He's unlike the others; Brendan knew this, he'd always known this. He glanced at Ste from across the room. There's something that makes him different, something unique. Something he would almost call special, that is of course if Brendan knew the meaning of the word.
But he has to keep what he feels inside buried, because he knows where that path leads to. He's been down there before and he doesn't like where it ends.
So instead he's cruel, well that is to say crueller to Ste then he is the others at least.
He picks faults, criticises when he's done nothing wrong. He gives him the worst shifts, the worst jobs and makes him serve the worst customers.
Ste would be a fool not to notice, but he doesn't understand, how could he? He assumes Brendan has it in for him because he's gay or maybe because of his young age. He's never given any real indication for the reason behind his constant disproval towards him. But they both know it's there. Ste never asks why and besides, Brendan would never tell him if he did ask.
"He's doing it again!" Ste's colleague Rhys muttered from under his breath, the pair of them were behind the bar cleaning glasses.
"Doin' what?" Ste questioned, glancing at Brendan who was in his office, reading papers.
"Ah! You missed it, he was doing that thing where he stares at you, totally freaks me out. Doesn't it freak you out?" Rhys continued to clean the same glass, buffing it to a brilliant shine.
"Nah! I'm used to it now aren't I? I 'spose I should be flattered really?" Ste stated as he placed his dry glass onto the shelf behind them and grabbed another wet one from the washer.
"How d'ya figure that?"
"Well…you'll think this daft, but, I kinda see his constant nagging at me as a sign that he sees potential in me….you know, like he's groomin' me or summit!"
"Groomin' you for what though Ste." Rhys paused as he looked up again at Brendan, who currently had his hand to his nose whilst staring at the pair of them once more "Jesus if he touches his moustache anymore he'll pull it right out!"
Ste looked up. Rhys was right. There he was, Brendan Brady, all suited and booted, doing his usual thing of stroking his forefinger and thumb against his very neatly kept moustache, whilst pacing his small office.
"I like it when he does that!" Ste responded, quite shocked himself when the words escaped from his mouth.
Rhys looked at the expression splashed across Ste's face; he looked almost in awe at Brendan and as Rhys watched Ste began to move his fingers in the same motion as Brendan.
"I wonda' if I could grow a moustache." Ste asked. He turned and faced away from Brendan whilst still stroking his upper lip.
Rhys slapped Ste's hand away from his face "You need to hit puberty first mate." Rhys laughed as he placed a hand to Ste's back. The pair fell into each other as they continued to laugh. "Hey" Rhys nudged Ste with his elbow "You wouldn't fancy him now would you?"
"What makes you say that?"
"Err! The brooding. And also the fact that when I said he was staring at you your eyes lit up. I mean obviously it totally grosses me out, but….do ya, you know, fancy him!"
"He's totally hot, drop dead gorgeous. But not my type!" Ste stated as he folded his arms across his chest.
"Oh yeah, whys that then?"
"I want someone nice; it's not all about looks Rhys!"
"Bollocks is it…who wants nice?"
Ste laughed "I'm not saying I wouldn't be up for it, but it's not worth thinking about it….afterall he's my boss and he's not interested in men"
cough
Neither of them had heard the clicking of heels attached to expensive shoes coming towards them and neither of them were sure how much Brendan Brady had heard.
"Stephen!" Brendan put his hands onto the bar, his concentration completely focussed on Ste as both he and Rhys turned to look at their boss. To be honest, Rhys could have been invisible to Brendan. "Do ah pay you to laugh and joke around now?"
Ste shook his head "No Brendan, sorry. But it's dead in here!"
"Ah! So ya looking for something to do now are ya?" Brendan asked, shifting his weight from foot to foot, still not having acknowledged Rhys' existence.
"Well yeah! Anything beats cleaning glasses, dead boring!"
"It's just I wouldn't want to interrupt your little chat, now would I? God forbid for me to put work in the way of your little mothers meeting."
"Sorry Brendan" Rhys muttered
"Was ah talking to you?" Brendan asked Rhys, but he did not take his eyes from Ste's for a moment.
"No!"
"Well shut it then. Someone was sick last night in the ladies Stephen, needs cleaning."
"Oh ok! I'll go get the mop and bucket then" Ste looked puzzled, he'd checked the ladies out already, he hadn't seen or smelt anything.
Once Ste was out of earshot, Brendan leant closer to Rhys and whispered into his ear…."Piss off!"
"What?"
"Go home, shifts over."
Rhys looked at his watch "Nah! Still got another two hours yet, it's Ste's shift that's finished."
"I'll still pay ya, just get to fuck." Brendan stated, narrowing his eyes at Rhys.
Rhys knew that look; he knew not to mess with Brendan when he had that look.
"Ok Ok, I'm going."
Whilst Rhys grabbed his coat, Brendan headed around behind the bar. He reached out for a small glass and poured himself a medium sized glass of whiskey. Nudging his head slightly, he smiled to himself and knocked it back in one.
He had to make his decision now, it wouldn't take Ste long to figure out the whole cleaning of the toilet was a hoax. Then he'll question why. Why did he send Ste in there and what would his answer be.
Would he admit that he just overheard them two talking about him, heard Ste say that he thought he was hot! That thought sent tingling sensations through him. He could resist him, whilst he thought that Ste was repelled by his meanness, but even still he fancied him. Despite his cruelty he still found him attractive.
He'd wanted Ste since the first moment he'd laid eyes on him. He'd eyed him from a distance as he'd served drinks and got chatted up by customers. He'd watched in the shadows when he'd seen men leave Ste's apartment first thing in the morning. He'd beaten himself up over the thoughts he'd had of wanting to be that man, of wanting Ste to want him.
The deeper his attraction towards Ste became the more Brendan acted out against him. The worse he treated him and the more Brendan began to hate himself.
It wasn't just his youthful good looks. It was him. It was Ste's nature, Brendan liked it.
He rested his arms against the bar as he heard the door to the ladies toilet squeak open, shortly followed by an annoyed looking Ste.
Brendan didn't hear what came out of Ste's mouth; he couldn't concentrate for looking at Ste's naked torso…
"Hello? Earth to Brendan, I said where's the sick, I can't see any. It certainly don't smell much like sick in there!"
"Why…..err…..why's your shirt not on ya back Stephen!"
"Ah took it off didn't ah! Didn't want to get all sick down it, but then ah…."Ste stopped talking and just looked.
Brendan's eyes were practically boring through him. Ste turned around to look behind him, convinced that Brendan must be looking at something in the distance.
"It's you I'm staring at Stephen." Brendan stated, his eyes merrily dancing over Ste's naked body.
Ste gulped, taking a step away from the bar he didn't know where to look. "I don't understand, what's happening."
Brendan stepped to his side, to the edge of the bar so he could walk closer towards Ste. All the while Ste walking backwards. "Will ye just stand still Stephen?"
Ste stopped in his tracks. "You're looking at me funny Brendan!"
"It's 'cause I thought you were all skin and bone, but…" Brendan stopped walking towards Ste now, he'd gotten within reaching distance "you've got abs Stephen."
"I work out!"
"I see that." Brendan stated as he gently glided one of his fingers across the skin above Ste's belly button.
Ste shuddered, his whole body trembling. He'd lied to Rhys. He didn't just think this man was hot, he thought he was everything. And now he was touching him. Was this really happening, was it a dream, how had this happened?
"I heard ye talking about me Stephen." Brendan leant into Ste's ear, for a moment Ste almost thought he was going to bite it. "It's rude to talk about someone behind their back, have you got something you wish to say to me?"
Ste shook his head, still shaking uncontrollably. "No, nothing."
Brendan pulled back from Ste's ear "Oh" he removed his hand from Ste's skin and stepped back slightly "My mistake."
Neither of them moved. Well, neither of them moved position. Ste was moving on the spot, he was still shaking. He didn't feel scared, but he was definitely stuck in a flight or fright scenario.
Brendan tilted his head to the side "Or maybe I'm not…why you shaking Stephen?"
"Because, you…you had your hand on me." Ste replied stepping closer.
"And that's bad because?"
Ste shook his head "No it's good, it's very good…good like you wouldn't believe. But also bad, so very bad, because you're my boss and you're not into men, you're not into me!"
Brendan leant his head into Ste's, their foreheads colliding "Let's get one thing straight shall we, excuse the pun, but I'm no queer Stephen."
Ste's head shook again "No, I know, I wasn't saying….."
Brendan put a finger to Ste's lips to stop him from talking "Now a queer would take an interest in any man. Me? I'm content with just the one, if he be interested in me!"
Ste nodded "I'm interested Brendan, so interested."
"Good boy Stephen. That's what ah like to hear."
Ste closed his eyes as he felt the whiskey tainted lips brush against his. Brendan's hand was surprisingly soft against his cheek. He never imagined it could be this tender with Brendan. Ste quickly gained confidence and began to kiss Brendan back harder, walking him backwards across the floor to the bar until Brendan's arse collided with it. He pushed his tongue into Brendan's, he tasted sweet, he could taste the mixture of spearmint gum and malt whiskey. It tasted good, a taste that should be bottled, kept and never forgotten.
Ste couldn't help but release a small moan as he felt Brendan's hand slide under the waist of his trousers and the two pulled back from each other.
Brendan was feeding from the wanting look in Ste's eyes. But just as his hand began to slide lower down almost reaching the waist of his pants a noise downstairs startled the pair and Brendan pushed Ste away, almost making him fall to the floor.
"Hello?" Cheryl called out
"Up here Sis!" Brendan replied, shaking his head at Ste and putting a finger to his lips.
"There ye are…" she replied as reached the top step, walking over she leant in and kissed Brendan on the cheek. "You alright Ste, you look a little flushed pet? And where's your shirt love?"
"He's fine" Brendan spoke over Ste's mumblings "He was just going home weren't you Stephen! He's not feeling too well"
"Err…yeah, sure….if that's what ya want."
Brendan nodded "See ye back here at nine for the late shift. Get some rest"
"Yeah" Ste responded, deciding he'd take Brendan up on that and get as much bloody rest as he could, sensing that maybe he might need it for later.