Thank you for all your amazing reviews, I always appreciate them.

I'm forever wanting them to get it on and have their happy ever after whenever I write Stendan fic. Now I know why one shots are so good. lol
Hope you enjoy this, Chapter three is written, I just gotta find time to edit it. xx

Chapter 2

"Anne?" Ste called his friend as he began to skip down the stairs, there was too many of them and stepping down each one had become a chore in the end. The walls were covered in raised miss mash style paper. They bumped against his fingers as he dragged them along it. Finally ready to go out, he'd picked a fancy top and black jeans.

There was a mirror at the end of one of the landings and Ste paused to angle his eyes around with his body. Anne was still silent, as he roamed further voices outside had him listening sharper than normal to try and hear the converse. A thick Irish accent could be heard; a man and a woman Ste summarised quickly and at one point was about to nosy through the window until the sounds ebbed as they walked further away.

Ste's attention was back on the first floor and the room Anne had decided as her own. His hand raised in knocking against the painted wood, Ste opened and looked through the door, eyes scanning for his friend.

"Ste?!" Anne shrilled up the staircase "I'm downstairs love"

"Well why didn't you answer me?" Ste asked making his way down the last flight of stairs lightly stroking the remainder of the banister as he passed by. His blue eyes drifted to the front door a second until Anne disturbed his concentration.

"Sorry, I discovered something, come and see"

Anne held Ste by the hand and walked them to the back of the home, a beautiful long lawned garden stretched out before them. Wooden fencing stained orange littered with lit butterfly tee lights and decoration of coloured lights swept the perimeter of the space.

Anne grinned excitedly "How nice is this? Picture it, yeah. Me and thee, drinking sangria, or cheap booze, whatever" Anne wafted her hand "Sat out taking in the peaceful Irish air"

Anne sighed at her thoughts and even though Ste loved the sight before him, his mind suddenly went back to the bridge he'd seen, those sparkles could've been lights too. Ste pondered frowning slightly until Anne gripped his face.

"Earth to Ste? Where the hell are ya?"

"What…oh sorry. It looks very cool. And so do you, wow!" Ste smiled as Anne pirouetted in her high heels like a pro not stumbling once. Licking her lips and flicking her hair, she looked every bit stunning in her shimmer dress.

"And you do too, I tell ya what Ste, you're gonna break hearts" Anne rushed up the steps and locked the back door clacking hurriedly along the gravel path to link Ste's arm.

"We not going out the front?"

"Naaah, can't be bothered, let's go this way, and see what we can find. I've got me purse, you've ya wallet. What more do we need?"

Ste shook his head with a smile "Okay then, let's do it."

Brendan continued to look at his sisters' car as Simon steered him towards the seasoned looking house. Ahead of them Warren palmed and tilted one of the hanging baskets at a bad angle emptying it's contents across the steps of the front door. He kicked it all away before covering it up quickly whistling an aimless tune and darting his eyes anywhere but to the evidence.

Brendan didn't notice luckily far to engrossed in his thoughts as he finally made it up the pathway and reached into his pocket for the keys. The silver yale key pressed into lock.

"Excuse me!" Brendan turned to look at a frail old woman walking down the road, he smiled fleetingly and retracted his key quickly. The older woman a familiar face he hadn't seen in years. Simon flew his hands up in frustration and beckoned Warren with him as they all greeted the older lady.

"Brendan, as I live and breathe!" The woman held shaky arms out as Brendan retracted a little from her death grip hug narrowly avoiding a kiss he smiled at her.

"Hello Kerry, you're looking younger"

"Always was a charmer. It's been years, how are ye and Cheryl doing?"

"Good, good. I'm living in London now, Chez has gone away apparently." Brendan shrugged. The lady grabbed his arm and led him further away from the house as she chatted away aimlessly.

It had been at least ten minutes Brendan was chatting with the woman, Warren had counted and then progressed to timing him by his watch. All he wanted was to get in the house choose a room and check out the nightlife here. With the daylight beginning to fade, the red sky brush stroked above them, the City bustling with people wanting to go out for the evening.

Simon rolled his eyes and held against Brendan's shoulder. "Sorry to butt into this frankly wonderful reunion, but I really gotta pee" Simon gestured to the house "Can we?"

Brendan widened his eyes at Simon willing him to disappear, but the lady giggled and seemed to understand. Another skintight hug later and Brendan was released finally, leaving him free to jog up to the front door and open it.

The smell of aftershave and a distant perfume hit them as they walked through the door. Brendan sniffed at it, tingling his nose hairs awkwardly.

Brendan glanced into the lounge and then up the stairs, a strange sensation touching him. "Chez?!"

Warren looked at Brendan and puzzled, had he forgotten his sister wasn't here? "Brain transplant"

"Ye what?" Brendan mused turning to look at Warren

"For ya birthday, I'll order ya one" Warren averted his eyes up the flight of stairs "Your sister is away, remember?"

"Durrr" Simon added laughing, neither one of them responding giving him permission to erase himself from the situation. Simon moved up the stairs to the first floor then looked into the first room. A bag and clothes surrounded the room, so he shut the door and found another bedroom settling in.

"First bedroom is taken!" Simon hollered down the landing, the house big enough for an echo to play out. Brendan caught the tale end of it and moved up the stairs checking on the room too.

"Hmm, guess she's had friends round. There's another three rooms up here" Brendan gestured up and led Warren to the first. As Brendan walked over to another smaller set of stairs Warren looked back at him.

"Where are you going?"

"I have the best room in the house, an attic space I had kitted out. Chez let me do the work, quite proud of it, has skylights"

"Skylights?"

"Uh huh" The older man nodded and flicked his eyes up the spiral staircase. The metal felt cool in his hand when it dragged up the banister, Brendan finally reached the top. The presence of a bag hit his eyes immediately and as he dropped his own he moved to pick the other up in a strong grip. The moustashe bed spread widening his gaze in horror. Chez had obviously put it there to wind him up, Brendan shook his head plopping down on it and moving like he was on a sea of waves.

Brendan had always wanted a waterbed, and after many an argument with his sister over it, her fearing the thing would indeed spring a leak through the ceiling, he finally won out. It was the comfiest thing ever, especially if you spread out over it. His attention backs to the bag, and surprise noting they were men's attire. The similar smell of aftershave hit him again, and without the swirl of perfume mix it was actually very good on his senses.

Brendan picked up the clothes and belongings and packed them back in neatly; figuring it belonged to another 'friend' of his sisters. Unpacking his own bag into his wardrobe, a couple of suits and jeans with tight fit tops. The handsome man loosened his shirt and lay down on the bed, curling itself to his body Brendan had forgotten just how comfy the bed was. Relaxed, Brendan closed his eyes for a time. The constant stay of the aroma settled with a pleasant presence, eventually cohering Brendan into wanting to know what it was about it that enticed him so.

The peace soon shattered, two pair of shoes stamping up the stairs like a pack of wild elephants after seeing a mouse had his eyes shooting open fast, a deep sigh later and his friends stood dressed to impress.

"Can't a man have some peace?"

"Piece of ass?" Warren witty with his return "And what's that pong? Seriously it's following us round like a…"

"Bad smell?" Simon guffawed

"I think it's alright " Brendan spoke immediately, he'd defiantly got used to it, but the smell had began to fade now.

"This your room then?" Simon inquired before noting one of the skylights; he stretched his neck up to look through it and smiled. "This will be an ace view in the evenings I bet."

"Come on Brady!" Warren broke the bore of his friends needing to escape. "We are off out"

"We are? OH…" Brendan sat up slowly, there was no way of finding any solace with these two around. Dragging his eyes from the floor to their eyes. "And where did ye have in mind, if I dare ask"

"A club? Come on Brendan, three fit young lads, we can't keep this locked up" He gestured to all of them thumbing back down the ever ending stairs.

"Ye, buying the first round" Brendan fingered to Foxy then pointed at Simon "Ye, buying the second"

"What about you?" Simon asked folding his arms.

"I will drink them" Brendan retorted

"You're on!"Warren couldn't care less "Come on then, Dublin baby!"

"I really like the feel of this place Anne" Ste spoke his thoughts as they walked along the Liffey, the evening drawing in, a slight blue could still be seen of the day in the clearly covered sky. Ste could see the place he wanted to get to, but he'd been prevented from getting there when a cab pulled along side the pair of them.

Ste sighed a little and then held his head against Anne's as she scooted close. Their first stop was a cocktail bar, Anne having a parchant for them stopped the car and ordered a couple to start the evening. Ste was feeling a little nervous, and he wasn't sure if it was partly because of how busy the place was, every pair of eyes on him, or so it felt. Or that he was conscious why they were out in the first place.

Anne glowed with a different confidence as she spoke with other people in the place; she fascinated him with the power that came with it. He'd never found anything like that himself; most of his childhood put down and belittled he became stuck within a barrier. Built up over the years as a defence mechanism.

"Hey, you okay?" Anne spoke and Ste returned her gaze with a smile. His head nodded slightly

"Jus not used to all this"

"D'you wanna go? Look, we could…rent a movie or two, snacks and just chill out?"

"Seriously? You'd do that, for me?"

"Ste you're my best mate, I'd do anything for ya!"

"No, let's go, could do with a dance" Ste grinned and finished his drink.

The club was bustling with people when they finally entered the place, music loudly strumming the foundations rhythmically transferring to their bodies as they made it up the stairs. Ste settled at the bar and ordered some drinks taking his beer he turned and leaned against the bar cupping his lips to swallow down the ice-cold liquid. A few drops angled down the corner of his mouth making him jolt and wipe his hand across to remove the alcohol.

"Gonna have a dance, come on?"

Ste took another swig of his beer swallowing it down with a big gulp "I will later, you go okay?"

"Fine, just don't sit at the bar all night"

He had remained at the bar though, and as the first hour passed by he'd done very little to get himself on the dance floor. A visit to the bathroom was the most he'd traveled so far. He'd lost Anne after the first half hour and had then ordered another drink and a wine for her once she'd resurfaced. Ste blew out a long sigh turning to get a better view of the room. Scanning the dance floor, there were a lot of people around, the room hot and spinning with the constant beams of coloured lights.

With a slow blink his eyes captured a group of men stood in a corner of the club. As his head settled to focus, his lips parted dragging his dry skin open. Anne danced over to him with a giggle leaning behind him to grab the drink he'd ordered for her. She puzzled sipping at her wine glass watching Ste in some kind of trance, her eyes followed his to the group of men and smile widened against the wine glass, eyes twinkling she nudged Ste making him blink again.

"Hmm…let me see…which one is it?" Anne's delight plastered over her face for all to see, Ste quickly retreated back against the bar feigning confusion. However she'd already seen his eyes tell a different story.

"Dunno what ya on about" Ste gulped at his beer again eyes sporadically darting across the dance floor. Silently he was grateful the dark of the space they were in hid his true colour, the burn of it setting off a reaction in his cheeks.

Anne held her long nail between her teeth "Shall I go over there then…"

"What?! NO!" Ste shouted grabbing hold of Anne and yanking her uneasy on her feet.

"Tell me then"

"I just think he's good looking, although not my usual type, there's somet…"

"Has he got a nice bulge?" Anne stretched to her tiptoes and tried to find out while Ste almost melted at his embarrassment. Why do floors never seem to open up when you want them to the most.

"Will you stop being so…so…"

"So…honest? I mean Christ look at those trousers, it's a wonder he breathes in them!"

"How did ya know I meant…"

"I bloody knew it! Is it the tashe? Ste, you said…"

"I know I did. It's probably the drink…right?" Ste bit hold of the flesh inside his mouth, nibbled with anticipation.

"He kinda looks mysterious too. I bet he's a great kisser, the kind to proper suck on your tongue…Ste you need to go over there"

"I can't just go over can I? What if I'm not his type?" The room suddenly began to get smaller around him; Ste had never felt so shy in his life. Part of him kept wishing the man would look over though, at least then he'd know it was reciprocated.

"Ste you're stunning, even I fancy you, get over there!"

"No I ain't! Maybe in a little while"

"Right, he needs to see you, let's dance together" Anne grabs Ste by the arm and begins to walk them. Ste chews on his bottom lip creating an angry red bruising to appear there. Before they can make it a loud crash behind them alerts Anne and Ste enough to halt and turn. A man rushes at them knocking into Ste throwing his balance uneasy.

"Hey! Watch it!"

"Sorry Princess" The man replied before clipping his backside with a flat palm. Ste's mouth hit the dance floor, eyes trembling with growing offence.

"Did he just call me Princess? Is he taking the piss?!" Ste exasperated looking back at his friend astonished.

"He's obviously tapped Ste, come on we need to get out of here"

Movement behind them in the form of the police descended on the club, as Anne quickly gripped a hold of his arm and lead Ste away still protesting about the man who'd crossed a line. It became clear who they were after, and in that moment hoped the police threw him in jail for giving him cheek.

"We'll have to hope ya see him again" Anne could just be heard over the dim of the mayhem behind them as everyone decided to leave at the same time, stampeding down the flight of stairs. "I'd better not, nobody calls me that, that…profanity!"

"Not the sap! The moustachioed god we left behind!" Anne rolled her eyes practically clawing her way out of the club and getting them to freedom finally. The cooler night air flowed against the heat of the club, Ste breathed it in momentarily before looking at Anne. They burst out laughing high on adrenaline before she offered her arm to him.

"Home?"

"Yep, I hope Chez has some good movies"

Brendan's eyes scouted the dance floor; it was packed with people, the room stuffy and hot. In all fairness he just wanted to be anywhere but here. He placated his friends though and took the whiskey from Simon's hand as he passed it to him. They stood away from the bar and over the other side of the room and Brendan watched his friends move around the dance floor using their charm and wit; the later in favour of Brendan, he laughed a lot watching them trying to chat up the female population.

"Seen any prey yet Brady?"

Warren asked needing a break he'd moved over to Brendan, taking his beer off the table and turning to look back at the room. The music had him dancing on the spot, he nudged Brendan more than once trying to coax the Irish man into dancing too. No such luck, Brendan wasn't for moving.

"I might have, just taking my time Foxy"

Simon the joined the happy faces of his friends, grin plastered over his face he gripped a uneasy balance onto Brendan's shoulder breathing stale beer into his nostrils.

"I'm drunk"

"Really? I'd never have guessed." Brendan laughed shaking his head. "How's your pulling technique?"

"Ya sure you should be asking him that Brady? A bit personal mate"

"Haa ha, oh look I'm welling up tears of hilarity"

"Actually, I got a few girls numbers" Simon was obviously proud of himself.

They'd looked up with the rest of the club goers when the sudden disruption occurred, Warren watching on slightly amused by it. Simon however suddenly sobered up and fingered inside his pocket to reveal his I.D. Warren gripped his hand around his wrist feeling the heart beat of a man determined.

"You brought it here? Brady, will ya have a word?!" Warren shook his head and scoffed. Of course he'd brought it, he always did wherever they went.

"It's mechanical with ye now isn't it?" Brendan widened his gaze "Ye are OFF duty now Simon"

"I can help! I am the law you know"

"Yeah, in the UK, here notsomuch"

Simon clocked the infidel as he wormed his way through the crowd, stopping only once to speak to a younger man before heading their way again.

"Wonder what he said to him then?" Simon puzzled gripping his other pocket for a flip book and pen.

"Who?" Brendan asked looking, a crowd of people had began to leave the premises, he couldn't see who Simon had meant. His eyes trained on the book in Simon's hand.

"Ye gonna read him a story too?"

"No…I'm gonna get a statement"

"Course ye are, silly me"

Simon then left his friends to look on in dismay as he apprehended the man like a pro, guiding his ass over to the police. They looked on silently praying to leave before anyone realised they were in fact even with him. Warren leaned sideways towards Brendan and close enough to speak into his ear.

"Do we leg it while he's not looking?"

"No,as tempting as that may be. He has to do this kind of thing, let him get it out of his system, one arrest should suffice…right?"

"Hmm, I guess" Warren finished his beer down and watched the once packed full night club become silent and empty. A few drunk people still remained oblivious to the disturbance.

"Shame ya never copped off"

Brendan finished his drink before passing Warren a set of keys. "Who says I haven't?

"What ya gonna still try your luck?" Warren walked against Brendan's strides towards the bar, a younger man catching his eye smiled at him. Brendan stroked along his moustashe before glancing back at Warren again.

"Don't wait up, and do me a favour, go and get Simon back before he himself is arrested for being a interfering sod"

"Unbelievable, you got keys?"

Brendan stalked over to the man that was drinking down a beer and giving him an open invitation. "Yeah, I've got keys"

Warren watched Brendan settle at the bar and take the beer from the man's hand before leaning against his ear. Turning his attention to Simon he changed direction. The police took the man out of the club and down the stairs.

"Where's Brendan?" Simon asked

Warren thumbed back at the bar "Only gone and pulled hasn't he?"

"Why you are always surprised astonishes me, he always bloody pulls when we go out. He even has the women swooning"

"You recon it's the tashe? Maybe I should grow one too" Warren skimmed along his mouth with a curl of his fingers. "Fancy a kebab?"

Simon agreed concealing his I.D. once again; they left Brendan in the club to find something to eat.

Anne and Ste made there way back to the house once again, Anne had a shower and climbed into her comfort inducing onesie settling on the luscious stretch sofa. Fifty inch tv screen attached to the wall, she rooted through some DVD's in Cheryl's collection before getting back on the sofa and curling up with Ste to watch late night movies with a load of snacks.

The TV flickered the square of the room in the darkness, curtains drawn they watched and drank together slowly falling into a relaxed state. Ste felt his eyelids drop a little and after nearly nodding off and snapping back his head before he fell, Ste looked at Anne who herself was asleep.

Deciding it cruel to wake her he left the room darkened with the TV off and a blanket to keep her warm. The stairs took forever to climb, and because he'd had a few drinks his body sort of swayed with his head. Gripping a good tight hold of the banister he made his way up to the room he'd be sleeping in.

The view spectacular as moonlight replaced the sun illuminating the room as it striped white along the floor. Ste smiled and wandered over to look through the skylights, no longer a blue sky, it was now black with pinpricks of silver lights as the stars twinkled down on Ste. His head turned once again to the bridge that fascinated him, it now looked very different, bright green lights shone under it and above the bridge sporadic light along it showed the path of people walking over it.

Ste held his hand at the window transferring a steamed hand print against the cool of it. Wanting to go there, he bit against his lip with his indecision thanks to the lateness of the hour. He figured it could wait, they were here a little longer and had time to visit. Ste pulled at the edges of his top dragging it over his head to reveal the shine of his skin. Unbuttoning his jeans he stepped out of them making his way down the staircase to the bathroom on the next floor.

As he entered and locked the door behind him, another person entered the house. They weren't alone and noisily made their way up the stairs, Brendan helped his accomplice up the stairs with hard lips against the other man's instilling groans from him. Gripping the man by the scruff of his t shirt he was led awkwardly up the stairs and into his room.

On the way past the skylights he failed to notice the clothes that were strewn against his carpet and instead pushed the other man hard against his bed. He wobbled against the mattress and made a little laugh before it was quietened by Brendan's mouth.

Ste hummed as the hot water fell against his slender body, his hands caressing the bubbles delicately over each curve. The steam and temperature perfect as he angled his forehead on the cool white tiles allowing the water to travel down his back. Stepping out of it induced a shiver when he left the heat of the shower and dried himself off a little. Wrapping a white fluffy towel around his waist Ste left the bathroom and stood outside of it a moment.

He looked left then right along the landing lowering his eyebrows, something didn't feel quite right and he didn't know why he had this feeling. There was a light down the stairs he noticed, leaning over the banister to look, he could see the light at the front door was now on, wracking his brain Ste was positive he hadn't left the light on.

A thump from upstairs had his neck snapping back, eyes darting to the ceiling his heart began to race against his chest. There was no one up there, he knew this because he'd only left it for a while to shower. Tingling touched along the skin of his arms raising the hairs up in fear. The house was big, dark and Anne was downstairs and he was alone at the top.

"He…hello?" Ste swallowed down the fear and walked over to the spiral staircase looking up into darkness. Muffled noises could be heard as his foot touched the first step. Ste gasped and looked down at his feet, the coldness of the metal against his bare skin sending a shiver up his spine, his heart was beating worse now. Ste tried to compose himself, but if the house was haunted and Cheryl had forgot to mention it he would go mad.

"Hello?" Ste whispered, and reason told him to shout but he literately couldn't find the right tone of voice, coming out as a pathetic whine. Ste held tighter against the banister and held his head high, he was gonna do this. The last step took an age to reach and even when he got there he couldn't see much besides the moonlight. The feeling of not being alone made itself known almost immediately as Ste looked towards the bed and the sudden movement of shadows.

He had nothing to defend himself with, in a blind panic he went for his jeans on the floor ripping the belt out of them. A low lit side light flicked on shedding a small warm glow into the room. Ste hitched a breath loudly noting two men he'd seen earlier in the day. The man from the pub. The place he and Anne had stopped at briefly once they'd arrived in Dublin almost burst with his grin looking back at Ste, shrugging without a care in the world before laying back down on the bed.

Brendan was a different matter altogether, eyes mad with surprise his body moved up off the bed slowly.

"Who the fuck are ye? And what are ye doing in my house?!" Brendan spat his words before the man at his side got up and started to dress.

"Ye don't have to leave"

"Nah mate, I do" The young man stared over at Ste "Good to see ye again. I see ye found the house"

"Found the house…what? Ye know this man?" Brendan held his arms up at one of the more surreal moments in his life.

"Yeah, met him earlier, he asked for directions. I take it he's your ex? Well I ain't getting involved" The man swiftly got dressed before walking along the room and stopping at Ste who still held up his belt as protection, though what he expected to do with it was still to be seen.

"Told ye we'd meet again though" the man winked as Ste tried to work out if this was an alcohol induced nightmare barely refraining from pinching himself to check.

They were left alone now and try as he might to act tough, Ste struggled seeing the man from earlier so up close. At least at the club he had Anne with him for moral support. Swallowing deeply he watched Brendan study him briefly in silence, his eyes strikingly intrusive boring the depths of his skin. It was the closest he'd ever felt to being treasured in any shape or form and if the other man bore any ill will towards him he was certainly not letting it seem that way.

"Why are you here?" Ste suddenly found his voice again stepping into the moonlight of one of the skylights. It caught the beads of water still spread over Ste's bare chest making them glisten like crystals, they slid down his body and Brendan caught a breath low in his throat, his eyes betrayed him constantly against the stranger stood in his room.

"I live here" Brendan coughed his voice smoother "If ye don't leave I will have ye arrested"

"Really? And what makes you think I wont have YOU arrested huh?" Ste sassed back with a building confidence he wasn't sure he could hold.

"Ye have sixty seconds to tell me why ye are in this house" Brendan moved closer to Ste who reciprocated his move in defiance. His heart beat loudly against his chest instilling harder breaths. He was naked besides a towel held low over his hips and yet he still felt strong enough to challenge the handsome man in front of him. Brendan instantly realised now where the aftershave had come from as the scent happily filled his room once more.

"You have thirty, better get talking"

Ste lowered the belt he remembered he held and dropped it, the sound of it echoed around the sudden silence. Their bodies almost touching Ste gave the time to take in all that Brendan had to offer, shaming he still had boxers on, elating they at least were tight enough to abolish all imagination. His bottom lip once again found itself creeping between his teeth, the sweeping skill of Ste's eyelashes never more profound, he caught the older man mirroring his own thoughts as he clearly liked what he saw too.

"This is my sisters house" Brendan eventually broke his trance to answer Ste. Nodding with surprise Ste smiled then.

"Chez used to mention you a lot." Ste held his hand out in greeting "Chez also asked me to house sit" Ste shrugged grinning.

Brendan kept Ste's eyes locked taking his hand "Miss-understanding then?" Ste nodded slowly in response.

"I still oughta have ye arrested, this is my room"

"No, it's my room, I was here first"

Brendan opened his mouth to reply instead it turning into a grin that raised his moustashe in a way that captured Ste's eyes, he had a gorgeous smile. He was all gorgeous.

They were interrupted by Anne who had been stood there goodness knows how long, behind her Warren and Simon stood stretching their necks to watch the entertainment Brendan and Ste so generously provided. Ste jolted his hand realising they still held each others, and Brendan instead held them by his side tilting his face at the welcoming committee.

"Ste, I erm…we have company" Anne thumbed at Warren and Simon and smiled before walking over to her friend. "I see you struck gold"

"What?" Ste blushed profusely glancing at a smug looking Brendan who began to leave the room.

"Where are you going?" Ste asked, his voice sounding more than disappointed and Brendan hearing this stopped and turned to look back.

"Like ye said, ye were here first. I'll take one of the other rooms for tonight. Tomorrow ye can both leave. No need to 'house sit' for Chez now. Her brothers home"