This fic has simularities to the movie Top Gun. I have a thing about Stendan AU atm.
Again, this fic is technically a one shot, I am separating it for ease of editing. xx
Stendan. AU. Rated M. Warning: Some scenes of angst.
Ste works his way through flight school and gains a placement in the countries top flight academy's.
There he bumps into Brendan and clashes immediately with him only later to discover the handsome Irish man is his flight instructor.
Take My Breath Away.
Part 1
It almost deafens the roar of the engine, as it leaves a tremor through the sky. Ste sits astride his firey red motorbike dressed in snug fit jeans and white t shirt that clung to his small body. Short leather jacket and shades bouncing back the strong rays of sun off mirrored frames. Noise rattling through his bones; his bronzed glowing skin ripples with the vibrations. The jet almost smooth on its travel guided across the clouds and left a sonic boom in its wake. Reflected in his shades the aircraft flew past at top speeds through the sky. Curling clouds of white then grey smoke appeared after a hot orange glow shot heat from the engine and faintly painted the skyline, it was gone as fast as it had appeared.
Ste gazed up and removed his sunglasses, eyes closed, the hot sunshine beat down on his face and soaked heat through his pores. It was his first day at the flight academy having just gained his wings. A bright sparkle stung his vision and brought the young man's head back down again, looking into the distance he saw a large congregation of buildings. This had been his destination all along, but the hum of the aircraft had compelled Ste to stop and watch its flight path. Picking up his hodal and swingng it on his back he left his bike at an angle and made his way over.
The first day nerves greased his body with a whirl of anxiety as Ste pushed open the glass doors. First scanning the reception area, there was a big presence within the room. It wasn't long before he spotted a friendly one though; Ste smiled walking a short distance seeing his co pilot stood chatting to one of the other cadets. He threw down his bag and tapped him on the shoulder. Tony spun around and grinned at his friend hugging tightly around him. Tony 'Hutch' Hutchingson had been a firm presence in Ste's life for as long as he could remember.
They'd met in their teens and the friendship blossomed and remained throughout high school and then at flight school they'd both gained a place in the countries top flight academy. As this was a first meeting the cadets were fowarded into and within the claustraphobic confinds of the reception area. The staff faffing around trying to delegate a whole array of new faces around a place that was alien to them. Ste and the others all got the chance to look around and see who else had aquired the grade. Whispers and glances by the others in the room were like a infection amongst the cadets. None of the instructors had arrived yet and the room was filled with banter and introductions. Ste stuck close to his friend as they waited.
"I know you"
A skinny stuck up man made himself known to Ste, standing behind him he'd spoken into his ear coaxing him to turn his head around surprised by the sudden voice. Faced with a smug looking man, a little taller than him, light coloured hair. He held his hand out in greeting. John Paul 'Princess' McQueen. Ste had heard of him too, known as a cocky shit through whispered rumours he'd recoiled slightly but took his hand nevertheless.
"Princess and McQueen? Can you be both?" Ste chuckled a little flicking his eyes up at Tony who just raised his brow backing off slightly.
"I might have used the word once or twice inappropriatley and it stuck. Every little sod in the place calls me it now. So go ahead and get it out of your system" John Paul rolled his eyes but Ste gloated over the oportunity.
"Princess" Ste suppressed a giggle trying to keep his face straight, he swallowed hard and nodded gracefullly despite "It suits ya"
"Laugh it up, it will be me having the last one when I reach the highest score during our time here" The man moved on quickly "Heard a lot about you, apparently one of the best in flight school, you and your co pilot" Tony stilled before huffing out a short rasp.
"Yeah, well I wouldn't be here if I wasn't." Ste replied "Who's your co pilot, might know em too"
"That would be me" A cute looking younger man stepped forward big grin plastered on his face "Craig 'Ozzie' Osbourne."
Ste nodded "Like the singer?"
"Yeah, no relation. Nice to meet you" Craig glanced at an unamused John Paul and the smile dropped a little. "He get's narky about his call sign, ignore him" Craig smirks as his friend knocks into his side slightly warning him to quieten down.
"Nice to meet you" Ste smiles at Craig, he shakes his hand.
"Yeah well, pleasentries over, you met the instructors yet?" John Paul asked planting himself on the edge of a table. "I heard one of them's a right psycho - by all accounts"
"Really?" Ste is intrieged. None of the instructors were anything to speak about at his last place. "No I ain't heard owt about them. Who cares as long as they get us through this? Looking forward to getting up there" Ste admitted looking back at the man.
"This is Tony" Ste introdues him to Craig.
"The Hutch?" Craig shrilled in honour shaking Tony's hand "Heard about you, one of the best"
"He is the best" Ste jumped in to correct Craig. Tony placed a softened hand on Ste's shoulder.
"Hey up, you lot coming to the party tonight?" A young man with an American accent interupted the group.
"This is Doug 'soggy biscuit' Carter" John Paul introduced gripping a tight elbow around his neck and pulling his head into his chest. They obviously knew each other well.
"Soggy biscuit?" Ste puzzed "Interesting call sign you have there"
Doug sighed heavy, the amount of times he'd told this story. "I once ruined someones tea with a digestive. I'd seen these buiscuts laid on the table. You know what it's like – temptation and that. As I hadn't eaten I was peckish and you can't not dunk a biscuit can ya? So I did but then I heard him coming back and misjudged the amount of time it was in the brew and..."
Ste leaned forward intrieged "And?"
"Well it went and fell in his tea didn't it! The man was not happy after that and that's how I got the nickname" The room had errupted into laughter at the expence of poor Doug. Ste stood statue lip pursed.
"Oh I heard about that" John Paul nodded smug, Ste was already irritated by him.
"You hear a lot don't ya?" Ste interjected annoyed. Tony calmed the situation informing them the instructors wouldn't be introduced until the next day and that there was news of a party that night they were all invited too. Ste lightened then, at least he could let his hair down before they got back up in the air again.
They were ushered through quickly and taken to their rooms that doubled a small appartment. Tony shared with Ste and stepped into a seperate bedroom leaving Ste to the other one. His freshly pressed uniform was a smokey gey, silver buttons that had a high shine. Various badges of achievement sewn into the material showed Ste's success gained over the years, he was good at what he did and acknowledged for it.
"You'll have to stop staring at it" Tony proudly leaned against the door frame and smiled at Ste. Dressed head to toe in his white uniform. "The party tonight says we gotta be dressed white uniform for the occassion"
"Well ya look fit mate" Ste grinned "I guess I'll get it on then, don't forget ya hat"
"I won't. They seem a nice bunch don't they?" Tony replied straightening his tie in the mirror. Ste watched his friend grab hold of a framed photo Ste had placed on the side, it was the both of them together at flight school, the aircraft they'd flown together in the background.
"I guess so, that John Paul is a bit stuck up mind. I think we will clash" He replied fetching his other uniform out. Ste sat on the bed and pulled on the ironed feel trousers did a little jump and zipped them up. He heavied himself against the mattress again and held the crisp white shirt in his hands.
"As long as we make the grade Ste. I have a wife and kids to think about, this is important to me." Tony spoke with a smile looking at the picture, he placed it back down again and moved to sit down in the chair oposite sliding his forearms to rest on his knees. "There can't be any scew ups here Ste, I know we had fun at flight school and that but this – it's different."
Ste pushed up off the bed "I know. And we did have fun there, but I promise no screwing around this time. I was younger back then don't forget. An you know how much this means to me too – I won't let ya down. We will pass this, get our honours. Then it's anything we want then, go anywhere in the world, be anything." Ste had a big grin on his face intoxicating his friend to share it.
"You decided what you'll do at the end of it?" Tony inquired sitting back into the chair more relaxed.
"Flight Instructor." Ste was confident as he spoke "Think it's what I wanna do. We pass and the world is our oyster. How is Diane doing? With you being so far away?"
"It's...well it's hard for her I guess. I do try and see them but this job we have, keeps me away from home to often." Tony sighs as he thinks.
Ste buttons up his shirt and gathers his jacket around himself fastening it and enhansing his body perfectly. "Listen, this is gonna work out – you'll see. Be able to find something nearer to home yeah?"
"Love how positive you are Ste, you're a good friend, dunno what I'd do without ya"
"Soppy sod, come on let's go see if there's any fit pilots at this party for me ey?" Ste's brows dance leaving Tony to shake his head and grapple his arm around Ste's neck.
"Not on my watch matey! Flying is all you're keeping that mind on – so no wandering eyes ya hear?!"
"Promise and cross me heart – I will just look and not touch" Ste swears with a wink as they leave the apartment.
Ste's uniform held snug to his body, crisp white and iron pressed he looked every bit handsome in it. He was also a little nervy walking into the large ballroom set with a stage, dance floor and seating area around the room. Cap held securely under his arm he walked tall over to the bar and ordered himself a drink.
Tony caught his attention and asked Ste to get him a beer too, settling his cap on the side, Ste's arms held loose on the bar, eyes chancing a look around the room littered with a sea of white uniforms. The bartender gained his attention soon after and placed the drinks down on the bar for Ste. Gripping them in his hands he'd turned harshly not really concious of his surroundings. There was no way of avoidance as he smacked straight into another man behind him. Ste hitched a breath faltering backwards off his solid chest, the beer spilled over the other man's uniform soaking him all down his front. Ste hovers agasp at his mistake.
"Jesus, can ye not look where ye are going huh?! Look at the state of me butter fingers!" The older man spoke angered, gesturing his hands down over the dripping liquid, his eyes surveyed the damage to his uniform with disgust. Ste widened his mouth and quickly turned placing the glass bottles on the bar looking frantically for a cloth or napkin. His keen eye notices a tee towel draped over the barman and makes a dash for it. Ste spun around and dabbed the cloth over the man's uniform trying to dry it off. It didnt help one iota and in fact just spred it wider over the sponge like material. The white was replaced with a dirty orange.
"Shit, I am sorry!" Ste's breathing becomes ragged as he apologises.
Ste was pushed back with a sudden hand to his shoulder, it jolted him enough to intake a sharp breath. "What the hell are ye doing?!" The man in front grunts unamused, eyes wild on Ste.
"I were only trying to help!" Ste replied looking up at the man still rubbing his hands on the material and huffing loudly. "No need to take it so seriously, it's just some beer" Ste began to feel slightly irritated now, he has tried to placate him afterall.
"Only some beer?! Are ye thick or something?" The man booms and now people are starting to notice the ruccus. He grunts mighty pissed off and finally glanced up at Ste. Mouth opened ready to give a piece of his mind again; even though Ste thinks the gob shite has said enough. Instead his eyes widened and voice lost the will to be spilled.
The moment had passed for Ste to be nice once the man stood gawping in front of him hadn't given him a chance to be heard out. Screw the niceties.
"Don't ya be dissin me! Who do ya think ya are ey?! I said I were sorry right, it were an accident. Perhaps ya should back off a little in future, you were practically my twin a moment ago!" Ste seethed into the taller man's face, eyes trailing over the moustashe resting on his upper lip and the scattering of stubble on his chin. Ste rode his eyes up and looked into his blue eyes and stilled. His heartbeat raced a mile an hour at his ribcage.
"Have ye quite finished?" The man asked rocking on his heels placing them a lot closer than either of them wanted. "Someone oughta teach ye some manners boy"
"And someone should teach you to respect personal space and how not to invade it" Ste shoved the man backwards and huffed away towards the bathroom. He didn't look up at the colosal amount of eyes that were fixed upon him, his hand hit the door that hard as it swung back hitting the wall of the room.
Another man walked up to the soaked through officer and watched the younger lad storm off.
"Brendan" He greeted and pondered his friends face. "Always one for the entertainment around here. Who's he then?"
"Walker, ain't ye got somewhere else to be right now?" His eyes bore into the back of Ste as he walked away, the way his hips swayed and cotton creased against his backside wriggle. Brendan felt his own scrutinity though and it had him turning to his side and leering at his friend.
Simon ever the laid back demeaneour threw a peanut into his mouth and chewed "Nope, I see your charm is still offensive there Brendan. What did ya do this time?" Simon grinned wide a perfect set of teeth. He was annoyingly good looking.
"Take a wild guess! I am covered in his drinks, the stupid idiot soaked me didn't he?" Brendan exsasperated, barking out a laugh.
"He looked cute in that uniform though didn't he?" Simon could read Brendan like a book, he was very his type.
"Ye what? I wasn't looking" Brendan scoffed pushing Simon out of the way with two stiff fingers in his collarbone he ventured into the bathroom too.
Ste was splashing his face with water in an attempt to cool down, hotness creeping through his cheeks he was red with anger. The large mirror that spanned the entire room revealing the man from earlier in it had his face gnarled. Brendan stopped keeping Ste's gaze and folded his arms tightly, eyes now on his shoes instead. "Ye owe me a new uniform"
"You owe me an apology" Ste countered raising his eyebrows into the mirror. "An if I don't get one I'll..."
"You'll what?" Brendan edged the corner of his mouth up, arms loosening he gestured his hand towards Ste. "Ye threatening me boy?"
"Stop calling me boy! I'm a man!"
"All man? Are ye sure?" Brendan stepped closer, too close for Ste's liking and trailed his eyes over the young boy in front of him. "Cause ye moan like an adolecent"
"I'm more man than you'll ever be" Ste counters
"I just bet ye are" Brendan lets out a satisfactory sigh "What's your name, rank?"
Ste flushed gulping the lump down that constricted his throat "I am...erm..."
"Ye forgot your name?" Brendan mocked, angling his head to one side, he found Ste's embarrassment endeering. "Oops"
"I ain't forgot, it's Ste. An I'm a pilot"
"Very funny. You're telling me they let ye fly a plane?" Brendan smirked seeing Ste's face warp anger in the split of a second. The opportunity to have fun suddenly arising.
"Eurgh, you are obnoctious!" Ste spoke offended and moved to leave, Brendan side stepped in front of him. "Get out of my way"
"You're fiesty, I like that." Brendan closed their gap, face to face his hand griped over Ste's name badge. Ste's eyes trailed down to watch then back up again meeting a striking blue gaze "Steven Hay."
Ste nodded silently eyes still caught in the ocean blue that was his undoing. "I prefer Ste. Are you Irish?" Had to be, it wrecked through his viens like a sweet purr, thick and heavy northern accent.
"Perseptive too. Yeah I'm from Dublin, ye?"
"Manchester" Ste mutters "An just so you know, I am a damn good pilot"
Brendan pursed his lips, captured Ste's eyes a last time before edging back and over to the sink. "Ye ruined my best outfit"
"You whine a lot you know that?" he was getting bored now, Ste decided to leave shifting his head to gaze momentairily over Brendan's trousers that screamed covering that perfect backside.
"Had a good look Steven?" Brendan flicked his eyes up in the mirror watching Ste shrug like he wasn't bothered he caught hiim perving. "Don't ye wanna know my name then?" Brendan added holding himself on his palms.
Ste glanced back "Not particularly, no." Ste replied immediately gaining the upper hand and last word.
Brendan mapped a perfect grin across his face, he wasn't sure anyone had ever dared to speak to him this way before, the young boy suddenly became a challenge he'd like to take on.
Ste swung the door open with a flick of his wrist, storming out into the packed room, the congregation stared like they'd been waiting for him to exit the bathroom. Tony was stood at the bar neck stretched obviously looking for Ste. Relief showering over him Tony met Ste in the middle and Tony passed him his hat. "Here. Where you been?"
"Thanks" Ste replied placing his hat under his arm. "I've just had the misfortune of meeting this...officer of some sort. I spilt our drinks over him" Ste felt exsausted, he's only arrived a few short hours earlier, this had to be some sort of record for him. Over in the corner of the room were the cadets he'd met earlier, John Paul, Doug a few others all turning to grin at him. Obviously amused by the show, Ste blew out a long sigh.
"What? Why?" Tony's brows raised surprised.
"Cause I had this epithany, thought, yeah – I'll throw me drinks over the first officer I see" Ste rolled his eyes feeling altogether tetchy. "It was an accident! I apologised and basically he was a complete arse over it"
"Not satisfied enough with drowning me in beer, I'm an arse too now?" Ste closed his eyes and cursed under his breath, there was just no getting rid of this annoying man.
"Are you stalking me? There's laws over that kind of behaviour" Ste's arms folded locked across his chest in defence. Tony who was lost in the odd moment stopped to watch Ste and indeed the stranger who seemed to overly rile Ste up more than he'd ever witnessed before, he stood watching the facade intrieged and held back.
Brendan moved to stand in Ste's space pushing a card slowly into his top pocket and holding his eyes captive. "The address of the dry cleaners my uniform will be sent to. Only seems right ye pay, doesn't it?" Brendan leaned down close to Ste creating a new palpable tention around them. Ste's eyes darted to his open mouth, filtered through his mile long lashes at the older man.
"Yeah, course" Ste's voice simpered. Inhaling his scent was driving his sences into overdrive. Brendan's smell acted like a damn pheromone. Ste boiled in his clothes.
"Good" Brendan nodded, full set of teeth on show. He looked up at Tony as he passed by leaving the party. Tony was taken aback for a moment before he spoke to Ste again.
"Okay, who was he?" His curiousity getting the better of him held over both of Ste's shoulders.
"That was who I split the beers over " Ste exhaled deeply debating the likelyhood of a cold shower.
"He likes you" Tony disclosed certain of his words, he began walking away but stilled with Ste's noisy denial.
"What ya mean? No he doesn't" Ste shook his head eyes darting anywhere but at Tony, he looked guilty.
"Oh god" Tony exsaperated returning and pointing at Ste.
"What?"
"You fancy him"
"Give over!" There was no way he fancied that rude, conceited man. "I don't fancy that"
"Who are ya tryin to convince? Me or the floor?" Tony lightened "Yes you do, the damn lights almost blew the charge you both emited!" Tony shook his head "Listen, don't you get caught up in that, remember what we are here for. This is it, we complete this and we're home free. You know I have a family to support" Tony reminded Ste again.
"Toneh! I am just paying for the man's dry cleaning! I will never, ever see him again in my life okay?" Ste's hand rested on his friends shoulder, comforting smile spreading across his face. Ste was more than confident for the both of them.
The next day they'd all gathered in one of the hangers outside in their grey flight uniform. Sitting at desks Ste figeted with his sunglasses that hid tired eyes behind them. He never could sleep well in a new place upon first arriving and he'd tossed and turned all night. So Ste was a lot quieter than everyone else right now, and his eyes heavy closed and flew up with the sound of footsteps behind him. He muffles a yawn behind a tightly closed fist when another officer walks around to the front of them.
It's the accent he reconises at first, and his body sinks lower into the chair he's sat in, knows Tony is looking right at him and it's not helping the situation. Ste tries to keep inconspicuous leaving his shades on.
Brendan rounds the sea of desks in the hanger and walks to the front. Clean uniform on, the material stretches over his crotch straining to keep a hold of him inside them. He perches on the desk and leaves nothing to the imagination. Brendan looks around at all the bright faces looking back at him and then he notices Ste. His breath catches quietly; he never thought he'd see him again especially in these curcumstances. His head angled, eyes piercing in Ste's direction he willed him to look up at him.
The lad is slouched down in his chair further trying to hide himself within the seat and make himself invisible. Wearing mirrored shades they shaddowed his eyes from the handsome officer he was relieved. Ste tried to look uninterested in the meeting and after the night Brendan has had, he wasn't going to put up with it.
"Heavy night was it?" Brendan looks directly at Ste but doesn't know his eyes are closed. Instead he thinks he's being ignored. "I'm sorry, are we disturbing ye?"
Tony nudges Ste hard on the arm jolting the young man to sit up straight and flick his head at him. "Hey" Ste whispers "What was that for?"
"Eyes front!" Tony speaks through his gritted teeth and stiffles an awkward laugh at Brendan.
"Oh" Ste flicks his eyes up and drains of colour, his fingers awkwardly scoop off his shades placing them down on his desk, a tirade of sniggers fill the space around Ste and that would be the time for the ground to open up for him.
"Oh!?" Brendan widened his mouth, head nodding slowly "Ye decided to join us Steven?"
"Ste, and I apologise. I had a late...a late night" Ste sat up again and cleared his throat, eyes double taking Tony who was literatly giving him the evils. Ste shrugged helpless to undo his mistake.
"I will be your flight instructor for the remainder of your time here. I expect nothing short of perfection from all of ye up there. This is the real world people, no piss poor excuse of a flight school here. No, here ye are amoung some of the best pilots in the country." Brendan continued "Put in the effort required and when ye leave here ye too will all be among the greatest pilots in the world. Screw around and you're out on your ear. Do I make myself clear?" Brendan rounded everyones faces.
"Douglas, I trust ye won't be making a brew anytime soon" Brendan pointed two closed fingers up at Doug leaving him to shield his embarrassment. The flight instructor inhaled a long breath before his eyes finally settled on Ste. They kept each others gaze until another officer broke their connection.
"Full flight gear please. Go find your jets and buckle up. First lesson in fifteen minutes" Simon held his hands on his hips and watched all the cadets leave together, in particular Ste who kept glancing back at Brendan. His lips formed a tight thin smile settling next to Brendan.
"Don't go there Brendan" He warned cauciously knowing precicely what his friend was like.
Brendan stood up allowing his balls to breathe easier "I don't know what ye mean Simon. We got jets to pilot" Brendan walked away stifly leaving his friend to roll his eyes.
"Hey, are ya crazy?" Ste felt his motion sudenly halt as a hand gripped against his arm. He turned to see John Paul and Doug both stood together.
"What?"
"That there is Brendan 'Tasheman' Brady. He's like, the best flight instructor here! Don't mess with him Ste" John Paul warned incredulous.
"Tasheman? Ha, might have known. Well, he's met his match, gonna wipe that hair off his face when I capture him up there." Ste sounds boastful and optomistic, a feeling John Paul doesn't share.
"No one captures him, he's never been caught. Even I couldn't – and that's really saying something" John Paul slaps Ste hard on the shoulder as he passes.
"Are you ready back there?" Ste grinned hearing his friend talk methodically though their pre flight checks. He must have tested out the flight gear three times already and Ste was getting impatient. He clocked Brendan walking across the field with Walker to their single pilot jets. They'd both changed in to their full flight gear. He wanted this challenge, he was ready. "Come on Tone! I want tasheman"
"Think we established that last night Ste. However we have more pressing issues, like getting off the ground"
"I didn't mean that way! This flight test, we gotta engage them to score points. The more point we get the better chance we have of getting top score" Ste checked over his dials on the dash as he started up the engine. "Mask on Tony, everything checks out - stop being so fussy"
"You'll thank me one day for being 'fussy' as you put it, Is your chute button okay?"
"Tone, you've asked that already!" Ste turned to his side and saw the light flicker on. "Yep, all sorted okay, Good to go?"
"Yeah" Tony fastened his mask against his face distorting his voice slightly like he was speaking through a radio. " Good to go Ste"
The jet jolted forward as he swung around and steadied the vehicle onto the runway, the wheels slowed their motion and when they were level Ste pushed down the lever and gained speed enough the plane juddered. At speed he shot past Brendan who was ready to fly himself, Ste cocky in his attitude saluted him on the way past pulling back on the thruster they asended quickly into the sky.
Clouds became whispy white trails of thin cotton wool in view, flying high above Ste used his skills to navigate through them, the supersonic boom they left in their wake would be heard for miles around the valleys below. He'd done this countless times and it didn't change the fact Ste was always awed by the sights up here. There had been times they'd climbed high enough to see the darkness of space before swan diving back down to earth in a barrel roll.
The flight offered them a sight hum through their bodies. Tony continued to keep a loose eye on the radar for any other movement through the sky and at first it seemed they were the only two up there.
"I've got movement" Tony cried through the mask.
Ste instantly alert looked around through the window "Is it Brendan?"
"No, Walker and he's heading up your arse, break right for gods sake, he'll engage us at this speed!"
Ste jerked the levers and plunged the jet into an inward dive to the right twisting the plane into a curl and moved quickly from Simon's radar. Tony looked all around them and the familiar hum of an engine told them they were far from alone up here.
"That was close"" Ste scoffed thrusting the nose upwards he sored straight up into the cloud belt above. "We can ride this for a moment"
"Walker has got Princess and Tasheman caught Soggy" Tony relayed to him through the radio while Ste cruised their smooth flight. Ste laughed. "Bloody call signs are terrible. That only leaves a few of us now. I'm gonna find Brendan, keep a look out for Walker, he's bound to be lurking around now."
"Says you who doesn't even have one?"
"So, neither does Walker. That's his last name he uses. Besides, nowt sounds right with my name does it?" Ste replied put out.
"What about 'blue eyes'?' Tony assisted in his plight
"Doesn't make me sound like a pilot though"
"But princess and soggy biscuit screams aviator of course" Tony replies inducing a laugh from Ste.
"I quite like 'Casper' cos I fly that quick no one sees me"
"The friendly ghost more like" Tony chuckles before gasping. "Oh no..."
A loud searing noise had them both in shock and wincing. Ste looked at his dash - they'd already been caught. "Boys, boys. Didn't see me creep up on ye huh?"
"Fuck!" Ste crashed his fist down hard on the dash and held his head back. "How could ya miss him?! He's flying a 20 tonne fighter jet!"
"Don't blame me?!" Tony exasperated "You was the one all high and mighty hiding above the bloody cloud belt!"
"That's enough gentlemen, ye are lucky this is just a simulation. Back to base" Brendan spoke and disengaged them soaring back down with a roar of his engine.
Ste sat by the window in class, it was overlooking the flight academy and all he could see were numerous hangers that housed the fighter jets he helped to fly. The long runway with landing lights that beat out a strobe light effect lay empty. Early afternoon now and the sun was high in the sky and beating down onto the concrete that steamed back it's heat into the atmosphere. The view wriggled in front of his gaze blurring inches off the ground.
Ste's head held heavy on his palm, mind miles away from the lesson going on behind him. There's a little voice that tries to shake him from his trance, a little voice that warns Ste to turn around. Ste blinks slowly and sighs low, face twitching to the side but fighting the urge to turn properly.
A rolled up piece of paper hits the back of his head, that's what stirs him from his gaze. Ste sharply sweeps his head around and eyes fixed on the direction from where it came from. He wasn't banking on Brendan standing there though. The older man had eyes of stone as he looked directly at him, hat tucked neatly under his arm, crisp dark blue uniform that not only clung to his every assett like a second skin, but also had his heart missing important beats.
Brendan however wouldn't be described as taken aback by Ste, more like afronted he'd think to look any kind of bored during the lesson. Ste visibly swallowed darting an eye at Tony who happened to be at the next desk along from him. His eyes rolled, he had tried to tell him afterall.
"Don't look at him, look at me" Brendan spoke in annoyance. "Are we boring ye? Somewhere else ye would like to be huh? "
Ste pulled on his thick skin and sat up straight. "No sir, I was just looking out of the window"
"Ah yes a habbit of yours that, probably why I managed to catch ye earlier this morning, daydreaming through the clouds. Trying to find a pretty rainbow were ye?" Brendan spoke sarcastically and set off a murmor of sniggers around the room at Ste's expense. He heated beneath his uniform and Brendan knew he was getting his back up.
"No sir" Ste spoke through gritted teeth and squashed the paperball flat in his palm after settling it on his desk. His side view capturing his friend Tony jumping out of his skin at the sudden movement. As Ste's blue crystal eyes held Brendan's deep oceananic gaze the atmosphere just created a heat around them.
"Ah of course" Brendan placed his hat on the desk at the front of the room breaking their conection, moved to the front of it and sat back proping himself there. Trousers straining at the crotch. Ste couldn't help dart his eyes there a brief second and Brendan caught him of course, the world was obviously plotting against the younger boy. His smirk was delicious, it brought out the redness of Ste's cheeks."Enlighten us..." Brendan clicked his fingers while glancing at the floor.
"Ste Hay" Ste grew more angsty, he damn well knew his name.
"Steven, yes I recall a man who can't hold his drink" Brendan's eyes were challenging when they'd flicked up to Ste's.
"Perhaps not stand in such close proximity to me next time then" Ste countered suddenly forgetting the room was full of cadets.
"Why, because my doing so causes an adverse skin reaction in ye Steven?"
Ste's eyes are stony. "My name is Ste and I'd kindly ask ya to use it in future" Ste's arms lay down on their forearms, Ste breaking their spell lowered his eyes to the paper he'd squashed flat earlier. Brendan inched a smirk that curled the corner of hs mouth then, seemingly too forgetting the entire class sat there waiting.
Tony coughed into his closed fist breaking their spell and allowing Brendan to continue the class as first proposed. A large screen hummed moving down from the wall displaying in front of them. A video began playing out and Brendan moved to switch the lights out as he did he couldn't help flick his eyes up once again at Ste who now watched the screen. Brendan leaned back against the wall and settled his hands deep into his trouser pockets. The lump in his throat dislodged harshly and his eyes darted cautiously around the rest of the people in his class, but they too were too busy with the video to notice his obvious distraction and the boy at the centre of it.
A couple of weeks had passed by and true to his word to Tony, Ste had buckled down into his studying. Each day the young pilots went up in the air and flew their jets, continued the flight simulations and completed classes with different flight instructors. They'd been given a test and Ste had been up half the night studying for it, but this had hindered him getting up on time. His alarm had gone off but he'd decided to hit the snooze button instead, and the last memories of Tony reminding him to get up relaying heavy on his mind. Tiredness coursed through his body when Ste had dragged his arse out of bed.
Ste rushed through the building quickly, he was late now. He nimbly slalomed through the people walking in the long corridors of the building, narrowly avoiding crashing into them as he did. Heart hammering at his rib cage he ran and struggled to steady his breathing. The elevator was in his sights and the door was closing. Ste gathered up as much energy as he could and raced to it handing caution to the wind and snaking his palm through the closing doors the sensor picked him up and opened the doors again.
Ste bounded in and held himself on his bent knees panting like he'd ran a marathon. He stayed that way and hoped his rib cage would continue to protect his heart from banging a way out of his chest.
"Ye all hot and bothered there Steven" Brendan's voice filtered through his noisy panting and he turned his head round slowly to capture the tall Irish man smirking at him, amused look upon his face. Ste couldn't believe it, and turned a wonderful shade of flurrousing. He suddenly felt embarrassed and straightened himself upright. He was now becoming a pro at this, winding up the flight instructor, although occassionally intentional, this had been a simple mistake.
Brendan was no longer smirlking, instead tilting his head and maping Ste's face with hungry eyes. The older man captivated by his wonderful reaction.
"Cat got your tongue?" Brendan's eyes bore so deeply into Ste's he forgot to breathe for a split second and in that moment realised what Tony had meant. This was the last thing he'd expected, they fought like cat and dog, He couldn't fancy him. But he did.
"I am...erm. Just come from...books" Ste exclaimed "Erm, I needed to get some books – for the test" He explained with a gulp, eyes flickering from Brendan to the floor but always finding their way back to his. He'd never looked before, not really. Ste edged closer and Brendan moved to stand straighter, his own adam's apple bobbing, Brendan pulled at Ste's shirt with two closed fingers.
"Where are these books then? Ye got a hiding place inside that uniform; only...seems pretty well clung to holster anything else" Brendan laid his eyes over him intensely.
"They are...I dropped them. Yeah, in my haste to get to class." Ste nodded with explanation.
"You're late" Brendan drawled, drawn like a magnet moved closer to Ste.
"So are you" Ste pointed out, standing so his eyes looked directly into Brendan's through his long lashes.
"I'm allowed to be late, it's my class after all" Brendan's eyes trailed down to Ste's lips, the younger boy licked a sheen across them so they'd shine with the wet.
"All I have do is beat you to the classroom, I get there first and you can't say owt"
"If I can catch ye in the air, what makes ye think I couldn't on the ground? I've already seen ye now"
"So what ya gonna do, Brendan? Punish me?" Ste spoke with an obvious purr to his voice and the curl of Brendan's brow made him smile.
"Ye address me as Sir" Brendan spoke gravely.
"Yes, Sir" Ste grinned and teased his hands high, crept against the thin cotton of Brendan's uniform, his fingers clawed softly.
The elevator door pinged loudly and pulled the pair apart from each other. Both men acted like they'd been burned as another officer walked in and looked over them both, scrutinising them and their obvious avoiding gazes. They practically oozed guilt.
Ste glared at his feet and bit against his fever induced grin and when the officer had turned away he'd looked back at the older man silently daring him to look too. He didn't disapoint, smoldering look on his face had Ste's knees weakening. The man in front suspicious, must have felt their invisible energy because he kept looking back at them as if to catch them out like a pair of naughty teenagers. He left the floor before their's and Brendan moved towards the doors ready to leave.
"My office after class." Brendan demanded in the gruffest voice he turned his head slightly "I won't have my students late for me"
Ste moved and stood behind him "I had a valid reason...but sure, I'll be there." The door opened and Ste bumped his body against Brendan's to leave.
The class had become that bit sweeter now, Ste made sure he wound up the older man whenever their eyes caught. Fluttering his long lashes and finding all ways posible he could draw the older man to his mouth, playing his fingers slowly over his parted lips, rolling a pen inside his closed mouth, weting the tip of his tongue across the pink flesh and smirking to himself whever Brendan got a rise out of it.
Ste enjoyed the feeling of teasing him and wanted to play the long game. Brendan didn't hold back either and managed his own little flirty gazes and gestures that had become incredible no one saw them at it. With half hour of the class left Ste had to concentrate on the paper in front of him and did that instead. It wasn't too difficult and the relief lightened him even more.
Tony stood in front of Ste and angled his head down to read over his paper "You finished? Doesn't look like it."
"No, I can't concentrate, I just need a bit more time." Ste hummed as he stretched his arms high over his head cracking the joints blissfully. "Where you off?"
"There's a few of us gonna play some pool, a bar on base, popular by all accounts. Wanna come?" Tony noticed Ste's eyes drifting off somewhere else as he spoke. Ste angled his head further around and Tony followed his line of sight scoffing seeing their flight instructor. "Still going there I see? You know nothings gonna happen don'cha?"
"Why not?" Ste drifted off his voice still dopey in his voyerism. "What?"
Tony shook his head."Your head isn't on the ball anymore – too busy thinking with your dick" Tony shocked Ste with his outburst.
"Hey, there's no need for that. My mind is still on the job, I can still pilot can't I?!"
"That's debateable. I'm off, perhaps you will finish the test with less distractions and we might have a slither of a chance to complete this course" Ste watched Tony walk away, his hand rubbing the stress lines from his face glanced around at the few other students left and buckled down on the test paper again.
Minutes passed by quickly during his time spent using his brain till it produced a feel of heaviness and the beginings of a headache muscled it's way in. Ste rubbed against the bridge of his nose blowing out a slight breath and gazed at the clock that ticked softly into the room. Without realising it he was now the last one left in the large room when he'd looked up from his test paper. His eyes ran along the empy seats and then found Brendan sat silently at his desk. Ste licked his dying lips and gathered up the paper in his fingers, dragging the chair backwards and wincing at the sharpness of it's noise.
The handsome instructor looked steady, head buried in a pile of paperwork he sat busy with the pen in his hand. Ste threw his own pen down standing up from his table, subtle in his approach stood and waited for a response. Brendan didn't look up leaving Ste to briskly clear his throat.
"Sorry, I didn't realise the time" Ste apologised, and waited. Brendan, who continued to look at his paperwork sort of grunted in reply irking Ste slightly, he wasn't remotely bothered.
"You wanted me to come to your office" Ste spoke and began to feel a little agitated at Brendan's lack of acknoledgement. Ste slammed the paper down on the desk visibly rousing the older man to flick his eyes over it. Ste moved to leave.
"Steven..." Brendan let go of his pen, the fall making it roll.
"My name is Ste" Ste replied and turned to Brendan his arms mapped his chest in a growing mood.
"I prefer Steven. Stop pretending ye don't like me calling ye that." Brendan finally looked up at him.
Ste shook his head "Whatever, I haven't the energy to argue anymore, I'm tired from that test ya gave us"
"Was it too challenging for ye?"
"No, I answered everything. Why don't ya check my paper"
"I will"
Ste watched Brendan move and walk across the room to settle at the side of Ste. The younder boy's lashes stood tall. "Why aren't ye at the bar like the others?"
"Brendan, you asked me to come to your office, remember? What, ya old age messin with your brain is it?" Ste quipped
"Ye call me Sir and are ye always this brazen with your superiors?" Brendan asks, brow raising.
"Sorry, sir. And I'd Thought about going now actually" Ste said, he looked past Brendan at the clock on the wall. "but I guess I spent too long on the test sheet"
"You're not struggling with it are ye?" Brendan looked over Ste and spoke with sincerity.
"No, and can you stop being unkind to me? Acting like I'm this massive problem in ya life." Ste stewed under his tightened arms.
"I think you'll always be my problem Steven" Brendan spoke truthfully and both men continued to look at each other in silence.
"You know I'm up here right?" Ste grinned when Brendan gazed at his mouth, couldn't be more obvious what Brendan's thoughts were. "You're curious aren't you?"
Brendan tilted his head, mouth parting "About what?"
"How my kiss would taste"
Brendan shook his head distantly "No"
"Liar, I think you wanna know. I think...you'd love to find out only you're too stuck up your own backside to admit it."
Brendan's smile widened.
"You're way off" He denied as his hands clawed inside the pockets of his trousers, the boy wreaking all kinds of reactions in his body.
Ste began to back off then, despite wanting to taste his kiss just as much. Brendan flicked his gaze back up then. "You're going? I don't recall dismissing ye"
"You sound disapointed" Ste heard it clearly lacing his voice.
"That a retorical question Steven?" Brendan closed their gap, his thumb daring, traced against Ste's lips. "I saw ye looking at me during class"
Ste gulped blinking "And you couldn't get enough" he replied.
"I like ye looking" Brendan's hand cupped Ste's face and pulled him in gently, cupped a light kiss against Ste's lips, the boy shyly made sight contact back, then they settled their eyes on each other again.
"Do ye want me to stop?" his brows raised questionably, smile painting his lips and raising his tashe.
Ste fingered attentively along his stubble and felt the rough of it against the pads of his fingers. Leaning back in he moved their lips together again languidly, Brendan's tashe brushed his mouth and stubble prickled a luscious burn over his chin. Ste let out a breathy moan into the kiss and shared Brendan's tongue with his own. They curled and tugged, Brendan's hand fingered the back of his neck and scraped a burn that had Ste deepening their embrace.
A noise in the corridor parted them.
"This extra curricular activity something all your students get?" Ste simmered looking back up at Brendan who seemed to flash back into reality. Unnerved he took a step back.
"You're my first" His voice croaked "And last – that shouldn't have happened" Brendan turned colder than his words had been and Ste reeled at the icy reaction.
Wait a minute, you kissed me remember? What, now it's a mistake?" Ste shook his head, finger pointing at his instructor.
"It was, ye should leave now." Brendan turned to walk away and Ste rushed to grab him back.
"Are you serious? I knew ya were cold but this...stay away from me Brendan, right" Ste shoved the older man hard in the chest knocking him off balance. He walked out of the room and slammed the door hard. Brendan winced and closed his eyes, cursing his actions placed his hands down hard on his desk.
Ste had gone straight to the locker room and banged shut one of the metal doors in frustration. No one had ever got under his skin as much as Brendan had. He needed to rid his angst and his arousal which kissing Brendan had created. Stripping off and allowing the water to clense his thoughts and cool down his flushed skin actually helped. Head resting against the tiles the steam filled shower had his mind drifting off.
Stepping out of the shower he wrapped a tight fit towel around his hips and sat down in the locker room feeling a lot better than he had been. He puffed out a long sigh and sat down on the long wooden bench laid down the middle of the room. His hands came up to cradle his face while his thoughts played out a tirade of worry. It had all become to much for the young pilot as his body shook with the beginings of a sob. Long gone was the cocky attitude.
Defined footsteps echoed through the tiled space and it moved him to peek his eyes up over his fingers to see who it was. Suprisingly Brendan stood there facing him, the last person he expected to see after the events from earlier. The flight instructor visibly aprehensive stood a moment flicking his eyes from Ste to the floor then back again. His body fell limp against a section of the lockers, arms folded tightly against his chest defining the muscles in his biceps.
"Come here to gloat have ya?" Ste spoke lowly, he didn't know how he'd found him. He didn't want to know. "Well go ahead, you won - congratulations. Kissing me, that's a pretty screwed up way of getting ya own back" Ste scoffed feeling so stupid with his actions.
Both men stared at each other in silence a few moments. Ste's eyes reddening with the frustration, tears gathered within his eye lids, his lashes darkened with the wet and matted but were still sinfully long. Brendan swallowed gazing upon them, upon Ste and discovering his breathing struggled whenever he was in the boys presence.
"It's not something I do, I've never..." he finally spoke suprising Ste to jump slightly. Brendan sighed and shifted on his feet. "You're the first student I've kissed."
Ste's fingers dragged down his face, he scoffed "Yeah, I gathered that much. Problem is you're screwing with my head."
"I can't afford to let anyone know. Luckily no one saw us this time, ye understand don't ye? These things happen, in the heat of the moment Steven..." Brendan tried but he was cut off by Ste.
"Oh, you don't want anyone to know? Get lost right, I don't care who you are, my instructor or not, you shouldn't kiss me if you're that bloody insecure" Ste slide swiped Brendan and shook his head.
"I'll let ye have that one Steven, I deserve it. Push me further and you'll have a disiplinery on your hands" Brendan stood up straight again, eyes hardening.
"Are you kidding, disiplinery? Was alright for you to shove your tongue down me throat though wasn't it?" Ste exasperated belting out a laugh that twisted his stomach into knots.
"What ye mean?" Brendan edged on the nervy side now, arms congregating in defense.
"Well ya used me, so was I worth it?" Ste spoke, anger fuelling his voice.
"I didn't use ye, I wanted to kiss ye Steven."
Ste swallowed and stood up to dry himself off, he couldn't listen to anymore crap. Ste stopped and glared at Brendan. "What, ya gonna watch?"
The older man flushed and twisted to face the other way, eyes to the celing. "I don't want this to effect your training Steven. Ye have such potential to become a great pilot" Brendan replied before turning to leave.
Ste stumbled to reach the end of the lockers, hand gripped to the low hung towel. "I am already a good pilot, and the arogance on you. What - ya think I'm gonna break now you've taken what you wanted? The earth didn't exactly move Sir"
Brendan lunged forward gripping the back of Ste's neck and laying down his lips hard over Ste's. The younger man gasping reacted quickly feeling Brendan's tongue coil around his own. The lockers shot a cold grip on Ste's back as he was manhandled against them, the metal rattle echoed in the large room.
Ste moaned and drew his hand up the back of Brendan's neck and hair, raked his nails down leading the older man to growl. Ste smiled into the kiss and he was pretty sure Brendan had too. The kiss deepened again and before they parted Ste dragged his teeth against Brendan's bottom lip scoring a tinge of iron from it. The older man hissed slightly and sucked in his lip, tasted his own blood.
"That ye getting your own back?"
"Maybe. Did it sting? Now ya know how it feels"
Brendan edged closer to Ste's mouth and waited. Ste eventually smiled and kissed him softer, sucked gentle at his lip. "That better?"
Brendan nodded and produced a filthy smirk.
"So cock sure of yourself Sir" Ste flushed a perfect red.
"Call me Brendan" Brendan replied his eyes trailed the length of Ste, the wet sheen sprinkling droplets over his torso, he licked his lips connecting Ste's eyes again. His thumb pressed a line over Ste's bottom lip protruding it. "I didn't use ye, okay?"
"Okay" Ste accepted Brendan's words and edged back enough the older man's breathing ceased to whisper against his lips.
"I need to..." Ste thumbed back to his locker his other hand shifting down Brendan's cotton material uniform. "So, you gotta let go of me"
Brendan drew his eye line down and saw his hand cradling Ste's waist, surprised he stepped back sharply letting go of Ste
"Now ain't we both had a thrill. You can run off now Brendan, tell yaself that was another mistake" Ste spoke touching a nerve in the Irish man. "Best hurry along, don't want anyone catching ya with me ey?"
"Ye certainly know how to rub it in" Brendan smiled, he still hadn't left and Ste still hadn't moved to get changed. The two men paused until they were interrupted by some other cadets. Brendan sidled out then and left Ste to stew in limbo.