Chapter Text
Robert groaned, rolling his eyes as his beloved Porsche came to a stop in the middle of a country road. He turned the steering wheel towards the hedge, so he’d be tucked in a lay-by as the engine died. Robert sighed, trying the engine again, but nothing happened. He had two choices, he could either call for the AA to come and pick him up, but knowing he was in the middle of Yorkshire, it would take them hours to find him, so that wasn’t overly enticing. He could walk home, but with his leg injury that wasn’t a good option either. He didn’t want to aggravate it or make it any worse.
So he googled the number for the garage in Emmerdale. He just hoped when he found the phone number he didn’t get Cain. He could do without the condescension right now, and dealing with Cain Dingle while broken down with an injured leg didn’t feel like a particularly attractive prospect. He called the number and a gruff voice answered. “Yeah?”
“Hi, I’ve broken down on Hotten road, just coming into the village. Could you come and have a look at it please?”
“Yeah, hang on,” the man said with a sigh. Robert could hear the shuffling of papers. “Give me the car details?” Robert parroted them back. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Thanks,” Robert said, hanging up the call and grateful he hadn’t been asked for his name. Robert Sugden, just those two words brought unwanted attention for him these days. He’d lived in Emmerdale when he wasn’t playing football for most of his life, and now injured, he’d be cooped up here for a few more weeks than he’d like. Even if the football season had ended over the summer, Robert didn’t like the fact that he’d be out of action for so many weeks. He’d get out of shape, and he couldn’t afford for that to happen. At 27 he still had a good few years of his career left, but he had to stay injury free and be careful.
Robert was disrupted by his thoughts about his playing careeer by a knock on his car window. Not Cain. A guy, maybe in his early twenties who looked decidedly grumpy stood there. It was obvious he was from the garage, wearing blue overalls, though the arms were tied at his waist. Robert got out of the car, and he saw it when this man recognised his face.
“Oh,” he said, looking Robert up and down in a way that was certainly assessing, judging. “Didn’t know it was you.”
“Hello to you too,” Robert said. “The car just stopped, the engine cut out.”
“Right,” he said, bending over the bonnet. He hmmed as he looked at the engine, a focused look coming over his face, Robert leaning against the car. He looked up and hoped it wouldn’t rain, that would make a bad situation even worse.
“I’m Robert,” he said.
“I know exactly who you are,” he said and Robert rolled his eyes. So much for a reciprocated name. He just wanted to get home, politeness be damned. “Aaron.” The word was short, almost grunted, but he seemed to realise that Robert was waiting.
“Does Cain still work at the garage?”
“Yeah,” Aaron said. “Pleased to get out of there actually, he’s got a right mood on.”
“Is that different to any other day?” Robert asked. Aaron looked up from the engine, amused. His face hadn’t changed at all, but his eyes were bright with humour. The atmosphere had certainly lost it’s harsh edge anyway.
“Yeah, I’m going to have to tow this back to the garage,” Aaron said. “I don’t think I can fix this here.”
“Great,” Robert said under his breath. Aaron glared. “No, I’m not blaming you, I just… I need my car.”
“What, haven’t you got ten replacements for it?”
“No, not in Yorkshire,” Robert said. “I thought I’d keep them on my multi million pound yacht.” Aaron looked at him sharply, as if unable to decide whether he was joking or not. “Can you give me a lift back to mine?” Robert asked. Aaron looked immovable. “You must know I live at Home Farm.”
“Yeah,” Aaron said. “Didn’t know you were moving here regularly though.”
“Well, I didn’t plan to make my announcement in a broken down car,” Robert said, then relaxed a little. “It’s home, you know? I just need somewhere that people don’t stare at me all the time, and half this village have known me since I was crawling.” Aaron huffed. For the first time he didn’t look like he was pissed off with the world. “I assume the village is the same as it always was.”
“A bit lively sometimes,” Aaron said. “But yeah.”
“Good,” Robert said. “So, a lift?”
“Yeah, come on,” Aaron said. “Give me the keys and I’ll come back and pick up your car on my way back.” Robert did willingly, getting into Aaron’s pick up. Aaron stared at him though, Roberts left leg was stiff, and he hoped he was hiding it, but clearly not well enough.
“I thought you were a footballer?” Aaron said, getting into the drivers seat.
“You don’t follow Yorkshire FC, then, do you?” Robert said. Aaron shrugged. “Hamstring. Should be better in a few weeks.” Please God, Robert thought silently. He needed to recover, and to recover well. He already had physiotherapists lined up for the next few weeks. He couldn’t be off his leg for that long. It was the summer, so he didn’t have any matches for a while, but…
“What’re you going to do for the next month then?” Aaron asked.
“Buy a different car apparently,” Robert said. Then, “No, I’ll get settled in here. I’ve never really lived here, not since I was a kid. I just used the house to store most of my stuff, but… I’m coming home to live here properly.”
“Mm,” Aaron said, like he was disinterested. Robert shot him a quick look in profile, almost appraising him, this stranger. He was good looking, way too grumpy, though Robert had to admit if he was working with Cain Dingle, he might have a permanent scowl on his face too. Young. Well built though. He looked like he could throw a decent punch in a fight, that was for sure. Robert looked away when Aaron caught him staring.
“So…” Aaron cleared his throat. “Do you know many people here?”
“Besides Vic and Diane?” Robert asked. “No, not really. Doesn’t matter, I’m sure I’ll fit in. Eventually. Just need to get into a fist fight and sleep with my brothers wife then it'll be like I never left, right?”
“Mm,” Aaron said, showing no surprise at those details into his history. They weren't well known outside of the village, so Aaron had to have been listening to Andy, or the gossip about him. He turned into the driveway and pulled up. Robert sighed, it was about half a mile walk down to the house.
“Come on, please,” Robert said. “I can barely walk.”
“What, wouldn’t do for me to endanger the most beloved striker in England's leg would it?”
“Who said that about me?” Robert asked with a raised eyebrow, and if Aaron were the kind of man to blush, he would have, Robert could tell and he laughed easily. Aaron didn’t take it the wrong way, thankfully.
“There you are,” Aaron said outside the front door. “Call tomorrow to check on your car.”
“I will,” Robert said. “Thanks.” He got out, grabbing his house keys from his jeans and unlocking the house. He wasn’t thinking about bright blue eyes for the rest of the day though. Of course not.