Ste had lain in bed waiting to fall into a predictable uneasy sleep; he had gotten his first set of instructions from Danny. Which basically said: Keep close to Brendan and find out what he's up too. Danny hadn't said much but Ste knew he probably suspected Brendan was dealing using the Club as a base. Why Danny wanted that kind of leverage was beyond him but to protect his kids and Amy he had no choice but do as he was told.
A soft tapping woke him, he tried his best to ignore the sound but eventually he emerged from underneath his bed covers. He followed the tapping to his front door. "Steven, I know you're there." He half froze at the sound of Brendan's voice softly coming through the door. He opened the door to find Brendan leaning against the doorframe his eyes circled with tiredness. "Brendan? What are you doing here?"
A question that could have had thousands answers except Ste got none, he watched as Brendan's eyes darkened. There, Ste stood in his boxers waiting for an explanation, the cold night air making his hair stand on end. There Ste stood at the mercy of Brendan's dark gaze wondering whether something would happened. Deep down he hoped but he was in no place to make the first move. His ex-boyfriend had managed to drill that into his skull multiple times, but the inkling of hope hanging on the thin thread told him Brendan would be different. "Are you cold Steven?" one hand lifted sliding over Ste's skin leaving a trial of scolding heat. He swallowed not a single muscle moving until Brendan placed his full hand over Ste's chest and pushed him into the flat closing the door behind him with a slam.
When Ste woke up the next morning he found Brendan gone, there wasn't a note just the last traces of his scent. Their scent. He lay back in the covers trying to immerse himself more, and oddly excited but nervous at the prospect of seeing Brendan again but this time in a different light. He smiled at the corny thought before getting up and stretching flinching at the dull ache. Another reminder. A good reminder.
His happiness was short-lived when he walked into Chez Chez to find Danny on a rampage. Someone had gotten into the till and took a few hundred, each and every member of the staff who had worked the night before were being questioned. Each member of staff came out the Staff Room with a pure look of terror on their face, neither muttering what was asked. Ste thought he could rest assure that he was safe mainly because he hadn't been working that night and was with Brendan for all of it.
"So Ste, where were you last night?"
He glanced nervously at Brendan who stood tall and dark behind Danny. "I was at home." Danny sat on the edge of the desk, the silence sharp enough to cut steel. "Alone?" His glance flickered to Brendan who shook his head discreetly. "Yeah."
He sat rigid in his chair every inch of body giving away his tension there was more silence until Danny stood grabbing Ste by his hoodie and pushing him against the wall. "You know what Ste, I've been doing a bit of research into your background. Do you wanna know what I found out?" Ste bit his lip, shaking his head trying to get rid of the buzzing in his ears. "You've stolen before haven't you? You stole from quite a few people before you left the Village, didn't you?" he shook Ste for an answer, his heart pounding painfully in his chest as he tried to push away the familiar position that only reminded him of the abuse he had taken with his ex. "So was it worth stealing from your employer a second time?" he slammed Ste into the wall again, attempting to force a reaction that might give away his guilt.
His last trip to Hospital had been the one where he realised the extent of the beatings his ex had done to him physically and mentally. The cuts, bruises and broken bones healed yet the memory was still were there and the worst of them all came out when he was in a similar position to how he was abused.
Brendan watched as Danny continued shouting questions and statements at Steven. He watched as the lad slowly became dragged away from reality the look of pure fear on his face and his eyes dark. It took one last shake before Danny realised he wasn't going to get anymore out of the boy. "Scared like a puppy." He turned to say to Brendan, all he could do was watch as Steven slid to the floor hiding his face in his hands. "That bloke did a number of him."
Danny half glanced at the terrified boy on the floor before straightening his jacket. "Who's next?" Brendan took his phone out casually clicking a few buttons.
"Alright there Danny boy! Guess who's back!"
A/N: Nice long chapter, gives me time to think about the next :)