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Summary: It's been five years and finally Brendan Brady is making his way out of prison and of course, there's only one place he's heading to, only one person he has to see. Steven Hay.
AN: I know I haven't written anything in AGES but I hope this is okay. The recent Brendan/Dublin mentions made me so happy that I had to write something, plus its Christmas so no college and I have LOADS of spare time; meaning, I'll probably be able to write a lot more at the moment! This is the first story in this… series? I don't know what you would call it… basically each 'chapter' will just be a mini story! I hope you enjoy. Also, most of these stories will be M.
...
His senses are overloaded as soon as he steps out of the prison gates, the air is too clean, the noises too familiar yet different because he hasn't heard them in so long. Hasn't heard the birds tweeting or the sound of the wind rustling the leaves in years and it's strange to think how much he has missed these simple things, the things that good people take for granted.
He pulls his coat tighter around him, the one he wore to Dublin, the one Cheryl brought to him when she found out about his pending release, and shivers.
It's just been so long.
He made sure his release wasn't in the papers or on the news, he didn't… didn't want Steven to find out that way. He deserves better than that. Brendan's thoughts have been plagued with that man ever since he was dragged into his cell; he would toss and turn all night. Imagining how much warmer he would have been if Steven was curled around his body, how he wouldn't be complete until he was back in Steven's arms; until the other man can comfort him and tell him everything is going to be okay. Until Steven can love him, even though everyone else classes him as a monster. He thought that day would never come up until a few weeks ago.
He remembers his lawyer telling him new evidence had been found and a certain Warren Fox admitting to a crime he didn't commit… Brendan will never understand why Foxy said he killed Danny and when Brendan questioned him later on that night, since he and Foxy had conveniently been made cell mates, Warren simply said he was in prison for life anyway, that he had nothing to lose whereas Brendan did. He had his kids, his sister but most of all… he had Steven and it seems Foxy did have a heart under that cold exterior after all.
The other evidence consisted of only one thing – the CCTV from the club that fateful night. His lawyer said the evidence was sent to the police by an anonymous source, it showed his father attacking him, him being on the floor and it was proof he never killed Seamus. Luckily, for Cheryl's sake, the tape had completely cut her off, it only showed a gun being pointed from the corner and that was it; the police still didn't know it was her.
As for his nana and the other's, the judge said he should never have been charged for them murders. That when he admitted to the crimes, he wasn't in the right frame of mind and anyway, there wasn't enough evidence to suggest he had even been involved…
Brendan is dragged from his thoughts by a high pitched squeal, he peels open his eyes against the cold December wind and sees someone he didn't expect at all. Anne. She's running towards him, her arms outstretched and when she reaches him, pulling him into a squeezing hug; he peers over her shoulder and sees his sister looking at them, tears in her arms as she walks over, joining the hug and when they part, Brendan's own eyes and swimming with tears and he whispers something only the two of them can hear.
"I need to see Steven."
...
He's lounging in bed when there's a knock at the door, his head banging from the excessive alcohol he and Sinead had been drinking last night and he drags himself up before hauling to the front door.
He's shocked when he sees John-Paul; they haven't really had much contact with each-other ever since his dad left Sam for him, he had broken up his family and Ste sneers at him when John-Paul smiles.
"What do you what?" He sighs, feels too ill to be putting up with John-Paul's shit. It's too close to that day for him to be communicating for people, he would much rather lay in bed, wallowing in self-pity and thinking about how happy he was five years ago than talk to anyone.
There has been no-one since Brendan. There never could be, other than Doug of course but apart from that, there could never be anyone. Brendan is too engrained into him, he's deep down inside him; settled in the pit of his heart and he aches for him. He hurts every day just thinking about the other man but Ste knows he can never have him, there's only one thing left and that's the cross that hangs around his neck twenty-four-seven.
John-Paul has the decency to look ashamed of himself, he knows how Ste feels about him and yet he's still here, annoying the fuck out of him. "I don't know how to say this Ste but… Cheryl's here, I've seen her and –".
Ste cuts him off my shutting the door in his face, he couldn't care less about Cheryl and the fact she's probably visiting her precious brother, the brother whose happiness she stole away; she's the one who put Brendan there in the first place and Ste will never understand why Brendan let her visit him but not him. It's not fair, Brendan didn't even think about him when he fucking got himself sent down. It makes Ste think everything was a lie; how can you leave someone if you love them as much as Brendan said he loved him. He could never have left the other man, no matter what he did or who he had to protect. He could have never left Brendan.
He mopes back to his bedroom and falls onto the bed, curling up as he feels silent tears drop down his cheeks. He knows it's always going to be like this now; he's always going to feel lonely and empty because he's missing a massive part of himself, he's missing the one person that makes him whole and he's never going to be complete until Brendan's back in his arms.
…
"Are you sure about this Brendan? You know Ste might not be the same…" Cheryl mumbles as Brendan looks out of the car window and smiles sadly, he knows Steven still lives in this flat, he can see the tell-tale signs of him still living there. Leah and Lucas's old drawings hanging on the kitchen wall, Steven's favourite mug on the draining board… it's all he can see but he knows Steven is just behind that front door.
He's only been out a week and every day he's been craving for Steven but he's had to get prepared, sort out his money, where he can live, his clothing, his appearance… he's had to make sure everything is perfect before he returns to Steven because that man only deserves the best.
He slowly turns his head to Cheryl and nods, "I'm positive Chez, I can't be away from him any longer…" and with that; Brendan slowly opens the car door before walking over to the front and knocking quietly, his breath hitching and stopping when the front door begins to open.
...
He doesn't understand what he's seeing when the door opens, he's finally lost his mind and now he's seeing things; only, when he begins to close the door a hand reaches out and stops it from shutting.
"Steven…" It is Brendan, it's got to be Brendan and Ste can feel the tears falling down his face because how can this be true? How can the one person he's been missing for five years just be standing in front of him, smiling like he hasn't broken Ste's heart more than once and at that moment in time, something seems to snap inside him. He feels rage, something he cannot control because why is Brendan back here? Sure, he misses him more than anything and he's the love of his life but Brendan obviously didn't feel the same way because what did he do? He just left him when they had barely gotten started.
"What? What are you doing here? How are you even…" the wave of emotion that comes over him causes him to scowl and stare at the man stood in front of him because he's never felt such conflicting things before and he just wants to kiss Brendan and hit him before kissing him again. In the end, he ends up doing two of those things.
He's pulling Brendan towards him before he can blink and their lips crash together, their tongues tangling t as Brendan pushes Ste up against the wall and before Ste knows it his leg is hooking over Brendan's hip and their grinding together before he realises what he's doing and then he's shoving Brendan away before slapping him across the face.
"What the fuck are you doing Brendan?! You think you can just walk in after all this time and try to get me back? Do you know how much you've put me through?!" The whole thing seems fruitless, considering his lips are still tingling from the kiss but to emphasise his point anyway, he begins punching Brendan's chest; trying not to realise how much stronger Brendan feels and after that, it all passes as a blur and before he knows it, he's waking up in Brendan's arms, their legs tangled together.
…
A week. It's been a week now and they've talked it all through; Ste finally realising the longer he's angry at Brendan, the longer they have to spend apart and with it being Christmas day now, there was no point in being bitter forever. He's slowly forgetting and just appreciating the time he and Brendan have now, they have the rest of their lives after all.
"Brendan?" Ste turns in Brendan's arms and looks up at him with a small smile on his face.
"Hmm?"
"I love you…" Brendan chuckles quietly and pulls Ste closer to him before kissing over his lips gently.
"I love you too, Steven. Always have, always will."
…
OKAY! I am not happy, but meh. The next story will hopefully be longer and a lot better, there will be a better storyline too :P I think… please review!