This is my entry for the December Challenge, based off of Helen's one-shot "Actions Speak Louder" for my favourite paring Robbie/Stuart, there's also a tiny bit of Burke/Jackie.
This was supposed to be published next week, but I decided to stick with my first draft, so sorry if there's any mistakes.
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Glenn Chandler, and the plot belongs to FreekyDisaster18.
Robbie never had been the type of man who enjoyed discussing his feelings, having his feelings out in the open was not something that appealed to him much to Stuart's disdain. Over the previous few months it had become increasingly common for Stuart to ponder their relationship and whether or not it was actually going anywhere, or perhaps that was just wishful thinking on his part.
He had lost count of how many times over the past couple of months that he had declared his love for the older man only to be cut off by an embarrassed smile and a low, quickly muttered excuse as to why he had to leave.
Stuart often felt like he was the only one who put any effort into their relationship, but it wasn't until going for drinks after work with Jackie that she made him realise that he didn't need for those three words that he had longed to hear for so long to be uttered because everything that Robbie did was a silent reminder of how he felt.
Agreeing With Him:
It amazed Stuart sometimes just how inconsiderate his partner could be. He was aware that Stuart was not particularly fond of parties, he was much too self conscious for such social gatherings and would much rather have spent Christmas Eve in the company of his boyfriend as opposed to in the centre of a large group of drunks most of which he had never had the immense pleasure of meeting. However, Robbie had been insistent that they celebrate their first Christmas as a couple by celebrating with their closest friends, or rather, Robbie's friends.
Despite being whole-heartedly against the very notion Stuart had reluctantly agreed and had allowed Robbie to have his party, because unlike Robbie he actually cared about other people's feelings.
Like with most things Robbie had quickly grown bored of organising what was shaping up to be a rather outlandish get together and predictably he had left Stuart to plan the party which was by now only one week away and there was still an awful lot left to do. With a loud sigh of frustration he continued searching through iTunes in order to build a playlist for the event despite being painfully aware that as soon as he had picked out a selection of music that he thought would be suitable Robbie would immediately hate it which would put him straight back to square one. It was his idea; Stuart thought bitterly, he could at least have had the decency to help him.
He knew Robbie well enough to know what music he liked and had made sure to include as much of his music collection in the playlist despite the fact that Stuart was not partial to his chosen genres. He also knew what he should avoid, like Meat Loaf, although if Stuart was being honest he rather enjoyed the singer, but still he left it out, because unlike Robbie he wasn't a self absorbed, inconsiderate bastard.
He sighed again as he clicked through artists that iTunes had suggested and listened to samples, now Robbie had him freely insulting the love of his life. There was one song that he had immediately fallen in love with, but knowing Robbie as well as he did he knew that he would without a doubt loathe it as soon as he heard it. The couple, although similar in some aspects, were also very different which had of course led to numerous arguments in the past.
He hit the back button several times in quick succession until he found the song that unlike the rest had stayed on his mind. It was entitled Runaway and was performed by The Corrs, and he had instantly smiled when he had heard it as it was a near perfect representation of how he felt for Robbie, but of course, Robbie would despise the romantic song and demand that he choose something else.
Hearing footsteps behind him Stuart hit pause and returned to the playlist that he had made up that afternoon. He didn't look up until a pair of strong arms wrapped around him and a soft kiss was pressed to his clean shaven cheek. Despite how annoyed he was with Robbie for having deserted him he couldn't help but smile at the small sign of affection and leant back into his muscular chest while Robbie rested his chin on his shoulder as his dark eyes scanned over the song titles and Stuart found himself holding his breath as he waited for his opinion.
"What were you just listening to?" he asked. Over all he didn't have a problem with the song choices, although there were a few that he would definitely remove without Stuart knowing.
Stuart shook his head feeling Robbie's gaze on him. "Oh, it doesn't matter. I didn't like it much," he lied.
"Play it," Robbie insisted. Unknown to Stuart he had been standing in the doorway for the last ten minutes watching him continuously reverting back to the song that had grasped his attention and refused to let go. The song was far too slow and mellow in his opinion and had it been up to him he wouldn't even have considered it, but he had seen how Stuart had become captured by it and knew that he had fallen in love with the song just from the tiny smile on his lover's face. It had been evident to him that he had been trying desperately to find what he would hate about it, because Robbie's feelings were always paramount to Stuart.
Reluctantly Stuart hit play and waited almost nervously for Robbie's opinion on the song. When the short preview was over Robbie pressed his lips to his neck before saying softly, "I think you should use that one." He forced a smile as he looked up at the blonde who was looking back at him in a mixture of disbelief and adoration.
"Really? Are you sure?" Stuart asked with a smile slowly making its way across his face. He continued to object, almost like he knew Robbie was agreeing just to make him happy until Robbie swallowed his words with a kiss.
Being There For Him:
After having admitted to being a homosexual during his younger years Stuart had lost himself a large percentage of his friends. His choices were frowned upon even by his closest friends since childhood, save for one who saw past his being gay and continued to accept him as a friend.
If he had been interested in women he had no doubt that he would have taken a liking to Shauna; with long golden curls and large blue eyes during their school years she had been the subject of desire for many teenage boys, yet she had gladly given up her popularity and the affections of her classmates for Stuart.
He had always expected her to be there, and although he had Jackie who was his best friend he still often turned to Shauna for help which she would gladly give. So, it had come as a shock when he had received a phone call from Shauna's mother informing him that she had passed away the previous weekend from a long battle with cancer. Angrily, Stuart threw his bedside lamp at the wall watching as the bulb shattered into thousands of pieces on the dark carpet.
Locked away in his room he was angry at the world, at everyone. He was angry with Shauna for not having told him, angry with Robbie for not offering him the shoulder to cry on that he so desperately needed, but most of all he was angry with himself. For some time he had become so absorbed in his work and his relationship with Robbie to even think about picking up the phone to see how his childhood friend was, if he hadn't been so selfish he could have had an opportunity to be there for her like she had been there for him all those years.
Meanwhile on the other side of the door Robbie was trying to recall his childhood and teenage years when he had frequently picked locks to enable him to get back in the house when his parents had locked him out due to their fighting or he had simply forgotten his keys. From where he stood he could clearly hear Stuart, whose anger seemed to have subsided, sobbing softly and he felt his heart break at his partner's pain. He wanted to comfort him, but Stuart had locked him out like he wanted to prolong his suffering.
Stuart collapsed onto his bed and buried his face into his pillow. It had been months since there had been any contact between them which he knew was his fault, but he wished that someone had had the decency to notify him that she was dying. He was aware that Shauna's husband despised their close friendship, or rather he simply loathed Stuart and didn't want his wife associating with someone like him, but keeping that from him was just malicious.
The door quietly opened and an oddly nervous Robbie took a few steps towards the bed before sitting beside Stuart whose back was turned to him. Tentatively, he rested a hand on his back feeling his body shake with each loud strangled sob.
"They didn't even tell me when the funeral is," Stuart whispered after several minutes. He turned so that he was facing Robbie and looked up at him waiting for him to say something though he knew that nothing could possibly make it better.
Robbie gave him a sad smile and gently laced his fingers with Stuart's before kissing him lightly on the lips. Stuart forced a smile and moved over to allow Robbie to lie next to him sliding one arm around the dark haired detective's waist as he felt the weight slowly beginning to lift from his shoulders.
Always Coming Back To Him:
Robbie Ross could quite easily have had anyone he wanted, so what he was doing with someone as plain and uninteresting as Stuart was a mystery. He was aware that he wasn't the sort of person that Robbie would normally go for; he wasn't brimming with self confidence and didn't worship himself like Robbie and his previous partners were prone to doing.
It was for this very reason that Stuart found himself worriedly tracing the older man's movements as he stood at the bar talking animatedly to a tall and beautiful red haired woman who was giggling in a flirtatious manner that annoyed Stuart to no end.
He didn't mind that Robbie was bisexual; however, he was not in the least bit fond of the fact that he had taken that as a cue to flirt with every male or female over the age of sixteen. Jackie glanced at Stuart who was nervously chewing on his lip as Robbie leant ever closed to the woman; she just smiled knowing that Robbie wasn't stupid enough to do anything that could jeopardise something as special as the relationship he shared with Stuart.
Eventually, after plenty of flirting and the two getting much too close for Stuart's liking, Robbie made his way over to the table where Stuart was waiting with Jackie and Burke. "Sorry about the wait. She was all over me," Robbie told them with a laugh and rolled his eyes as he set their drinks down on the table.
Stuart shook his head and sighed which Robbie easily spotted. "Is there something wrong?" he asked in an accusatory tone as though Stuart was in the wrong.
"It doesn't matter," Stuart said having to shout over the sound of dance music blasting from the speakers nearby. "I just don't see why you bother coming back when you're obviously so interested in other people." Matt and Jackie exchanged glances and stood up to leave with Jackie taking a hold of her fiancée's hand as they left the awkwardness behind.
"What are you talking about, Stuart?" Robbie asked feeling genuinely confused. He looked back towards the bar though didn't see the red head he had been talking to. His attention shifted back to Stuart who was awaiting an explanation. "I worked with her on a case about fifteen years ago, we were just catching up," he told him as he reached out and took his hand with both of his.
He smiled and assured him, "You've got nothing to worry about." Stuart knew it was the truth.
And Sometimes…
It was the early hours of the morning and the two were cuddled up together in their bed. Robbie was already awake and had been for quite some time and for the last two hours he had been going over the last year in his mind; even after a year he was still struck by how incredible it was that someone like Stuart had settled for someone like him. He smiled at his luck and wrapped his arms protectively around Stuart's slender waist, the other mans head was buried into his chest and Robbie silently listened to his deep breathing signalling that he was asleep. He gently shook his partner awake as there was something he had to tell him that couldn't wait until the morning.
"Stuart? Are you awake?" he asked in a soft voice as he felt Stuart beginning to stir.
"No," the younger man who was still partially asleep muttered, feeling rather annoyed at the fact that Robbie had deemed it necessary to wake him just to ask him something as stupid as that.
"Do you want to know a secret?" Robbie tried again speaking in a low voice before Stuart could settle into sleep again.
"Not really," Stuart mumbled into his chest in a voice that was thick from having just woken up.
"I love you." Robbie whispered as he felt himself also beginning to drift into sleep and Stuart smiled as he snaked his arms around him.
I don't know why but I really liked writing this. I hope you all enjoyed it too, and that I did the original justice.