Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they belong to Hollyoaks!
Summary: Leah finally gets her wish: a puppy. Brendan is less than pleased about this. One shot.
Rover
Brendan should have realised straight away that something was amiss. He woke up Saturday morning to a full English breakfast; bacon, sausages, toast, egg. Not to mention a strong, black coffee on the side. Steven came trundling into the room in his jogging bottoms and unbuttoned polo, looking delectable as ever. He bounced on the bed excitedly, grinning at Brendan like Christmas had come early. He stroked the crumbs from his moustache and fed him his toast, letting him lick his fingers clean in the process.
"What did I do to deserve this then, hm?" Brendan murmured, finishing off his final sausage.
"Can't a man treat his boyfriend to breakfast in bed?" Steven replied. He didn't quite look Brendan in the eye however. Naturally Brendan's suspicions were aroused.
"What is it?"
Steven shuffled awkwardly on the bed. "I need to ask you something." He said carefully.
"Go on…" Brendan prompted, immediately on the alert.
"I kind of promised Leah something…"
"Oh," Brendan said, relieved. "Is that it?"
"You don't know what it is yet."
"I'm sure it's fine, Steven."
"I promised her a puppy." Steven blurted out, jumping from the bed before Brendan could stop him.
"Ye did what?!"
Xxx
A few hours later and Brendan was spending his Saturday at a breeder's house, picking out a chocolate Labrador.
"Which one, Daddy?" Leah asked happily, holding Steven's hand tightly.
"Whichever one you want, sweetheart."
Brendan gave him a narrow look that didn't go unnoticed by Leah.
"Daddy Brendan." She said sternly, holding out her other hand to him.
Brendan sighed, taking the offered hand. "Do ye really want a puppy, Leah? They're a lot of hard work."
"Mummy said it was okay."
"Yes but Mummy's not here right now…"
"Brendan." Steven muttered, chastising him. "You said it was okay."
"I suppose." Brendan murmured, giving the puppies the once over. "How about that one?"
"Him?" Steven pointed to a puppy in the corner, away from his brothers. "He looks like a proper outcast."
"Exactly." Brendan said. "We'll take him."
Leah let go of their hands to clap excitedly. At the sound the puppy in question stood up on his hind legs, wagging his tail excitedly.
Xxx
"What do you want to call him then?" Steven asked as he began laying out newspaper on the floor.
"Fluffy!" Leah piped up.
"He isn't fluffy." Brendan said wearily from his place on the sofa. They'd only had him home five minutes and he'd already peed on the carpet.
"Choccie!" Lucas piped up, trying to pet the puppy but not quite managing it.
"How about Buster?" Steven suggested.
"Ye are all terrible name-givers." Brendan sighed. "Ye need a proper dog name like Rover or something."
"Rover!" Leah squealed and the puppy ran to her, trying to lick her face.
"I think that's settled that one." Steven beamed at him.
"I wasn't being serious…" Brendan murmured, but he was of course ignored.
Xxx
A few weeks passed by. Rover began to settle in properly and already he was becoming a part of the family. Brendan couldn't help but resent his presence. He loved the kids, was always trying to play with them and lick their faces. But most of all he adored Steven. Every time Steven left the house for work he'd whine and paw at the front door and Brendan would throw one of his toys at him to get him to shut up. He'd always give him that wounded puppy look and sulk until Steven returned home, fresh dog treats in his bag.
"Where's my treat?" Brendan would ask.
"You get enough!" Steven would say, bending down to pet and coo over Rover.
He flat-out refused to take the menace for any walks but after much pleading, Steven convinced him. He looked ridiculous with the small pup on the end of his lead, walking through the village trying to look unbothered. Rover even did a poo on his leather shoes on one of their trips out. The little bugger gave him the big, sad eyes full of apology after Brendan had shouted at him.
The final straw had been when Brendan had come home from work one evening, fully prepared to sex Steven to the max, and he'd walked in on Rover curled up asleep with him, on Brendan's side of the bed no less! He was absolutely not allowed on their bed but Steven had given him his own big, puppy eyes.
"But Brendan, he's sleeping!"
"Where am I supposed to sleep?"
"Amy's room?" Steven suggested, flushing.
He had to go.
Xxx
He'd woken up with a stiff back from Amy's mattress. He went out into the living room to find an apologetic note from Steven. He'd taken the kids to school and was at work all day. Rover was curled up in his own dog bed now. Brendan snarled at him distastefully. He collapsed on the sofa and drifted off for a while.
He was woken by a whining sound. Someone was knocking persistently on the front door. Brendan rubbed at his eyes wearily.
"Brenda!" Came a booming voice. "Don't you wanna let your old Da in?"
Brendan immediately tensed. Rover tensed too, his ears flattening.
"Don't make a sound." Brendan told him, his finger on his lips. Rover looked at him, his eyes wide like saucers. Somehow, he did what Brendan asked.
"I won some money on the dogs." Seamus said through the letterbox. "Thought we could go out and celebrate, father and son."
Brendan's back stiffened. He could barely move. Rover began to growl low under his breath, but not at Brendan. He was in full defensive mode.
"Suit yourself!" Seamus called out eventually before Brendan heard his retreating footsteps. He breathed a sigh of relief.
Since he'd moved out he'd managed to avoid Seamus as much as possible. It was almost as though he didn't exist anymore, almost. Hearing his voice out of the blue had shaken Brendan, reminded him of what he hadn't yet managed to tell Steven.
Rover nudged his shin with his nose, whining sadly. It was almost as though he could sense Brendan's own sadness. He hadn't realised the little mutt cared.
"What do ye want? A treat?"
Rover jumped up onto the sofa then, laying himself across Brendan's lap. He rolled onto his back, exposing his belly. Brendan remembered a few nights ago when Steven was tickling Rover's tummy and Brendan had asked why he wouldn't tickle his.
"Dirty git!" He'd laughed.
Now Brendan found himself rubbing Rover's tummy, finding it soothing after the coldness of his father's visit. Perhaps the mutt wasn't so bad after all. He was alright when he was well behaved. Certainly Brendan was used to living with someone over excitable and affectionate.
"Ye love him, don't ye?" Brendan asked the dog. Rover started to pant happily. "Figures. The boy's pretty lovable, hm?"
Rover wagged his tail.
"But ye know, I'd appreciate being able to sleep next to him."
Rover's ears drooped a little.
"I'm not saying ye can't, but when I'm here…" Brendan trailed off, feeling increasingly foolish that he was talking to a dog. "I'm still knackered myself actually."
Rover tilted his head to the side enquiringly.
Xxx
Ste came home from work early that day. He was starting to worry how Brendan was dealing with Rover. He didn't seem to like having to share Ste's affection with anyone, especially not a dog.
He was surprised to walk through the door and not have Rover run excitedly to him. Feeling uneasy, Ste called out Brendan's name. When he heard nothing in response he went to their bedroom. He stopped short in the doorway at the sight that greeted him.
Brendan was curled up on the top of the covers, fast asleep. Rover was asleep beside him, his tail wagging happily. He opened one eye at Ste's presence, as if deliberating whether to run to him. He took one look at Brendan's weary face and closed his eye again.
Ste leaned against the doorway, amazed and touched. He went over to Brendan, pulling a blanket over him. He'd been so stressed lately, even without his father's constant presence. Perhaps Rover would help him, man's best friend and all that. Ste suspected that Rover had a new favourite now but he didn't mind because it would be nice to see Brendan actually have a true friend.
Ste laid in the crook of Brendan's arm, fancying a nap himself. Brendan stirred enough to grunt and wrap his arm around Ste's stomach, stroking his stomach absently like he wanted to tickle his tummy. Ste laughed silently until he too fell asleep; Rover's little snores both reassuring and welcome.