Souls Tied: A Love Island Tale (Aaron x Rob)

Stuck By You From The Glue

Rob rolled over the next morning in the makeshift Soul Ties bed. Once his vision cleared up, he noticed that Aaron was no longer next to him. Instead, there was a small note card.

meet me at the dock <3

The small heart by the last word made Rob raise an eyebrow.

Is that a platonic heart?

He took the note in between his fingers and made his way to his closet in the bedroom. Luckily, everyone else was already downstairs. Rob couldn't help but wonder what kind of stares and comments he would get from his fellow islanders for rejecting his normal bed partner for the second night in a row. Except for Leah. He didn't care what she thought anymore. Once he was dressed, he considered joining the group for breakfast.

Nah, they'll just stare...

The sky above started to develop some dark clouds. Whatever Aaron had to say had to be quick. Then, Rob spotted him, sporting black dress pants and a sheer white shirt that was only halfway button. His hands were nervously buried in his pockets.

"Did you get my note?" he grinned.

"Yeah... you might wanna make it quick if it's gonna rain..."

"Do I look like I give a f*ck about the rain?"

Rob struggled to figure out if that statement was meant to be playful or hostile. Then, Aaron pulled out another folded piece of stationary, this time a little larger.

"Where are you getting paper?" Rob inquired, remembering that the Love Island rules forbid that and any writing utensil.

"I have my ways..."

Rob could see Aaron's hands trembling as he unfolded it. He took a few deep breaths and cleared his throat before reading it.

"Roses are red, violets are blue, when you're not around, all I think about is you. Since the start of the show, when we were sitting by the fire, I didn't expect you to be the one who I would deeply admire..."

A light rain sprinkled upon them, gradually picking up into a rainstorm.

"...The way you see the world with those mysterious eyes, makes me want to stand next to you forever by your side. Who knows when our time in the villa will be over, my love for you is as wild as a snake or a boa. Robert Rausch, I may be feeling like a wuss, but would you maybe like to explore if there's something between us?"

Aaron looked away bashfully. Rob felt his heart have a seizure in his ribcage and briefly wondered if he was going to pass out or throw up. He scratched his neck to distract himself.

Did I hear that right? Aaron... loves me?

After days of navigating complications with multiple girls on the island and questioning his sexuality, did it all lead to this very moment? Out of all the islanders who were lucky enough to set foot here at the same time as him, are the signs pointing to Aaron? His partner in crime, his shoulder to cry on, his best friend?

"I'm sorry, Rob," Aaron halted his train of thought, "Did that make you uncomfortable? Because if that made you uncomfortable, you can just disregard..."

Like a bolt of lightning, Rob's lips came crashing down onto Aaron's. Their eyes fluttered shut and their arms intertwined around each other, holding on like the world was going to cave in at any given moment. Rob dug his fingers into Aaron's rain-soaked waist at the taste of his tongue. Then, through the sounds of crackling thunder, they heard a cacophony of cheering from nearby. It was clear that at least most of the islanders were rooting for them. They watched their relationship unfold through thick and thin, and like a cringy romcom or fanfiction, it seemed as though everyone was getting their happy ending, including the new lovers. Rob pulled away and panted, unsure of whether or not to maintain eye contact with Aaron.

"Aaron, I'm so, so sorry. We can pretend this never..."

"No, Rob. I guess what I've been trying to say was..."

Aaron leaned his head back towards the others. It may have been just a kiss to them, but would their enthusiasm linger if they were endgame? He sighed and lowered his voice before finishing his declaration.

"...I'm falling in love with you."

Rob felt light as the words rung through his ears. If gravity could fade away, he would float up to the sky, through the clouds, and out of the world and over the moon. His time on the island never brought him to a point like this, and finding the right words for the situation was no easy task. As a result, Rob was able to come up with a string of four powerful words.

"Aaron, I love you!"

He wrapped Aaron back into his tatted arms. Did he really just say that? One by one, he analyzed the face of each islander, and to his surprise, each of them wore an excited or understanding expression. Expect for Leah, who was green with envy, but Rob didn't care. He found his person. The right person. His ride or die. His lover.