Walker placed the mug of boiling hot tea and the plate with his blueberry muffin down on the small wooden table. Sliding off the heavy bag on his shoulder containing all of his worldly possessions he relaxed, as if a weight had been removed. He dropped the tatty and weather beaten bag next to the sofa before slumping down on the sofa seat, sighing at the same time.
He leaned forward and picked up the mug and inhaled the aroma of the tea. It was the first mug of English tea he'd had in months. Relishing the smell he brought the mug to his lips and tilted it, allowing the hot liquid to roll smoothly past his welcoming lips. It was hot, very hot, but he didn't care. Not right now, it was worth the scalding heat. After his gulp je placed the mug back down on the table before picking up the large brown muffin from the plate. He'd spent his last money on this, so he was sure as hell going to enjoy this.
He slowly peeled part of the paper wrapper from the muffin back, before breaking off a chunk of muffin. Quickly placing it in his mouth he devoured it in seconds. He placed the muffin back on the plate and then leaned back. He sighed contently at the comfort of the sofa. Suddenly he felt tired - mentally, emotionally and physically tired. He shook his head slightly as if trying to dislodge the thoughts that were quickly filtering through - all of them about Brendan. That shipped had sailed, it was time to move on, as difficult as that may be.
Letting his body sink further back into the cushions of the sofa and his head rest on the back, he found his eyelids beginning to droop. The tiredness of his jet lag taking over. Walker was acutely aware of a sound that was so familiar to him that at first he thought he must be dreaming. The sound of methodical footsteps approaching him, he lifted his head and slowly opened his eyes.
Now sitting on the sofa opposite him was Brendan. It wasn't the same Brendan he'd encountered earlier, no, his face was less contorted and angry. He was relaxed and had an air of mischief about him. Ah, the many personalities of Brendan Brady he thought to himself.
Neither man spoke. They were locked in a silent face off, willing the other to speak first. Brendan leaned forward, his eyes moving away from Walker's as he picked up the muffin on the table. Peeling off more of the wrapper, he noticed the amusement in Walker's eyes and the slight twitch on his lips as he raised the muffin to his lips and greedily bit down, consuming a large chunk in one go.
Brendan then leaned forward further and picked up the mug of tea which was directly in front of Walker. He took a noisy slurp, while still chewing on the piece of muffin.
'I thought you were leaving?' Brendan asked with his mouth full.
Walker couldn't take his eyes off Brendan's lips as they crashed together every few seconds as he enjoyed the muffin.
'I was.' Walker finally answered, looking up and shifting in his seat uncomfortably.
'Then why haven't you?' Brendan questioned as he lifted the muffin once again to his mouth and bit more off, a few crumbs nestling in his moustache.
'Because you're eating my last bit of money.' came to wry reply.
Brendan stopped chewing for a moment, flashed his blue eyes at Walker and raised the muffin to his lips and deliberately and slowly bit off more of the baked good. A naughty glint in his eyes and a slight smirk on his lips.
Walker much preferred this Brendan than the one he saw before. Playful Brendan was more likeable and much more attractive. He felt the familiar feeling in the pit of his stomach, the heat growing, the blood heading in one direction. His cock twitched, he gulped before shifting uncomfortably. Brendan was chewing away, but even with his mouth full of muffin, it didn't stop him speaking.
'Where were you going to go?' he asked Walker with another mouthful.
Walker shifted his weight again, he didn't like being under Brendan's scrutiny. He dropped his eyesight and shrugged.
'So what were you going to do? To get wherever you were going?' Brendan asked as his eyes narrowed.
'Hitch I guess.' Walker replied flippantly.
'Where?' Brendan enquired, he was intrigued as to where Walker had been or would go, but he tried to play it cool. Walker sniggered, he could tell that Brendan wanted to know.
Brendan leaned forward tossing the remains of the muffin onto the plate on the table, his eyes burning into Walker's. He finished chewing and gulped. Walker suddenly felt nervous, he'd not felt nervous around anyone in a long time, but there is just something about Brendan that made him feel vulnerable. Brendan challenged him to speak, his eyes sparkling. Not wanting to show fear or nerves Walker leaned forward. He held Brendan's gaze as he gave a tiny smirk as he picked up his half empty mug of tea and raised it to his lips and took a long sip, their eyes fixed on one another, the atmosphere was electric.
Walker took his eyes off Brendan for a second as he placed the mug back down on the table. Brendan noticed that Walker was blushing slightly and smirked.
'You haven't answered me.' Brendan whispered. Walker looked at him.
'Where are you going to go?' he continued in hushed tones.
Walker blushed even harder, in truth he didn't have a clue. He didn't really have a back up plan, not that he was ever banking on Brendan taking him back straight away. He shrugged a little, growing more and more embarrassed.
'Huh.' Brendan huffed and leaned further forward. He turned his head slightly, so now he was looking at Walker's face, red with shame. Walker wanted to get out of there, but there was something magnetic about Brendan that held him right where he was.
'I want you to do something for me.' Brendan said as he made a sucking sound.
'I want you to kill my Da.' Brendan whispered so quietly that Walker thought he'd misheard. His brows furrowed as he tried to digest what he had just heard.
'What?' Walker mumbled in disbelief as he turned his head to face Brendan.
'I want you to kill my Da.' Brendan said matter-of-factly in his low voice. Walker gulped. He didn't know what to say.
'You've done it before.' Brendan points out as memories of shooting the lad in Dublin come flooding back to Walker, a shiver runs down his spine. Walker couldn't believe what he was hearing. Brendan wanted him to kill his Dad, murder him. He was stunned, what had his Father done to him that was so bad that he deserves to die?
The look in Brendan' eyes scared him. He needed to get out of there, this was just too much. It was one thing killing someone who was about to kill themselves, but to go out and commit murder was just something else. Without saying a word he got to his feet, grabbed his bag from the floor and without a second glance he rushed out of the coffee shop.
Walker set off at a steady pace, not looking back. He heard footsteps behind him. Quickening his pace he headed for the village. He knew instinctively that it was Brendan behind him. Taking a short look over his shoulder he saw that Brendan wasn't behind him. He sighed and relaxed a little, slowing his step. He was now in the village, walking past the bus stop. Heading towards the alley he took another glance over his shoulder, still no Brendan.
He slowed down as he got to the alley, he took a quick breath as he stepped forward, looking into the alley, he saw it was empty, he let out his breath, relieved. Suddenly he was grabbed from behind and pushed into the alley. Brendan had Walker by the coat, knocking his bag off his shoulder he shoved him hard against the brick wall. Walker groaned as his body made contact with the wall.
'Fuck.' Walker muttered heavily before looking up at Brendan. 'Get off me Brendan.' he snarled as he pushed Brendan back.
'Why? What are you going to do about it?' Brendan asked menacingly as he pressed his weight against Walker, his arm across his throat. Walker pushed against him, but Brendan just pushed harder. Walker didn't answer, his nostrils flaring, his eyes burning into Brendan's. Brendan eased his arm a little.
'I wont do it.' Walker hissed. Brendan's eyes flashed with anger as he pressed his weight down on Walker.
'You will.' Brendan snarled quietly.
'You want him dead so bad. Do it yourself.' Walker snapped as he heaved Brendan off him before diving away from the wall.
Walker was looking at Brendan, at first he looked angry, his jaw was clenched, his nostrils flared, his eyes fixed on Walker, but then he retreated within himself. Walker saw his physically shrink right before him. He wasn't looking at Walker, he was looking beyond him, down the other end of the alley.
Walker turned, following Brendan's gaze and saw a man standing at the other end of the alley - he resembled Brendan. It could only be Da Brady. Walker turned his back on the elder Brady and back to Brendan, still he stood before him, eyes glued to the ground, his shoulders slumped forward. Walker looked back down the alley, but Seamus was gone. He returned his look to Brendan, who was still fixed in his fear.
Walker took a step forward, Brendan flinched, Walker stopped, his chest tightened. The fear in Brendan's eyes was heart-stopping, He'd never seen Brendan look vulnerable.
'Brendan.' he mumbled.
Brendan looked up, his eyes said everything. Fear gripped Walker, it didn't take a genius to figure that whatever his Father had done to him it was beyond bad. It was something he didn't want to think about, it made him feel sick.
Without a word Brendan pushed past Walker and hurried down the alley. Walker watched him walk away, but was soon rushing down the alley after him after grabbing his bag from the ground as he went. He turned the corner and headed to the door which was just closing after Brendan had gone through. Walker pulled it open and stepped inside. He walked to the stairs and jogged up them. He saw the door to the office was closed. He went over and opened it.
Brendan was sat at the desk, a glass and a bottle of whiskey on it. Walker closed the door and dumped his bag by the sofa. He sighed as he watched Brendan pour himself a glass of whiskey, before necking it and then pouring a second one. Walker sat down on the sofa and looked over at Brendan.
'So are you going to tell me?' Walker asked, he saw the fear flash across Brendan's eyes as he placed the glass down on the desk.
'Tell you what?' Brendan was being evasive, not wanting to answer the question that hung heavily in the air between them.
'Why you want your Dad dead?' Walker asked bluntly.
Brendan looked at him, his emotions were raw. He didn't answer.
'What is it he did to you that was so bad?' Walker had an idea of the answer, but he needed to hear Brendan say it.
Brendan sighed as he closed his eyes.
'He would never buy me an ice cream when we went to the beach.' Brendan drawled sarcastically as he opened his eyes.
Walker didn't budge, he just kept his eyes locked on Brendan.
'What do you want me to say Walker? You want me to tell you how my Da would creep into my room and lock the door. How he used to pull the covers back and climb onto the bed. How I used to pretend to be asleep. Is that what you want me say?' Brendan maintained a completely straight face as he told Walker what he suspected and what Brendan hated.
There was an awkward silence between them. Walker sat back and looked at the door.
'You never told me where you went.' Brendan asked, quickly changing the subject.
Walker turned to look at Brendan and sighed. Just when he thought he was getting somewhere Brendan closes down and changes the subject.
'Australia, Bali, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia. A bit of island hopping.' Walker answered. Brendan nodded slowly then slowly exhaled.
'Did you meet anyone?' Brendan asked quietly, almost afraid of the question itself, but even more so of the answer. How would he feel if Walker had indeed met someone else. Furious. Sad. Heartbroken.
Walker eyed Brendan. He took a breath.
'No.' he answered firmly. Brendan's eyes narrowed. The look in Walker's eyes was honest.
'You?' Walker asked hesitantly.
Brendan looked at him, his eyes faltering. There had been a few fumbles, but he'd not slept with anyone. He couldn't, he could have, but something stopped him.
When Brendan didn't answer Walker looked crestfallen. 'Oh.' He mumbled as he fidgeted in his seat.
'So your Dad. When?' he asked, his voice turning business like and short.
'Tomorrow.' Brendan answered simply.
Author's Note - Please R+R. All opinions are appreciated
