AN: I just keep going at the moment! Can't promise it will last!
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Ste knew he was scowling. He imagined he looked something like Lucas when they had to go to nursery when he wanted to watch Octonauts, but he couldn't seem to control his face.
Brendan glanced at him sheepishly.
"Just until he figures out who it actually was."
Ste felt his face scowl even more deeply. "So, let me get this straight," he scorned, "you want me to take time off work with no notice, right as my boss is giving me one of the biggest opportunities of my life, because you fucked up a deal."
"Do you see me behind bars, Steven? It was not me who fucked up."
"Oh, yeah, this is better, isn't it, because instead of just waiting a bit for a lawyer to get you out, during which time I could be preparing for a very exciting career opportunity, now we have to run away from some other psycho drug dealer."
Brendan kept driving, but grumbled a bit at Ste's tone.
"And you couldn't have just gone without me?"Ste asked.
"Left you here all by yourself? Unprotected?" Brendan hissed, "I'd rather die."
Ste imagined the opportunities that could have come his way if he'd managed to impress at this competition. Promotion, larger, more impressive places to work. Before he met Brendan he almost never needed protecting. "God, I hate you sometimes," he grumbled.
"But you love me most of the time, right?" Brendan interjected, and it sounded like a genuine moment of fear. Ste caved.
"No, I love you all the time, but bloody hell, Brendan! I'm allowed to be pissed off."
Brendan grunted again, concentrating on driving. "It'll only be a couple of days."
"Yeah," Ste said, resignedly.
"You could tell them that Lucas is sick and you have to look after him."
"Oh, you think 'my boyfriend got a death threat from a fellow drug dealer' won't cut it?"
"Sorry," Brendan replied, which took the wind out of Ste's angry sails a bit. He knew Brendan would never have done this on purpose.
"Alright, but I can't lie about Lucas being sick. I'll have to think of something else."
"Alright," Brendan replied softly.
There was silence in the car for a few moments except for the sound of the engine and other passing vehicles.
"Where are we going?" Ste asked, though knowing the answer.
"I thought we'd just pop over to Belfast. I haven't seen the boys in a while."
Ste felt a claw grip at his heart.
"Oh," he said.
It wasn't that he didn't want to go. Apart from not wanting to go because it was inconvenient at work of course. He didn't not want to see Declan and Paddy. He just kind of dreaded it.
They'd only seen the boys once since the incident they never mentioned, and that had only been for the one day. One day where Ste had managed to completely avoid any conversation with Paddy whatsoever, and hadn't been alone with Brendan's younger son for any time at all. That was manageable for one day. It would be much harder for any longer.
He wasn't sure what he was afraid of really. Maybe it was just rejection. But there was no telling what Paddy would do if he really wanted to end Ste and Brendan's relationship again.
Ste just had to hope it wouldn't get as bad as that ever again.
"It'll be good," Brendan interrupted his reverie, "Padraig just needs to see us together and happy to help him get over … whatever it is."
But Ste knew what it was, and seeing Ste and Brendan together and happy still would probably not help. Paddy knew what Ste had done to help them escape Brendan's father, and though Ste knew it had been the only thing left to do, Paddy, naturally, blamed him for betraying Brendan.
He still wondered if Brendan knew what had happened. They simply never spoke of it, and Ste wasn't ever going to want to bring it up.
"I hope so," Ste replied, genuinely. They were nearing the docks now, and Ste knew there was no way to avoid it. He was going to have to talk to Paddy.
Bloody hell.
…xxx…xxx…xxx…xxx…
Brendan felt a stab of guilt as they drove. He was asking a lot of Steven. He'd have to have a word with that boss of his, make sure he kept the opportunity open. No, Steven wouldn't like that either, would he. He didn't like it when Brendan threatened people. Brendan wondered if it scared him, if Steven still thought Brendan might hurt him.
But it was probably all related to the poison that had been spread through their relationship. Poison spread by Brendan, by what Brendan did to his own father, and by Brendan's inability to protect Steven when it really mattered. Steven knew what Brendan was capable of, and probably wished he didn't.
Brendan sighed heavily. "You eaten?" he asked.
"Yeah, at work," Steven replied.
"Right," Brendan replied, "So we just need somewhere to sleep tonight, then."
Steven tutted. "It's like midnight, and you haven't got us a place to sleep?"
Oh, and that this was the least organised run away ever probably didn't help.
"I've get us somewhere really nice for tomorrow," Brendan protested.
"And we'll sleep in the car now then?"
Oh, Steven still knew how to get on his nerves.
"I'll find somewhere," he growled.
Steven didn't answer. Brendan parked, then watched Steven undo his seat belt. Before the younger man could open the door, Brendan grabbed his hand.
"Hey, you know I would never do anything that could hurt you again, don't ya?"
Steven sighed, "Yeah, I know."
Brendan put a hand on his face, and made the younger man meet his gaze. "I will make it up to you, I promise!"
Steven looked at him, clearly unconvinced.
"I love you, Steven."
Steven nodded, "I know," he replied, and Brendan relaxed. This wasn't an end of their relationship argument. This was just an argument. It could be hard to tell the difference. He leant over in his seat and brought his lips to Steven's. Steven returned the kiss, but pulled away too soon. It was always too soon for Brendan.
"I will make it up to you!" Brendan repeated.
Steven nodded again, then got out of the car. Brendan followed.
One more night before Belfast. One more night before he got to see his kids again.
One more night before he had to face Padraig.
…xxx…xxx…xxx…xxx…
Ste didn't like sleeping in the same bed as Brendan when he was angry with him. For one thing, it always felt wrong to be so near him for so long and not get as close as he could. For another, his sleeping body never seemed to remember that it was supposed to stay away from him, and he always woke up with strong arms around him and his head resting against a firm shoulder. Like that morning, in a dim and cheep hotel near the docks in Liverpool, while wanting to shove Brendan firmly off a small cliff (not big enough to kill him, just to teach him not to do stupid things), Ste woke up firmly planted to the sleeping Irishman's side.
It took a little while to remember that he was angry with Brendan, and a lot of effort to roll out of that warmth and get up. He stumbled into the bathroom and into the shower, then turned it on to its highest level. He enjoyed the flow for a few minutes, letting the warm water sooth him, before he felt gentle hands stroke his back. He groaned.
"Brendan, I'm meant to be angry with you."
Brendan hummed behind him, "You can be angry with me and still enjoy this."
"This?" Ste asked, not sure whether to be playful or irritated yet.
Brendan hummed again, and the strokes became a caress, soapy hands exploring his body in the most sinful and sensual way. As they worked the knots out of his back, Ste felt himself relaxing back against Brendan. The hands reached around him and held him close.
"Am I forgiven?" Brendan whispered.
"Hmm," Ste replied, non-committally.
"You wait 'til you see where we're staying tonight, then you won't be able to resist me."
Ste snorted at that. "Sure of yourself, aren't ya?"
"Always," Brendan hissed in his ear, hands caressing the soft skin of Ste's stomach.
"It's OK to be angry with each other, you know?" said Ste, "it doesn't mean we're breaking up, or that we aren't working or anything."
"I know," Brendan replied, "I just don't like it when you don't like me."
"Well, I don't like it either," Ste responded, "so stop doing stupid things, yeah?"
Brendan kissed his neck gently, "Yeah, I'll work on it."
Ste laughed at that. "I'll believe that when I see it. Better get on though, we've got a ferry to catch."
Brendan sighed, "What, so no shower sex?"
Ste smiled, "Not today anyway."
Brendan's hands reached Ste's bum, "You sure?"
Ste knocked them away, "Ferry, less than an hour. Get on with it," and he got out of the shower. He got dressed quickly, throwing Brendan's clothes at him playfully as he followed him out. He packed up the few things they'd got out, and, while Brendan was still doing up his shirt, pulled open the door.
Accidentally letting two men Ste had never met into their hotel room.
