Author Note: Couldn't wait to write this one, hope you enjoy! Hope this isn't too much for you guys but I've had this story planned for a long time and this is kinda where I wanted it too go. Plus, let's play a game of 'which scene from this chapter is very similar to a scene from Hollyoaks about 2 years ago'...
Review replies:
Thanks for the go ahead to time skip. I know it's my story but I didn't want to upset my readers. Thanks for sticking with me and hope you like what is too come.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hollyoak's or the characters in this story... Except Jed, he is my original character.
Two months had passed since the day Jed and Ste had agreed to that it was just going to be them and Brendan was going to be forgotten about and for the first month, that statement had stood true but, come the beginning of October, Che-Chez had opened it's doors once again and business there was booming and it was the place to be. Jed had started to notice that Ste seemed to be spending most night there.
On opening night, the whole village had turned up to celebrate and nearly everyone seemed to be getting on with Brendan. This shocked Jed at first as he had heard nothing but bad things about him in the early days of the trial. Jed knew he had to take the higher ground when it came to Brendan so, when he was offered a free drink, he took it, making sure to grab hold of Ste's hand as he did so. He noticed the look in Brendan's eyes when he made the small gesture and he knew this was probably really hurting him but he needed this guy to know that Ste loved him now.
It was the weeks after opening night that Jed started to worry. It seemed that, most nights he would come home from work and find a note on the table telling him dinner was in the oven and he was at the Dog, grabbing a drink with whichever random person wanted to for one and, if he didn't have a note, he would come home to find Ste getting ready to go out.
Jed had been to the club with Ste a few times and, he always found himself sat alone whilst Ste danced and drank with random people or propped himself at the bar talking to the staff who worked there. Ste seemed to get on with Rhys, the main bartender and it didn't bother Jed when they were talking but, when Brendan would show up, Ste would watch him and then come over and tell Jed how much of an idiot he was.
It was the end October when Jed finally had enough. He gotten home from work and found another one of Ste's notes. The difference between this note and the other's was that it was messy and the beer can's laying around the house told him why, Ste had been drinking before he had gone out. He walked over to the oven and pulled it open and found that there was no dinner. Jed let it go, knowing he shouldn't have to rely on Ste to make dinner for him every night and especially today as Ste had been to have his cast removed. He sighed to himself and walked into the bathroom to get dressed. He couldn't be bothered to cook so he was going to go and meet Ste and have dinner at the Dog.
When he arrived at the Dog, he was angry at the scene in front of him. Ste wasn't drunk but he was getting there. He could tell because talking was no longer a thing for Ste, he was shouting. He walked over to the group consisting of Ste, Darren, Tony and Jack and placed a kiss on Ste's cheek before sitting down next too him. Ste smiled at him, "Sorry I didn't make you dinner" he said, a smile across his face.
Jed shook his head, "And what about the beer cans littering the house?" he asked, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.
Ste bit his lip and laughed, thinking it was all a big joke, "I bumped into the lads when I got back from the hospital and got talking about having a drink and then that kind of just happened".
Jed sighed a deep sigh and ran is hand down his face, "It's really infuriating to come home from work to a mess like that" he said, his voice tired.
Darren stepped in, "Look mate, we were just having a few drinks and we should have tided up. Let me get you some grub in and a couple drinks and we can all have a good night" he suggested, not wanting an argument to kick off.
Jed smiled at him briefly and nodded, "That would be great thank you" he replied before turning back to Ste, "You guys just staying here for the night?" he asked.
Ste shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. We were talking about heading to the club after, apparently they have cheap drinks tonight" and he paused, looking at Jed's down down-hearted face, "Probably some con though".
Jed felt his lip curl as he stood up, "You're going to the club? Again? You are so pathetic" he spat, turning on his heel and heading towards the door.
Ste's mouth dropped as he looked at the others, all of them looking uncomfortable. He took a breath and then followed Jed, catching up to him just outside of the Dog. He grabbed his arm and spun him around, "What the hell was that about?" he shouted, not caring about the audience he was drawing in.
Jed laughed his head shaking, "Oh I don't know, how about the fact that in the last 30 days, you've gone to that god-forsaken club at least 24 of them" he spat, throwing his hands up in anger.
Ste bit his lip and thought for a moment, "What does it matter if I'm at the club? I'm going out and having a good time! Something you seem to have forgotten how to do!"
"It matters because you go to the club for him" Jed spat, his voice dropping to a lower level, "You don't go there because it's somewhere to drink, you go because of him".
Ste stopped still, he couldn't believe Jed was blaming this on Brendan again. He shook his head, "I go there because it's the only place to drink in this town apart from here" and he gestured back to the pub.
Jed shook his head again, telling Ste he knew he was lying. He felt tears pool in his eyes and he blinked, allowing them to fall down his rosy cheeks. He looked back from the pub, revealing to Ste his tears and gulped, "I can't do this any more Ste" he breathed, "I've tried for months to make this work. I've tried ignoring the fact that that man is back in the village but it's not been good enough for you. You still love him Ste and that's not going to change and I was stupid to think I could try and help change that".
Ste felt his mouth drop open, was Jed really about to do this to him? He swallowed hard, trying to ignore the lump in his throat, "What do you mean? What does this mean?".
Jed sighed and looked down to the floor, "It means we're done" he said simply, bringing his eyes back up to meet Ste's, as he wiped his face, "I can't go on sharing you with Brendan and I won't try to any more. I don't want to get in the way of you and him any more. If you love me, even just a little bit, I need you to be brave for me now" and Jed was fully crying by this point, his voice broken, "I don't know if I can live without you but, I am sick and tired of being second best. I guess I always knew there was a part of you that couldn't let him go but I told myself that that would be OK because I was the only one who could make you happy but, I've seen him and I've known him and now I'm not so sure. So please Ste, don't make this hard on me and I won't make it any harder for you".
Ste's own tears had started falling when Jed had told him to be brave. It had taken him back to when Doug had said the same thing to him. When Doug had left him so he could go after Brendan. He shook his head, "Jed, why are you doing this? You know I love you" he breathed, running a hand through his hair.
"You need to work things out with Brendan, Ste and I'm sick of getting in the way of that. I'm going to move into my mum's so if you can't work things out, I'll only be a few miles away but I really can't do this any more Ste" and he took a deep breath as he felt his lip start to quiver again, "I'm sorry Ste, but I'm done" and he gave Ste one last glance before turning and walking away.
Ste stood outside the pub for a while, tears running down his face as he watched Jed walk away. How could this have happened again? He walked towards the bridge and stood staring into the water for a while as he allowed his heart to break. He wondered what he would do? He couldn't afford the house on the small amount of money he earned working at Tony's and he couldn't be on his own, not after five years of having someone to hold. He walked back to the pub and entered, tears still spilling down his face. Tony was the first one who saw him and the state he was in. He quickly walked over to him and pulled him into a hug, not letting him go as Ste sobbed onto his shoulder.
When Ste was a little more composed, Tony led him back to the lads. He sat down and knocked back the rest of his pint, not giving it a second thought when he ordered another. When it arrived he gulped down a good half before wiping his mouth and looking up at the others, "Jed just broke up with me" he said, his lip starting to wobble slightly, "Apparently I need to work things out with Brendan".
The guys all said they were sorry and took it in turns to clap him on the shoulder before Darren spoke up, "How can he say that when you and Brendan haven't even really spoke since he got back?".
"It's cause I'm always at the club" Ste replied simply. He sighed and shook his head, "I don't want to talk about this, I'm exhausted".
Jack watched as Ste downed the rest of his pint and sighed, "Well you have a choice Ste" he said gently. He was the oldest of the group so he decided he should make a sensible suggestion. He continued, "You can either be sensible and go home and get some rest or you can stay and have a few more drinks with us lads but don't be stupid".
Ste nodded at Jack and tried to give a weak smile before ordering another drink, "No point going back to an empty house is there" he said, taking another large gulp out of his drink.
It was 11pm when Ste found himself stumbling into the club. He had told the lads he was going home but he didn't want to, not when he would be alone. He looked around for someone he knew but it was full of a lot of younger people, in fact he was sure he was the oldest person in the room. He stumbled to the bar and waited to be served, "Can I get two beers" he slurred.
The bartender was a new face and he got the drinks without question, handing them over to Ste. Once Ste had moved away from the bar, the bartender walked to the office, "Boss, I just served a guy and I think he is really drunk. He was capable of ordering his drinks but I think it would be wise to refuse service next time".
Brendan stopped typing at his computer and turned in his chair, "Why did you serve him in the first place?" he asked.
"He was able to ask for what he wanted with only a small amount of slurring. It wasn't until he walked away I noticed how messed up he was", the bartender said, his eyes down on the floor.
Brendan stood up and adjusted his trousers before turning his computer screen off and heading out the door, beckoning for the bartender to follow him. When they were back on the club floor, he had the drunken man pointed out to him and he felt like his heart had stopped when he saw who it was. Ste was standing there, talking to a bunch of strangers and nearly falling on them.
Brendan hurried over and took Ste's arm, apologizing to his new friends and dragging him into the office, "What are you playing at Steven?" he shouted, pushing him onto a chair, "You're wrecked and you should be at home".
Ste giggled and looked up at Brendan, "You've always been so bossy" he said, trying to point at Brendan, "Always telling me what to do. No wonder Jed left me".
Brendan's eyes widened... So that's why he was drunk, because Jed had left him. He sighed and took in a deep breath, "Come on, I'm taking you home" and he lent down, placing his arm around Ste and dragging him back into the club and out into the open street.
Once outside, Ste started talking but Brendan couldn't understand a word of it, his mind was elsewhere. He had heard rumours about Ste from when he was in prison and he wanted to know how true they were but, he could tell that Ste had definitely been messed up at one point and the people were right when they said that they feared a relapse.
Brendan managed to get Ste to his house, taking him straight into bedroom and throwing him onto the bed. Ste clutched onto him and begged, "Please stay with me Bren".
Brendan managed to get Ste's hands of off his shirt and shook his head, "No Steven" he breathed, as he pulled the blanket up on him and watched as he started to fall into a deep sleep, "Maybe one day, but not today" and he kissed him gently on the cheek before turning and leaving, heading back to the nightclub where it all began.