn't going to post lol, but then I got FOMO so here you have it lmao. I have noooo self-control at the best of times.

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"Pint please," he asks Robert, and has to refrain from their usual back-and-forth where he pours him his drink, and Aaron takes the opportunity to check him out. He still tries doing it discreetly, though. He's a man of simple pleasures, and so he will not miss any opportunity to ogle the man he loves. "Oh!" Victoria shouts. "I forgot you two know each other!" "What's this?" Chas says, sidling up beside him, and placing a hand on his lower back. Her nosy mithering is ever-present as always, it seems. Still, Aaron missed her, so he can't hold back the small smile that threatens his lips. "These two," says Vic, pointing between Robert and Aaron. "Apparently their paths crossed when they were both in London." Chas looks between them, her eyes curious, but slightly concerned. "You know Robert Flaming Sugden?" "I do indeed," Aaron hums. "Any more questions, or are you gonna let me get bladdered?"

tagged by the wonderful @robrondale @jackiemerrick @nerdyfangirl76 @maybemystcha @illbeyourreasonwhy @stuckinanothertimezone @thatnervouswreck @kellykadesperate @aaronsugdens @bartonmatty @barnbert 🫶 thank you!

It's Missing John Sugden hours in this house, so I randomly started something new? Shocking, I know.

John saved him inside a barn, giving him breath, guiding him back from death to life. Aaron doesn't remember that either, but John tells it to him like it's his favourite bedtime story.

And then they lived happily ever after.

Aaron isn't happy, not yet. He's sad all the time. Angry. John calls it the old Aaron coming out. He doesn’t like it. Aaron doesn’t exactly enjoy it either. It's his old life stretching out its cold fingers to draw him back in.

Aaron isn't happy, not yet, but John is helping. He's the only thing that makes sense, the float he holds onto as he drowns in the nothing of his life.

John's love is healing, soothing, like medication. Aaron knows all about medication because he takes a lot of them. For his migraines, for the pain, for vitamin deficiencies. John prepares them for him every Sunday inside a box labeled with the days of the week.

It's very late (manic day) and I basically haven't been writing lately so here, have the only part left that I can show you from my romcom au hahaha! Enjoy <33

Thanks to the beautiful souls that are: @aaronsugdens @robrondale @kellykadesperate @illbeyourreasonwhy @stuckinanothertimezone @maybemystcha @nerdyfangirl76 @jackiemerrick @bartonmatty

“No stability. No follow-through. In any area of your life, apparently.” Bullseye. Suddenly the atmosphere in the room changed. Robert could let air fill his lungs for a millisecond, spotting his assistant enter the room. Mr. Aaron Dingle. Unbeknownst to him, knocking the need for honestly straight to the kerb as soon as crossed the threshold. One moment Robert was determining an exit strategy or leverage; the brain tying itself in knots to come up with anything concrete. The next, he stared at Aaron as though he was one of the ancient wonders of the world. Aaron paid no attention, of course he wouldn’t. He was far too matter of fact to care for reading the room. It is why Robert paid him so generously –  more than what most assistances were getting elsewhere – not that Aaron bothered doing the background research into that. “Mr. Sugden, you have your 11:30 phone call with Mr Kotecha.”

The baby coos from her place in front of him on the bed, her legs scrunching up towards her tummy as she blinks her half lidded eyes up at him, and he smiles down at her reflexively, mug of warm tea held halfway to his mouth. He could put her in the plastic cot to his left, but he can’t bring himself to, still can’t quite believe that she is real and she exists, can’t get enough of looking at her tiny fingers and wispy waves of blonde hair. She looks a bit like him he thinks, her nose and the shape of her mouth and face, but her eyes and the slight curl that has begun to form in her thin hair is all Aaron, recognises those features from watching her brother grow. Her brother – Jacob – his little boy is now a big brother.

thank you for the tags @robrondale @jackiemerrick @nerdyfangirl76 @maybemystcha @illbeyourreasonwhy @stuckinanothertimezone @jonathan-harks @kellykadesperate @aaronsugdens <3

haven't written that much lately, been trying to actively take a break from writing to get back into thinking it's fun again, but have some of what i'm working on for the romcom event!

He's twelve years old, coming into the kitchen late at night to grab a glass of water, only to find his mother at the kitchen table, her head in her hands as she sobbed quietly. She didn't notice him immediately, so he just stood in the doorway, unsure of whether he should stay or go; he'd never seen his mum cry before, he'd barely even seen her sad, so he didn't know what to do. She must have finally sensed him, because she suddenly looked up, quickly wiping her eyes as she looked at him. "Robert," she said, her voice strained and thick from crying, "darling, what are you doing up?" "I wanted some water," he mumbled, suddenly feeling stupid for going down in the first place. "Oh." She was quickly on her feet, walking over to the sink and filling up a glass for him. "Here you go." Robert slowly walked over to her, taking the glass from her and looking up at her face. She wasn't that much taller than him anymore, he was slowly starting to hit his first growth spurt, but he still felt small next to her. "Are you okay?" he asked, which was a stupid question he already knew the answer to. His mum sniffled, softly running her fingers through the hairs at his temple. "I'm okay. Don't worry about me."

tagged by my lovelies @kellykadesperate @stuckinanothertimezone @illbeyourreasonwhy @maybemystcha @nerdyfangirl76 @jackiemerrick and @robrondale thank you xxx

Aaron's a terrible patient.

Robert knows this, intimately, knows Aaron will outright refuse to believe he's sick until he's completely bowled over by it, and then will complain and moan that he's dying until he's better.

Robert knows Aaron hates being sick, hates the powerlessness of it all, hates feeling weak. Which is why he's been gearing up for this all week, since Aaron woke up on Monday with a headache and a scratchy throat. Robert's stockpiled painkillers and all the ingredients for his mum's chicken soup, has preemptively scheduled Matty and Mack to take care of the farm for Thursday and Friday.

("Taking a long weekend, are ya?"

"I wish. Aaron'll be ill come Thursday."

"What?"

"Just… trust me.")

tagged by the wonderful @jackiemerrick and @robrondale - thank youuu

the first chapter of my moonstruck au is ready to upload on sunday hehe. so for now have this little snippet!

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Aaron waits at the entrance of Robert’s farm and thinks about driving through, rolling down his window and waving at Robert. He’s got a coffee for Robert sitting on his console and a swirling sensation in his stomach.

Robert appears at the side of Aaron’s window. “What are you doing?”

Aaron jumps.

Robert has this glare on his face. “I thought I was nothing.”

Aaron bristles at his own words, he can be mean when he wants to be. Then he can be like this, soppy and silly and buying Robert a coffee because he wants to be around him for some reason. “I shouldn’t have …”

Robert tilts his head. “Been honest.”

“No.” Aaron blurts out. “Said that.” He says. “I got you a coffee.”

Robert blinks. “Why?”

Aaron shrugs a little. “Peace offering?” He says and he bites his lip hard. 

Robert looks at him like he’s an alien. 

“You want to be mates then?” Robert asks. 

Aaron imagines it for a second, Robert coming to the pub for a drink and then both laughing and playing darts with Mackenzie. Then he lets John filter through to his brain. It makes Aaron sit up straighter in his seat. 

“Did Vic call you?” Aaron decides to ask instead of answering the question.

“Did you force her to?”

“No.” Aaron says. “We were just talking. She misses you.”

“She said. In the voicemail.”

Aaron frowns. “You let it go to voicemail?” He says. Robert doesn’t answer. “What about the wedding?” 

Robert rolls his eyes. “You’ve got to drop that.”

Aaron sighs. “You and John just need to talk.”

Robert sips at the coffee. “We really don’t.” He shrugs with one shoulder. “I’ll call Vic back.”

Aaron half smiles. 

“It’s a start.” Aaron points out. 

“Don’t go getting hopeful.” Robert says.

Aaron’s smile drops. “I couldn’t care less if you were there mate.” He says.

Robert just stares at him. Aaron feels like he’s going to be sick and it’s so strange.

“I’ve got to do some paperwork.” Robert says, because Aaron is so certain he’s never just going to say goodbye or hello for that matter.

Aaron nods.

“Cheers. For the coffee.”

Aaron watches the back of Robert’s head as he leaves and has to press his feet firmly into the ground so he doesn’t do something stupid like follow him.

i've not posted on wednesdays or sundays for a week or so now so here we go!!!

this is from a little 2017 ons fic i've been working on... there's nothing explicitly referenced in this section tw wise, but i will put it under the cut just in case

Thank you for the tags @illbeyourreasonwhy, @robrondale and @jackiemerrick.

“It’s sounds like Andy’s going to be staying with us for a while so we need to find a way to make him feel included.” Robert knew what it was like when a new boy showed up on the farm needing to be taken in by his family, he hoped his wisdom would rub off on John. “Fine!” John exclaimed, sounding anything but. He suddenly jumped up, stormed around to stand behind Robert and started to push him. “What’re you doing?” “You’re not going very high pushing with just your feet and Kathy’s too busy with Rachel and the baby to do it,” reasoned John. “I’m the big brother, it should be me pushing!” argued Robert. “Don’t be silly, I’m good at pushing!” John retorted, pulling the swing back so he could push Robert higher.