Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they belong to Hollyoaks!

Summary: Ste gives Brendan a night to remember. One-shot. As requested by Lman :)

Just This Once

"Brendan" Stephen said decisively, sitting up a little in bed.

"Yes?" Brendan asked wearily.

"Have you ever…" Stephen trailed off uncertainly. Glancing at him, Brendan noticed his cheeks reddening.

"Have I ever what?" Brendan questioned, hiding his smirk. He loved Stephen when he was like this; sweet and unsure, testing how far he could push Brendan. Except he didn't even realise that Brendan would forgive him anything now.

Stephen coughed, hiding his discomfort. "Have you ever let a man… you know…" he looked at Brendan out of the corner of his eye. "Return the favour?" Stephen hid beneath the covers after emphasising the last three words.

Brendan blinked several times, unsure of how to respond. "Once" he finally said, appalled how croaky his voice sounded. "My first…" he coughed, peering beneath the covers at Stephen. "Why do ye ask?" he stroked the top of Stephen's hair to reassure him it was okay to resurface.

"I just…" Stephen teetered uneasily. "I want to give you pleasure, like you do for me" Stephen blushed even harder. Brendan thought he could feel him shaking. He pulled him against his chest.

"Its okay, Stephen" he said soothingly, kissing the point just below his earlobe. "But I don't know"

"You aren't sure?" Stephen asked, looking up at Brendan's face. "But you're so confident"

"The other way around, ye" Brendan said, hating himself for sounding so vulnerable.

"Just think about it, yeah?" Stephen gave him that look. The look which told Brendan he was unwavering in his conviction, his certainty that he could do this for Brendan. The way he would do anything for Brendan, if he asked. It made Brendan feel warm in the pit of his stomach.

"I'll sleep on it" Brendan acquiesced.

Stephen grinned, satisfied. "Thank you"

xxx

Something very strange happened in the middle of the night. Brendan dreamt of hands between his legs, stroking, teasing. He dreamt of a beautiful face, lashes framed in gold, lithe body pressed against his own.

"Brendan" a voice said, faraway. "Let me do this. Just this once"

Brendan had nodded; his hands shaking in anticipation, his cock twitching in willing acquiesce.

"Stephen" he breathed. "Please"

And that was the moment Brendan woke up. His entire body was covered in a thin sheet of sweat and he realised with some trepidation that he was terribly erect. Stephen had stirred, apparently sensing Brendan's discomfort through his own haze of sleep.

"What's the matter?" He asked groggily.

"I want it" Brendan said, his voice higher than normal.

Stephen's eyes widened. "Now?" his voice broke on that single word.

"Yes" Brendan said, fingers tightening around the bed covers.

Stephen sat up, pushing the hair out of his eyes. He pulled from beneath his pillow a small bottle of lubricant. Brendan gave him a hard look but Stephen only smiled.

"Just in case"

Brendan closed his eyes, his hands still balled into fists.

"You need to relax" Stephen said gently, stroking his knuckles, willing Brendan to unclench them.

Brendan slowly released his fingers, breathing softly through his nose. He laughed in wry amusement as Stephen gently slid his boxers down. "Oh how the roles have reversed"

Stephen chuckled, his fingertips trailing Brendan's cheek. "You trust me?" His blue eyes bored into Brendan's, searching. Brendan didn't even blink.

"Absolutely"

Stephen nodded, bowing his head and taking in Brendan's form as though attempting to solve a puzzle. He squirted some lubricant onto his fingers, rubbing them together. He sat cross-legged in front of Brendan, looking like a lost boy confronted with a huge challenge. It wasn't far from the truth.

"Ready?" He asked, his voice trembling a little.

Brendan nodded, taking Stephen by surprise and pulling him towards him for a kiss.

Everything after that was quite a blur. Stephen was slow and gentle, only progressing in his preparation when Brendan was ready. At one point Stephen slowed things right down, coming to lie by Brendan's side as he stroked him, as though needing the reassurance that he was doing okay. Brendan had kissed him softly, then deeply, almost tasting himself on Stephen's lips.

Stephen lined himself, pulling Brendan's legs apart. It was almost easy, slotting himself there. He was so slight, and Brendan was reassured that he wouldn't be overpowered, and that was important to him.

Stephen looked at him, his jaw tightening in determination. He slid himself inside, his eyes widening with the feel of Brendan around him. This was a first for the two of them, Brendan was sure. He hadn't been entirely honest before. Stephen was his first, and his only. He hadn't wanted to intimidate the boy previous to his completing the act. It only would have frightened him, after all. It wasn't as though Brendan had never pleasured himself but the idea of a man encompassing him so completely in this manner was an alien concept to him, until Stephen had come along. He didn't know why; it certainly wasn't because Stephen was smaller than him, or weaker in any way. If that had been the case he would have allowed his previous lovers to do this. But no, it was about trust, and need. He needed Stephen to know he was laid bare to him, in every aspect of their relationship. And more than that, Brendan craved this. His dream tonight hadn't been his first and he was sure it wouldn't be his last. He would be dreaming of this moment for a long time after it happened.

Taking himself back to the present, Stephen was slowly pushing himself all the way inside. He wasn't as large as Brendan but Brendan winced a little at the contact, readying himself to be comfortable. Stephen froze, his gaze unsure. Brendan stroked the back of his neck soothingly, urging him in deeper. Brendan couldn't withhold the small gasp which escaped his lips as Stephen began to slowly move inside of him. It was out of this world, being the receiver, feeling him occupy his body in a way no one else had before. This was a bond exclusively for them, and it gave Brendan the strongest sense of ownership he had ever felt.

"My…" Brendan groaned out. "My…" he bucked his hips a little. "Mine"

Stephen moaned above him, immediately burying his head in the crook of Brendan's neck. Brendan wrapped his hands around Stephen's buttocks, squeezing tightly.

"Fuck!" He ground out as Stephen slowed his pace. "Faster, please"

Stephen repositioned himself so that Brendan could see his face and body. "Like this?" Stephen asked, picking up the pace.

Brendan nodded frantically, taking Stephen's hands and placing them against his chest.

What followed next was pure oblivion. It was as though all the sound in the room had disappeared and all that was left were Brendan's soft groans and Stephen's quickened breathing. Towards the end, Brendan wrapped his legs around Stephen's waist, pulling him in further to his body. Stephen had to reposition his hands to either side of Brendan's shoulders. One of Brendan's hands was curled up in the pillow, the other reached out, taking Stephen's smaller hand in his warm, larger one.

He climaxed only a few moments later, crying out Stephen's name and grasping his hand so tightly he was afraid afterwards that he had broken it. But as he looked at Stephen, shuddering and climaxing in pure shock and delirium, he knew that he was fine, and would certainly want to do this all over again sometime soon.

Stephen collapsed against Brendan's chest, not withdrawing himself at first so that he could savour the moment. It was almost as though he expected this to be the only time he was allowed and yet Brendan knew he had been more than blatant in his appreciation.

"Was that…?" Stephen left the question unanswered. He sounded exhausted.

"Yes" Brendan breathed, wrapping his arms around Stephen's back. "Well done"

Stephen laughed a little hysterically. "Never have I…shit, that was…" he pulled himself out carefully, tidying himself up a little before lying down beside Brendan.

"Ye did good" Brendan told him, his fingers making invisible patterns over Stephen's bare back.

"Better than your first?" Stephen looked at Brendan, his eyes wide and trusting.

Brendan simply stared at him. "I don't know, ye had best ask him"

Stephen's mouth fell open comically. Brendan laughed low in his throat, leaning forwards to kiss Stephen hungrily. He rested his forehead against him, breathing him in.

"Thank ye"

"For what?"

Brendan shook his head. "One day ye will realise"

Stephen nodded mutely, moulding himself against Brendan's body. "Sleep now?" he asked tiredly.

"Ye" Brendan agreed, yawning. "Sleep, my boy. Sleep well"

"Yes…" Stephen said, already drifting. He nipped Brendan's flesh gently with his teeth before dozing off. "You're mine too" he said softly, falling promptly sleep.

Brendan smiled. Tonight only proved just how true that was.