*A/N Since Hollyoaks have forgotten the last punch, I chose to as well. There's also a brief clear up of what happened with Ste and Declan, since they couldn't be bothered to tell us that, either! So anyway, this is a bit of pointless fluff. Er, enjoy!*

Valentines Day.

What a sad excuse for a holiday that was. Ste hated it. He hated how he could never afford to buy his girlfriend (at the time) a decent enough present. He hated how he could never treat Amy, when they were together and it wasn't all bad, to a break away. It was always the same thing for him and his relationships. Go to the cinema and maybe, if they were lucky, he'd buy them something to eat afterwards. Which usually was a McDonalds, or a sandwich. Never anything fancy, and he hated that. He would see all these other blokes in the expensive shops buying diamonds or massive boxes of chocolates, and always wished the same thing. That he could save enough money to really treat someone for once. But he never did. Something always came up that stopped him from saving up to buy a nice present for once. The kids needed clothes, the rent needed paying, the electricity always ran out and they needed to top it up. Just stupid little domestic things that at 21, he shouldn't have had to worry about.

Except he didn't need to worry now. He was single, and didn't have to buy presents for anyone. He and Noah had gone through a Valentines Day. Noah bought him flowers, (despite Ste saying tons of times before that he doesn't like flowers) and made him breakfast in bed. Which was nice, but Ste couldn't help feeling rotten that he didn't buy Noah anything. He'd forgotten all about it, and it was too late to nip out and get him something. So all Ste could do was apologise, and try make it up to him. But now, Ste had nobody to care for but himself and his family. He could go out, and buy himself a little present. Maybe a new polo shirt, or a new pair of jeans. It wasn't like he didn't get paid enough to splash out, now that he worked as manager in the SU. It wasn't loads, or as much as Chez Chez paid him (Or Brendan paid him) but it was enough to keep their heads above water with a little left over to treat the kids or himself and Amy to a couple of takeaways and a film.

Right now, though, he was preparing for the event being held in the bar tonight.

"Pass us that banner, Dodger" Ste said, standing on top of a ladder. "And scatter some of those fake roses everywhere."

"Yes boss." Dodger picked up the box of decorations. "What's this?"

"I dunno. What is it?"

"A baby."

"Cupid, innit?" Ste jumped down from the ladder, and observed how straight the banner was. "Shoots people with his arrows and that, makes them fall in love or summat."

Dodger made a face, and he chucked the figurine back into the cardboard box and started placing the fake roses on every table. "Where did you find these, anyway?"

"Back of that cupboard."

"Half of them are broken."

"I weren't gonna buy nothing for one night, Dodger."

"They'll probably end up getting even more wrecked anyway," Dodger said as he climbed the ladder himself and hung some hearts from the ceiling. "Cos it's gonna be massive tonight. You bringin' anyone?"

"Nah," Ste shook his head. "You?"

Dodger laughed, "I don't take my own food to a buffet, Ste."

But Ste didn't catch on to the joke. "Eh?"

"Bringing my own date, when there's gonna be plenty of girls round 'ere. It's like taking food to a buffet. You don't do it, do ya?"

"Oh." Ste said, then laughed. Still not really getting it. "Right, course."

It felt weird, for Ste, being the boss of someone for once. He had always been the underdog. The one who got bossed about, and had to ask how high whenever someone told him to jump. He was kind of the boss in Relish, but this was different. This time, he was the one who called all the shots. He could hire and fire people whenever he wanted, if they didn't work up to his standards. People spoke to him with respect now. That was an odd one. Being treated like a somebody, rather than nobody. Being brushed off like he didn't mean anything, or ignored like he wasn't even there. Like his existence didn't even matter. But this job wasn't like that. He did matter. People cared about him. He had friends. Actual friends who wanted to spend time with him. Who liked him, and didn't try put him down whenever they got the chance. All of his life, he spent most of his time depending on one person. Amy. It would drag her down, and he hated that. How he was stopping her from living her own life, due to his selfishness of needing her. But it wasn't like that anymore. She was still his best friend, but he didn't hold her back. And they were both happier for it. A lot happier. Although, not everything in Ste's life was perfect. There was still that one thing - that one person who wouldn't leave him alone, even though he was rarely ever around.

Ste had seen him a couple of times, in the village, and they'd exchanged a few words in little mumbles, as they passed each other. Most of the time, it felt like they didn't even know each other. Like everything that went on between them never happened, and all they ever were to each other was boss and employee. It was difficult, getting over everything. Moving on. But Ste had to, for his own sanity. He couldn't carry on laying in bed on a night, thinking, "What if". It wasn't healthy, and it didn't make things better. It just made them worse. A lot worse. Cheryl, however, made sure to keep Ste up to date on how Brendan was doing. How he'd changed recently, and how he'd even gone to an anger management class, (even though he walked out after ten minutes) and how he listened to what his counsellor had to say. Until they started asking him questions - that was his cue to leave. He stormed out. But he still went, which was an improvement. He'd also spoken to Declan, and they had made up. Brendan had gone to see him, and Padraig for a few days, and came back happier than he had been for a while. More at peace with himself, or at least that's how it came across to Cheryl. And Ste knew. He knew he should have been happy for him. This is what he'd wanted all along. Brendan to sort himself out, and for them to get on with their separate lives - but he wasn't. Not really. He couldn't help feeling that he should have been around when Brendan was at his worst; to help, rather than just leaving him to it. But it didn't matter now. They were both better for being apart. Totally. So it was good. Great, even. It was all just great.

By the time half past eight rolled around, Ste left Dodger to man the bar whilst he went home to get a shower and get changed. He'd been slaving around the bar all day, putting up the decorations and trying his hardest to make the place look less tacky. The cheap hearts and roses he found in the cupboard almost did the trick, but not quite. As he continued to walk back to his flat, he noticed Chez Chez. The doors were closed, the chain locked on the front entrance, the lights were off and everything was silent. He was surprised to realise it was closed up. Then he noticed Brendan, walking out of Price Slice with a bottle of whisky in his hand. He still felt that ridiculous tingling sensation in his stomach, and the palms of his hands still went clammy, and he still clamped them together as though they had been glued like that. Keep in the shadows. That's what he should do, so Brendan wouldn't see him. So he could avoid the awkward conversation he would no doubt be unable to stop himself from making. Brendan wasn't really paying attention to his surroundings, though, his eyes were staring down at the floor as his pointy shoes scuffed against the concrete. Ste's feet had other ideas, and before he knew it, he'd banged into him - sending the bottle of whisky flying out of his hands.

"Wanna watch where yer going?" Brendan snapped, watching as the bottle shattered into pieces as the glass hit the ground. "Ye can pay for-..."

"Sorry." Ste mumbled, once Brendan met his eye.

"No," Brendan's voice went quiet, "No it's fine."

"I'll get you another."

"Last one."

"Oh." Ste said, feeling a pang of guilt for doing this on purpose now. "Well there's a party at the SU Bar, if you wanna come."

Brendan raised an eyebrow, "A party?"

"Valentines Day thing." Ste said, realising how lame it probably sounded. "I organised it."

"Nice."

"You could have a drink there, if you want. On me, obviously. Cos I get them for free, don't I? So.."

'Shut up, Ste.' He thought to himself.

"I'll think about it." Brendan said, brushing past Ste in an attempt to walk off.

"Well done, by the way." Ste shouted after him.

Brendan stopped in his tracks, and turned his body slightly to face Ste again. "For?"

"That counselling thing. Cheryl told me."

"Course she did," Brendan muttered under his breath. "Thanks."

"I'll let you get off." Ste said, quietly. He could tell Brendan didn't want to talk to him. "See you later."

"Yeah, maybe." Brendan looked at him once more before he turned to walk away.

Ste just stood there, outside the shop, watching him as he walked off. Hands back in his pockets and his feet, again, scuffing against the floor. Cheryl was right. He did seem happier, despite his uncomfortable presence when he was around Ste. He was more "there" in the head. Brendan was a man who could never be normal - even if he tried, but he seemed to be closer to it than he ever had been. The problems he experienced in prison, the effect they had on him ... it was so bad. At the time, Ste thought he was seeing a brand new person. This wasn't the man who had declared love to him just a few months earlier, or the man who wanted to be with him. He was cold, now. To everyone. Even to Cheryl. Ste hated to see it. He hated to see how damaged Brendan was, and how it meant he was pushing everyone away in an order. Ste first, then Declan, and then Cheryl - until he had nobody left. Until he hit rock bottom and realised that, actually, he did need people. He'd gotten Cheryl back. Quite easily, it seemed. She could see how much he needed the help, and she wasn't going to make him squirm and apologise thousands of times like she once would have done. He'd gotten Declan back. He just hadn't gotten round to getting Ste back. Maybe he didn't want him. Maybe that was why he was better now. Without Ste in his life. Nagging him, driving him up the wall with demands, with feelings. Ste shook his head, clearing the thoughts, and carried on back to the flat.

In the end, Ste had chosen a dark blue polo, his best pair of jeans and his leather jacket. Nothing fancy, but something nice enough. By the time he got back to the SU Bar, it was booming. Completely packed. Ste had to fight his way through endless crowds to get to the front, to let Dodger know he was back. He was pleased with how well things had turned out. He organised this, and all these people - they wanted to be here. Chez Chez had held events before, and Ste always noticed the look of accomplishment on Cheryl's face when the place was packed, and that was the look he imagined was on his face now. Pride. Accomplishment. Dodger was already eyeing up a couple of girls in the corner. That was one of the many problems being friends with Dodger, Ste found. He always talked about girls. How many he'd had, how long he'd had a girlfriend for (which wasn't very long), how many he could remember the names of. He was a pig, really, but Ste supposed to he wasn't all bad. Decent when you got to know him, at least. Plus Amy had a soft spot for him, and Ste always wanted to do a bit of matchmaking between them. He hadn't quite gotten round to it, but it was a work in progress.

Ste spent most of his night near his office, or by the bar talking to Dodger. Well, he stood at the bar looking through the crowds of drunk people, for someone in particular, while Dodger carried on eyeing up the women in hopes one of them would take the bait and approach him. A few of the blokes had given Ste the eye once or twice, trying to get his attention, but Ste shrugged it off. He wasn't that interested, really. He did, however, find it quite sweet when a student bit the bullet and introduced himself. His hands were shaking, and he kept getting tongue tied and apologising for being so nervous. Ste could relate to it. He used to get like that when he spoke to Brendan. He still did, sometimes. And then he heard a voice in his ear. A voice he knew too well.

"Good party." He said. His voice was low, but loud enough for Ste to hear over the ridiculous music.

"Ta," Ste replied, feeling his face flame.

"Yer idea, then?" Brendan asked, picking up one of the roses that lay on the bar. "Hearts and flowers. Very romantic, Stephen."

"It's meant to be." Ste snatched it back off him, and put it back down. "You want a drink or summat?"

"Beer, thanks."

"Alright."

They grabbed a table where it was quieter. Brendan, as much as Ste, couldn't deal with drunk people. Too annoying and in-your-face. Things were still a little frosty, although they were bound to be. It had been a while since they were civil with each other. Usually, with them, it was either at each other's throats or in each other's beds. There was never a balance. Always one extreme or the other. That was the problem, really. Their love/hate relationship was most of the time on the hate mark, and it didn't have to be. It was always possible for them to be at least friends, and if it didn't work then at least they tried. At least they knew, instead of wondering what would have been. Ste wondered if he should apologise, about Declan and what happened, but he worried that if he brought it up; everything would be ruined. It was going too well to be a disaster now. However Ste couldn't seem to help himself. He apologised. The words spilling out of his mouth so fast that he couldn't stop them if he tried. Brendan was seemingly taken aback after Ste's little speech, given how quiet he went.

He took a swig of his beer, and sighed. "Declan told me what happened when he went to yer flat."

Ste just sat there, silent. He suddenly felt like a child, having to explain himself to a parent.

"He shouldn't have threatened to run away if ye told me where he was. He shouldn't have put ye in that position, and he knows that now. Ye had no choice in the matter. It's .. I shouldn't have .."

Sensing that he'd brought the conversation down to a level too serious, Ste finished the rest of his beer and changed the subject again.

"So, how come the club isn't open tonight then?" He asked lightly. "Thought Cheryl liked a party."

"She was too busy with her school rubbish to sort something out."

"What about Rhys, and Ash?"

"Ye really think I'd trust either of them two, with my club?" Brendan smirked as he told him, "Anyway, ye should be grateful. We wouldn't wanna run ye out of business."

"Yeah, as if."

As the evening progressed, Brendan and Ste's conversation went smoothly, and it took next to no effort to keep it going. This was probably the most they had ever spoken to each other - ever, in the couple of years they had known each other. They didn't discuss anything serious. They didn't discuss their previous relationship at all. They just ... talked. Had a laugh, and a joke, and both cracked a smile more than once. It was nice. The uncomfortable tension had disappeared, and they had become way too involved in each other to remember that they were at a party, in the SU Bar, and that there were other people around. Because, like always, it didn't feel like it. Sometimes, with them, it felt like a bubble had enclosed them within it, and kept them there. Away from everyone and everything else. And it was weird, because for Brendan, that had never happened before. He wasn't used to feeling like the person he was with - at the time - was the only person in the room. The only person in the fucking universe, even. Yet the weirdest thing was, he didn't feel it with anyone else. Just Ste. And even now, after all this time; after all the pain they'd put each other through - that same feeling was there. That same feeling had taken over them both, right now, as the party began to come to its end. People began leaving in little groups, and the music in the background became softer as the lights became brighter.

They probably could have stayed like that all night, just sitting at the table and talking - getting to know each other again, if Amy hadn't text Ste wondering where he was. He did tell her he would be home for at least midnight, if not about ten past. It wasn't like he had a curfew or anything - she wasn't his mother, but she did worry. Especially since he knew someone (Dodger.) will have told her that he was with Brendan. Once they both came back down to earth, Ste looked round at the empty bar. The mess that had been made was ridiculous. He knew he would have to clean it up, but that could wait until the morning. He was knackered.

They both got up, and Brendan reached up from where he was stood, and snapped down one of the glittery hearts. "Seriously, Stephen. This is tacky."

"That," Ste told him, "is what Valentines Day is all about, innit. Tacky stuff like that."

"I wouldn't know. It's not really my idea of ... fun."

"I can imagine." Ste mumbled, picking up a few empty beer bottles on his way back behind the bar.

"Ye like working here, don't ye?" Brendan said. He couldn't help noticing Ste's new confidence with being in a more powerful position. The way Ste worked was impressive, Brendan had always known that, but he felt a newfound respect for Ste. Something he never normally felt for anyone. Respect.

"Yeah. Cos I don't have moody bosses whinging at me all the time, do I?" Ste teased, turning a few of the lights off.

"I'll tell Cheryl ye said that."

Once they'd both made their way to the door, flicking light switches off as they passed them, things were a little less playful and a little more serious.

"Ye throw a good party." Brendan said softly.

"Least I don't owe you for that whisky no more." Ste smiled.

"I guess not."

The air was cold when they both reached the outside, and the pavement damp from the rain.

"We should .. er," Brendan coughed awkwardly. "do it again. This, I mean."

"Yeah," Ste smiled as he turned to walk in the opposite direction. "Maybe."

But Brendan stopped him.

"What about a drink sometime?" He asked after him.

"What?" Ste turned back around. "At Chez Chez?"

"Or a place in town." Brendan slipped his hands back into his pockets. "Like a ... like a thing."

"Like a what?"

He coughed again, and looked up to the dark sky. Ste was really gonna make him say it, wasn't he? "Ye know, those things people go on sometimes."

"Like a date?"

"Yeah," Brendan ran his fingers over his moustache, as he often did when he was nervous. "Those."

"Us?" Ste needed to get this right, "On a date?"

"Yeah. A few drinks, a bite to eat."

Ste then went silent for a couple of minutes, and Brendan couldn't stand it. He'd done it again. Put himself on the line - something he thought he'd learnt not to do from doing it once too many times before. Him being vulnerable, and leaving himself open to get hurt again ... it was stupid. He knew he shouldn't have asked. That he'd gotten it wrong. What an idiot he had been, agai-

"Yeah," Ste finally answered, interrupting Brendan's thoughts, with a smile across his face. "Okay, yeah."

"Good." Brendan kept cool. Like he hadn't just been freaking out inside. "Good. I'll, er .. pick ye up tomorrow. Around eight?"

"Sounds good." Ste was still smiling, this time it was a smaller, more tender smile. One Brendan hadn't seen directed at him for a while. One Brendan had waited so long to see again.

They both parted after a few more words had been exchanged, and Ste knew. He wasn't thick. He knew this entire thing could go two ways. It could go really badly. Or it could end up going really well. The chance that Ste could possibly get what he'd never stopped wanting ever since he met Brendan was too tempting to pass up. Final chance. One more try. He knew what Amy would say, and how he would feel in the morning once he'd thought about it. But no, fuck it, he was doing this. They were doing this. If it went wrong, it went wrong - but at least they could walk away knowing they'd tried. Knowing they'd given it their best shot. And boy, would they.