Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they belong to Hollyoaks!
Summary: It's Ste's birthday and Brendan wants to be involved somehow but finds himself sidelined. One-shot.
A/N: Happy birthday, Beckie! This is for you :)
Happy Birthday, Stephen
The event had been planned for weeks. Cheryl had insisted on going all out with the decorations, music and food. Brendan had found himself thinking it was all a bit unnecessary; Stephen wasn't the type to like a fuss after all. His opinion was apparently irrelevant however. On the night in question, Brendan stood to the side, watching as Cheryl ordered the staff to prepare the club to her liking.
"The banner's a bit wonky" She told Rhys, sighing.
"I've already moved it five times!" Rhys exclaimed, becoming annoyed.
"Chez, he won't appreciate-" Brendan began to say but was immediately shushed.
"Brendan, he deserves a party after the year he's had" Cheryl insisted.
Brendan raised his eyebrows. "And that was all down to me, wasn't it?"
"That's not what I meant" Cheryl said quietly. "I just mean he's never had a big fuss on his birthday"
"Maybe there's a reason for that" Brendan murmured.
"If you aren't going to help, love-"
"I didn't say that" Brendan interrupted, eyeing the balloon in his hand warily. "I just wonder whether ye have another reason for this party of yers"
"What other reason could there possibly be?" Cheryl asked, affronted.
Brendan sighed, rubbing tiredly at his eyes. "We all know ye love a party"
"And you don't" Cheryl said, smiling a little. "I understand that, Bren. You can stay in the office if it bothers you"
Brendan shrugged dismissively. "Nothing to do with me, is it?"
Cheryl rolled her eyes. "If you say so" she bustled towards the bar. Brendan glared at his balloon, tossing it down on the floor and sauntering towards the office.
Sitting behind his desk, he glanced at his phone several times. He wanted to call him, tell him Happy Birthday or some such shit. But he couldn't. He was scared that he would receive a dismissive reply or worse still, nothing at all. Brendan chewed on his fingernail, feeling agitated. He didn't like the atmosphere in the club; he didn't feel as though he had a place in it.
He wondered how Stephen would react to his surprise party. Would he be pleased or secretly mortified? Brendan had a surge of hope that he could swoop in and rescue him from it, if it was the latter. Only time would tell however.
Seven o'clock arrived. Stephen had been asked to work. He had grumbled a little thinking that it was unfair to work on his birthday and had glared at Brendan as though it had been his idea. He couldn't catch a break lately. Brendan leaned against the office door as everyone else crouched down in the darkness. He wanted a ringside view of Stephen's reaction as he entered.
He heard Stephen before he saw him. He would recognise those footsteps anywhere; he was forever bounding up the stairs like an overexcited puppy. As the lights switched on and everyone yelled: "surprise!" Brendan's face softened, looking at hisboy and the joy on his face.
Stephen was smiling, hugging those closest to him. Brendan stared at him, forever on the outside. It was only when Stephen looked directly at him did he remember why he was even here in the first place. Their gazes locked for some time. Stephen was the first to look away when Cheryl hugged him tightly. Brendan looked at the floor and slipped inside the office.
xxx
Ste was more than a little overwhelmed. When he had turned up for work he hadn't expected all this. He was eternally grateful to Cheryl for making such an effort, if only the same could be said of her brother. Ste hadn't seen him emerge from the office all evening. He wondered what his problem was and couldn't help feeling disappointed that he wasn't involved in the party atmosphere. He was having a great time but something was missing. Ste wasn't sure how long he would be able to stand it for. It turned out, not long at all.
Inevitably he found himself knocking on the office door and entering before he received a response.
"Stephen" Brendan greeted him, unsurprised. "Do come in"
Stephen shut the door quietly behind him. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Aren't you a bit lonely in here?"
Brendan shrugged, appearing composed. "Ye know me, Stephen. Parties aren't really my thing"
"What is then?" Ste blurted out, stepping further into the room.
Brendan raised his eyebrows. "I think ye know already"
Ste blinked several times, thrown off by the directness of the response. To distract himself he glanced at the desk and spotted a piece of wrapping paper hastily stuffed beneath several files. Brendan followed his gaze and moved the paper out of sight, looking uncomfortable.
"Why don't ye go back to the party, Stephen" Brendan suggested, standing up and gesturing towards the door.
"Are you hiding something?" Ste asked suspiciously.
"Course not" Brendan said, his face set. "Go on now"
"I don't want to" Ste said confidently.
Brendan sighed. "What do ye want then? Because I sure as hell can't give ye anything"
Ste was struck by the statement, too stunned to respond straight away. "What's with the wrapping paper?" He asked eventually.
Brendan shrugged. "Cheryl must have left it in here from wrapping yer present"
"Funny. Cheryl just gave me my present and it was in a bag, unwrapped"
Brendan stared at him hard for a moment. "Just go, Stephen"
"No"
Brendan rolled his eyes. "Fine. Have it then" He shoved a badly wrapped present in Ste's direction. "Happy birthday, now get lost"
Ste opened the present hastily, his heart in his throat. "It's a shirt" he said, feeling foolish.
"Mm" Brendan said vaguely. "I just thought…ye don't own anything decent"
"Hey!" Ste protested, but he was smiling. "It is nice actually" Ste ran his fingers over the fabric. It was blue in colour, much the same as Ste's eyes, and soft to the touch. Ste glanced down at his Chez Chez uniform. "Now I have something to wear" he grinned, instantly stripping out of his t-shirt. He froze when he caught Brendan staring at him intently. Ste cursed himself for his stupidity. "Brendan…" he warned half-heartedly.
Brendan stepped forwards, his eyes never leaving Ste's face. Ste held his breath, not knowing what to expect. He closed his eyes in preparation, only to be left disappointed when he felt Brendan take the shirt out of his hand and wrap it over his shoulders.
"Lovely" Brendan murmured, stepping away. Ste opened his eyes to glare at him.
"Why did you buy me a present only to ignore me on my birthday?"
"I'm not ignoring ye" Brendan replied coolly.
"You haven't been in touch all day, and you ran straight in here at the first opportunity"
"Why do ye care?" Brendan countered. "I'm not exactly…important in yer life"
Ste stared at Brendan incredulously. "Not important? You're kidding, right?"
Brendan shrugged, his eyes wide. "Do I look like I'm kidding? Ye haven't been near me in weeks"
"Neither have you!" Ste argued.
"Stephen-"
"No! I'm not having this on my birthday of all days" Ste turned to leave but Brendan grabbed his wrist.
"Are ye saying ye want me in yer life still?" Brendan inspected him closely, his eyes narrowing. "I've wasted enough time lately; I'm not doing things by halves anymore, Stephen. I haven't got…I just can't"
Ste stared at him, speechless.
"Well?" Brendan pressed.
"I…" Ste frowned, looking into Brendan's face. "I can't just forget everything that's happened-"
"I don't expect ye to"
"We've hurt each other so much"
Brendan stepped closer. "I can'tforget ye, no matter how hard I try to"
"I know" Ste said, gulping. "I can't either. I think a part of me will always love you"
Brendan inhaled sharply, his hand ghosting across Ste's face. "Ye will always be mine, Stephen"
Ste nodded hastily. "No matter how hard I try not to be…" Ste leaned in close. "It's so wrong and unhealthy…"
"But?"
"But I want you" Ste breathed out unevenly.
"Fuck" Brendan grunted, grabbing Ste suddenly and kissing him. Ste didn't know where he ended and Brendan began. They became as one, the perfect unity.
"Bren" Ste gasped, pulling away. "We can't"
Brendan smiled a little, fingering Ste's shirt. "It's yer birthday, what do ye want?"
Ste looked away, troubled.
Brendan kissed up his neck to his earlobe, sucking gently. "Stephen" he whispered.
"You know it's you, it's always you" Ste managed to say. He felt a strong pair of arms encircle his waist, pulling him against Brendan's warm body. Surprisingly Brendan didn't kiss him, just held him. His nose nuzzled against Ste's collar bone, inhaling him.
Eventually Brendan kissed him again, the passion of it throwing them against the office door. Ste heard Brendan lock the door as he pushed himself up to wrap his legs around Brendan's legs.
"No going back after this" Ste said between kisses. "This is it now, alright?"
"Alright" Brendan agreed, kissing down his chest.
"Best birthday ever" Ste ground out as Brendan took him to a place of bliss only he could.