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

Summary: Ste comes home to a surprise from Brendan.

A/N: Okay this fic was requested by Lman. It's just some light-hearted fun, quite silly but hopefully enjoyable :)

Sweet

Brendan let himself into Stephen's flat. The lad had given him his keys, inviting him to make himself at home. Brendan swept around the small space, taking note of how tidy it was despite the fact that two small children lived here. He sat on the edge of the sofa, his hands clasped in front of him. Stephen had only popped to the shops quickly to get them some dinner.

Brendan wasn't really hungry but Stephen had insisted. Something about 'normality' had crossed his lips, as though they were a normal couple. Brendan rolled his eyes, his hands tightening. It wasn't easy, being in a relationship like this, trying to make sense of what it meant and what he ought to do to make it work. Stephen was patient enough, he had to be, but sometimes Brendan caught the odd look on his face which told him that Stephen wanted more. He wanted Brendan to hold him in public, to walk down the street hand in hand. But Brendan wasn't ready for that, he wasn't sure he ever would be.

Sometimes Brendan simply wanted to forget all of the angst and simply engross himself in Stephen's company. Certainly when they were alone, they indulged in each other; whether that meant becoming lost in each others bodies or Brendan simply holding Stephen close to himself, wanting nothing more than to be lost in their own private bubble, outside world be damned.

They got by fine enough. They would spend most of their evenings together either at work or at each other's places. Brendan considered a few times asking Stephen to move in with him but it seemed too soon. They were only now beginning to settle into a routine and even that was precarious. Brendan often found himself becoming frustrated, needing space and time to reflect. Stephen in contrast always seemed to want to be near, even if he sat in Brendan's office from time to time when he knew Brendan was agitated and didn't say a word, was just a familiar and warm presence that Brendan could take comfort in or not.

Brendan wished things could be easier, could make more sense. He often found himself longing for his childhood when all he had to worry about was stealing money from his Ma's purse for sweets. But of course that wasn't all he had to worry about at that age, with his Da throwing punches around. Nothing was ever easy.

Sighing, Brendan stood and went to Stephen's bedroom. He sat on the bed, only to wince and immediately stand once more as something poked him in the rear. Cursing in frustration, Brendan noted all of the sweets strewn over the bedcovers. It must have been the kids; the bag had split and spilt everywhere. Brendan huffed out a breath in annoyance, gathering the sweets into his palm and putting them back into the bag.

He paused on the last handful, popping one into his mouth and savouring the sweet flavour. He hadn't indulged in sweets for years; it was an appetizer people grew out of as adults, or at least Brendan did. Opening Stephen's bedside drawer to put the packet away, Brendan found himself barking out a laugh at what he saw. More sweets in carefully sealed bags. So much for them being the kids' then.

It sometimes hit him how young Stephen was; how full of youth and life he was. Brendan considered the idea that he always went for younger types and he wondered whether they brought something out in him that he would lose otherwise. A softness perhaps, an ability to look at life in a different way and enjoy it. Stephen certainly fit the bill. The way he looked at him sometimes, full of naivety and innocence, Brendan felt humbled by it. No matter how they had gotten here, Brendan didn't want to diminish Stephen's light, he wanted to cherish it, warm himself from the inside with its purity. Most of all he wanted to make Stephen happy, even if that meant making himself uncomfortable sometimes in the process. Struck by a sudden idea, Brendan grinned. He would show Stephen how laid back he could be, how open-minded. The lad wouldn't know what hit him.

xxx

"Bren! I'm home" Ste called out, practically throwing his shopping bags onto the counter. There was no response. Ste frowned, his heart sinking at the thought that Brendan had left, or worse, hadn't been there at all.

He walked around the small flat, peering into rooms. When he reached his own bedroom, he froze. A shopping bag he was still carrying in his hand dropped unceremoniously to the floor.

"Brendan!" Ste exclaimed, his eyes wide in shock. "What are you doing? Just what?"

"Wanna taste?" Brendan asked with a wolfish smile, taking one of the sweets laid across his body from his bellybutton and popping it into his mouth. "Ye are the one with the sweets stash, aren't ye, Stephen?"

Ste flushed visibly, walking further into the room. "And you decided to lather yourself in them? Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Brendan asked, his eyebrows raised.

"Um, not really?" Ste said, laughing nervously.

"Come here" Brendan said. Ste hesitated. "Stephen, I said come here" Brendan repeated. Ste had a sudden sense of déjà vu. He walked forwards deliberately, crawling onto the bed and coming to rest against Brendan's chest. Brendan bent his mouth close to Ste's ear, his breath ghosting against Ste's neck and making him shiver. "I want ye to eat them off of me" Brendan told him, wry amusement evident in his voice.

Ste spluttered. "Eat sweets off of my naked Irishman boyfriend? Sure, no problem!" His voice pitch increased in hysteria and astonishment.

"Hey, since when have I been yer boyfriend?" Brendan purred, wrapping his hand around the back of Ste's neck and pulling him close for a kiss.

Pulling away, breathless, Ste surveyed the task in front of him. Rising to the challenge, he bent his head low, picking up the sweets nestled in Brendan's chest hair with his teeth. Brendan stroked the back of his head in encouragement, pushing him further down his body. Ste almost choked with laughter as he reached Brendan's groin, lapping up the sweets and giving Brendan's cock a furtive lick in the process. Brendan groaned, stroking the hairs at the back of Ste's neck.

"Come on, son" he protested.

Ste smiled impishly at him. "I'm eating, mind your manners"

Once every sweet had been eaten off of Brendan's body, Ste licked away the sticky residue, pushing Brendan to boiling point in terms of arousal. He grunted a little, fixing Ste with a glare.

"Don't make me take over, Stephen"

Ste chuckled, his tongue darting out languorously at Brendan's pelvis. "Wouldn't dream of it"

Taking Brendan fully into his mouth, Ste enjoyed every second of pleasuring him. His mouth and tongue tasted of sweets and that added a whole new flavour to the experience. When Brendan shuddered and came, Ste swallowed, tasting sweetness in every sense of the word.

Brendan gestured for him to rest beside him and Ste did so gladly, allowing himself to fit contently against Brendan's chest, his strong arms wrapped around his torso.

"That was…different" Ste noted, amused. "What brought that on?"

"I'm not sure" Brendan said, stroking Ste's shoulder blades with his fingers. "Just wanted to show ye I could be inventive and fun"

Ste shifted in his arms to face him. "You don't have to prove anything to me; you know I love you already"

Brendan groaned, nuzzling his face into Ste's neck. "Shh" he whispered. "It was fun, wasn't it?"

"Oh yes" Ste said with great certainty. "So fun in fact I think I should return the favour"

Brendan's head rose, his eyes glinting. "Ye want me to eat sweets off of ye?"

Ste shook his head, grinning. "How about chocolate biscuits?"