Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

„I don´t want you to leave.“

It was a sentence, a statement and it was barely more than a whisper. Sander almost missed it but he spent the last few months almost constantly being with Robbe so he understood him not just through words but through his physical appearance as well in ways no one, even neither of them would ever fully understand and that applied to Robbe too. Because of that Sander recognized something was off the moment Robbe showed up at his door with a slightly forced smile and a hug that lasted just a little too long. He actually waited the whole day for his boyfriend to say something about it, that thing that obviously bothered him, the elephant in the room Sander could see so clearly it almost caused him claustrophobia and now that Robbe finally let it slip he really wanted to feel relieved but just wasn´t able to because that exact same thing bothered him as well.

“I don´t want to leave either.” He reassured Robbe, taking his hand and lacing their fingers together. “But it´s only for two weeks you can almost count that with your fingers.”

Robbe didn´t seem slightly bothered by that argument. He still leaned back against Sander´s chest, comfortably positioned between his legs, watching some random movie they didn´t really pay attention to anyway. “That still doesn´t keep me from missing you though. I had you around almost every day these past few months how am I supposed to be alone for two weeks?”

“Come on Robbe you’re not alone. You have your mama back home and you have your broers and I´m pretty sure Milan and Zoe will always welcome you at the flatshare with open arms.”

Robbe nodded slightly in agreement. “I know.” he then sighed and snuggled closer to his boyfriend, if that was somehow possible. “Still, it´s just not the same without you.”

Sander urged the boy in his arms to turn around and caught his warm eyes with his own. “Hey,” he softly said, getting Robbe´s full attention and placing a hand on his cheek, feeling him instinctively leaning into the touch. “I know this seems kinda scary right now but think about how fast the past months went by, two weeks will be over within a blink.”

Robbe looked up at him with a questioning frown on his face. “You sure?”

“Yes, 100%.” Sander softly smiled at his boyfriend who still wore the cute little pout on his lips that built up during their conversation.

Robbe quickly closed his eyes, looking back into Sander´s not even a second later. “Your trick didn´t work,” he stated then, a little smirk now playing on his lips. “That´ll be 0 stars on booking.com.”

The blonde couldn´t help but snort at that. “Well, that´s a shame.” he chuckled. “Guess I have to make it up to you now huh?”

Robbe grinned, closing the small distance between them and softly rubbing their noses together. “Yeah, I really think you owe me that,” he whispered then, straddling his boyfriend´s lap and gently connecting their lips.

Sander melted into the kiss with a smile, pulling Robbe closer by his hips before his hands started wandering. One made its way up to Robbe´s neck, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, caressing it with his fingers, slightly pulling at the soft brown hair, just because he liked it and he knew Robbe liked it too. He used his other hand to hold his boyfriend in place at the small of his back, fingers slowly sneaking under Robbe´s shirt, which was actually his own. Sander loved touching Robbe´s naked skin. It always felt so smooth and soft and warm under his hands and he loved causing his boyfriend to lightly shiver by drawing invisible patterns on his back with his fingertips. Robbe sighed, enjoying Sander´s warm hands on his body and his soft lips against his own. His hands placed on his boyfriend´s chest and neck, gripping lightly at his shirt and the strands of blond hair at the nape of his neck, to ground himself a little and not get completely lost in their kisses. There was nothing wild about it, no heated intentions behind it, their kissing was slow and calm and perfect and when they broke it they both needed a short moment to recover. Leaning their foreheads together they simultaneously whispered “Ik hou van jou” and giggled afterward because of it.

Sander smiled and leaned back against the headboard of the bed, still holding Robbe in his lap. He then gestured his head in direction of his bathroom, which was conveniently directly reachable from his bedroom. “How about you take a quick shower and I prepare some dinner for you in the meantime?”

Robbe acted offended. “Are you trying to tell me that I smell bad?”

Sander chuckled. “Of course not.” He took Robbe´s hand once more, lacing their fingers together for the second time in the mere minutes of their conversation. “Just thought you could use it to distract you a bit.”

Robbe smiled brightly and shrugged his shoulders with a short “Oké” as an answer. He leaned in then, whispering into Sander's ear. “But how about you take that shower with me and we take care of dinner together afterward?” He placed a kiss on his boyfriend´s neck, causing him to slightly shiver under his touch.

“Robbe…” Sander almost whined closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the wall, giving his boyfriend even better access. Robbe grinned against the blonde´s neck, continuing his kissing on every inch of soft skin he could reach. “We´ll take forever if we go into the shower together, you know that. I wanna finish dinner before mom and Chloé get home.”

“We´ve got enough time,” Robbe stated, leaving a peck on Sander´s lips, giving him a smirk afterward.

Sander just shook his head, chuckling. “Why are you like this?”

“That is your own fault.” Robbe grinned and in the next moment stood beside the bed, pulling Sander with him. “Come.”

“But Robbe we really can´t take that long I-“

“Yes, I got it.” Robbe interrupted him, turning around to face him. “Now shut up or it´ll take even longer.”

Sander grinned and closed the remaining distance between them, kissing Robbe and feeling him smile against his lips. He was always so clingy and needy, even more, when he wanted Sander in a more adult way than just kissing or a nice make-out session, when he wanted him in a way the younger was still a bit shy and embarrassed about, though never ceased to make clear to Sander. He was just terribly impatient and Sander thought it was nothing but adorable. They ended up spending almost an hour in the bathroom, just loving and touching and kissing each other senseless.

Chapter Text

When they finally made their way to the kitchen, both wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, Sander couldn´t help but sigh in relieve.

“I told you we´d make it.” Robbe grinned, hopping onto the kitchen counter and then looking out of the window behind him. “So, what´s for dinner?” he asked then, turning back to his boyfriend when he didn´t find anything interesting outside to look at.

“Thought about making croques.” Sander said, scanning the fridge for any useful ingredients. “Only if you´re not already sick of them of course.” He added, closing the refrigerator door again and sending a questioning look to Robbe.

“I´ll never get sick of them they´re SO good.” The brunette made grabby hands at Sander, incapable of having his boyfriend so close while not being able to touch him. His clingy behavior caused Sander to silently giggle and he walked over to Robbe so he could stand in between his legs. “5 stars on booking.com.” The smaller boy smiled, laying his arms around Sanders strong shoulders.

“Croques it is then.” the blonde stated, leaving a tender kiss on Robbe´s inviting lips. Sander went over to the stove then, leaving his boyfriend on the counter who looked back out of the window thinking about how lucky he was.

Lucky to have his mama at home, being able to watch her getting better, day by day. Lucky to have awesome friends who would go on the stupidest adventures with him but would also be there in bad times. And his brain was still processing the fact that he was lucky enough to have Sander in his life. Robbe wasn´t sure if that feeling would ever fully disappear. The pure feeling of happiness that built up inside of him whenever Sander came to pick him up from school, when he would draw him, smile at him, kiss him, maybe just send him a text in the middle of a busy day to make sure he felt loved. Robbe doubted that he´d ever understand how he got so lucky but decided to just enjoy it as long he could.

Not even five minutes had passed when Robbe got bored with watching the scene outside the window. He jumped down on the ground to go and hug Sander from behind. “How much longer will it take for you to finish?” he whined, pressing his face between his boyfriend´s shoulder blades.

Said boyfriend just chuckled and turned around in Robbe´s arms, pressing a kiss onto his forehead. “What is it with you and the constant need of physical contact?”

A little pout formed on Robbe´s lips in response. “I´m just enjoying your presence.”

“You´re adorable.” Sander smiled and leaned in to kiss his boyfriend properly.

“No! Not in front of the food!” They heard a voice yell before their lips even had the chance to touch. “Why not?” Robbe chuckled, stumbling backwards when Chloé, Sander´s sister, threw herself into his arms. The girl had her arms wrapped around Robbe´s neck and he held her close, hugging her back like he always did because the 8 year old just felt the need to be held by him every time she saw him. Before they had Robbe in their lives it had been Sander´s job and, of course, pleasure as a big brother to carry the girl around and he was kind of sad when she chose his boyfriend over him. But since she made clear that Sander would always be her favorite he just accepted it.

Chloé looked at Robbe with big green eyes, which looked just as beautiful as her brother´s, scrunching her nose in disgust. “It´s gross,” she stated then but her lips turned up into an excited smile right after. “But I´m so happy you´re here again before we go on vacation! Can we watch a movie? Pretty please?”

Before Robbe could even think about an answer Sander´s mother entered the kitchen, looking a bit tired but still happy to see them. “Robbe! Why am I not surprised to see you here? How are you?”

“I´m perfectly fine, thank you, Miss Driesen.”

“Honey, I told you to stop this. I´m feeling old enough in this household already without you calling me that.”

Robbe chuckled lightly, smiling apologetically at her. “Sorry Nora, still working on it.”

Sander watched the scene with a big smile on his face. He loved how his boyfriend became a part of their family the moment he walked through the front door for the first time. His mother and sister both adored Robbe and Sander actually never feared they wouldn´t because how could they not? But even though he was happy for his boyfriend to get so much attention he couldn´t help but feel a bit ignored. “Hello? Beloved son and big brother standing right here. Am I going completely unnoticed at this point?”

Soft laughter filled the room. “Of course not.” Nora smiled, leaving a kiss on her son´s cheek as she passed him to pour herself a glass of water.

Robbe couldn´t help but kiss the pout away from Sander´s lips, still holding Chloé in his arms who quickly closed her eyes and hid her face behind her hands, as if their kiss could physically harm her.

“Stop that! You´re disgusting!” the girl cried out and tried to wiggle herself out of Robbe´s arms. Nora just chuckled lightly at her daughter´s behavior. When the boys finally broke their kiss and Chloé stood on her own feet again she took Robbe´s hand, pulling him in direction of the living room with nothing but a short “Come!”

That simple word caused the brunette to grin. Chloé was so similar to her brother, it seemed surreal sometimes. They had the same emerald eyes and the same euphoric personality and they both perfectly knew how to use their words so Robbe would just stop thinking and do whatever they wanted. And of course Robbe would do that because he was just that kind of person that would follow the people he loved to the end of the world, if they wanted him to.

“Which one?” Chloé´s excited voice brought him back to reality. She stood right in front of him, trying to hold her two favorite DVD´s high enough for him to see.

Robbe made it easier for her by sitting down on the couch, taking both movies in consideration for a moment. “I bet you already decided and just ask me out of politeness but I would go with this one.” He pointed at the movie in her right hand, earning a big smile for having picked the one she wanted to watch anyway. Robbe knew, of course which movie would be the right choice since they´ve seen it maybe a bit too often already but always decided on watching it again because they both loved it and they could tease Sander about it. Chloé made herself comfortable in Robbe´s lap, waiting for the movie to start.

As the first scenes finally appeared on the television screen, Sander entered the living room with a plate full of croques in his hands. “Oh come on, Rise of the Guardians again?” He sat down on the sofa next to Robbe, placing the plate on the table for Chloé to grab some food.

“I love this movie! Jack Frost always reminds me of you!” the girl exclaimed.

“Yeah,” Robbe agreed. “He´s almost as handsome as you are.”

Sander snorted at that. “Okay, if I´m Jack Frost who is Robbe then?”

They both looked at the 8 year old expectantly. Chloé took her time thinking about it, absentmindedly chewing her dinner and watching the movie while doing so. Robbe grabbed two croques from the plate, handing one to Sander and then leaning his head on the blonde´s shoulder.

“Oh, I know!” Chloé grinned then, turning her head to look at the boys. “Peter Pan!” Sander and Robbe started laughing in unison, receiving a questioning look from the girl, still sitting in Robbe´s lap. “What?” she asked. “Doesn´t that fit?”

“Oh, it does cutie.” Robbe chuckled, gently placing a kiss on her head.

“It´s pretty accurate actually.” Sander agreed, scanning his boyfriend with his eyes as if to corroborate his opinion. And then, without any further discussion they continued watching the movie together.