Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HO OR ITS' CHARACTERS. BELIEVE ME DAMMIT. Unbeta'd like usual. Let me get these out first. NickyM1, you are just like a huge fluff ball full of fluff and fluffing fluff you. 3 Shun95145, YOU ARE SOOOOOOOOOOOO going to like melt from all the cute and happy in this chapter :3 Samia, Chaque fois que vous écrivez, je pleure des larmes de joie. Sorry for the horrible French. Ehem...Read on :D
The next chapter will be up next Monday and it will be the last chapter. However I may write an epilogue. I don't know yet. But yeah. THIS CHAPTER WAS SO MUCH FUN TO WRITE AND SO SWEET AND UGH I JUST WANT BRENDAN AND STE TO BE OKAY AND BE GAY AND BAKE BREAD AND HAVE THE KIDS ALL THE TIME AND THEN TRY TO HAVE SNEAKY SEX AND UGH I JUST WANT THEM TO BE HAPPY FOR FUCK'S SAKE!
"Daddy Brendan! Will you be my prince?" Leah asked holding a plastic crown in her hands. Brendan exhaled deeply and shook his head.
"M'not a prince sweetheart. M'a monster." He said somberly. Leah put the crown down next to her and then brought her little hands around Brendan's neck, kissing his cheek.
"You're our monster. Like daddy." She said cheerfully. Ste stared at Paddy running in a circle wearing one of Leah's dresses that Mitzeee left before her, Amy and Phoenix went back to London. She left clothes for Leah and Lucas that she bought before they left.
"Leah, can I have it?" Paddy asked twirling around. "It's so pretty. Can I have it?"
"Pad." Brendan sighed letting Leah put the crown in his hair. "You can't wear Leah's dresses." Paddy stopped twirling and looked at his father sad.
"I think he looks nice." Ste said getting a glare from his partner.
"Thank you!" Paddy beamed and resumed his twirling. Lucas walked into the room wearing a dress as well. He also had his hair up in a messy bun and red lipstick smeared everywhere. Paddy stopped and gasped, staring at him. "What is that?" He pointed to Lucas' face.
"Leah made me a model." Lucas jumped to the side. "I'm really pretty now." Ste fell backwards on the couch watching the two small boys.
"I want to be really pretty. Leah can you make me really pretty?" The small girl busy with taking out her teaset and placing a cup in Brendan's hand looked over at Paddy.
"You're really pretty already. But I can give you a makeover."
"Okay!" Brendan sighed as Leah was clearly the dominant force in a household full of males. Even surpassing alpha Brendan. Ste inhaled sharply as Lucas jumped onto his chest.
"Daddy. Can we get ice cream tomorrow?" He asked. His lipstick covered face dangerously close to Ste's face with big blue eyes looking innocent.
"Only if you're good."
"I'm always good." Lucas whispered serious and jumped off joining Paddy in spinning around who paused for a moment and sat down on the ground staring at Ste.
"What do I call you?" He cocked his head to the side similarly to how his father gestured. Ste froze in his trying to sit upright and Brendan froze in his pretending to drink Leah's imaginary tea with his arm midway to his mouth.
"What?" Brendan asked shortly.
"What do you mean, Paddy?" Ste asked with a touch more of delicacy.
"Leah calls da' daddy Brendan. Declan calls you Ste. What do I call you?" Lucas fell onto the carpet dizzy.
"What do you want to call him?" The small boy asked the other small boy who thought about it for a moment before smiling.
"Dad?" He asked unsurely with a small smile.
"You don't want to call him daddy?"
"I don't like it. I like dad and da."
"Okay." Lucas said firmly. "Dad and da for you. Da and Ste for Declan. Daddy and daddy Brendan for Leah."
"What about you Lucas? What do you want to call my da?" Ste realised in the midst of their conversation that Lucas barely called Brendan anything.
"Well daddy is obviously daddy. And your da is..." Lucas rolled around staring at Brendan who was looking curiously back at him. Leah disappeared to get her makeup kit. "He can be uncle Brendan for now. But if your daddy makes my daddy cry, I'll get sick on you." Ste smiled and leaned back on the couch as the two small boys spoke.
"Enjoying yourself?" Brendan asked him.
"Yeah. I actually am." Ste replied, the smile remaining on his face.
-.-.-.-.-
"Ste." Leela clicked her fingers in front of his face. "Ste!"
"What?" He asked looking over at the certificate in his hand. He passed that dumb business course that Tony signed him up for. It wasn't much but it still made Ste feel a little proud of himself.
"Can I have her number?"
"Who? What are you on about again?" Leela groaned and threw her head back frustrated.
"Your therapist. You said she does couple's counselling and mum and dad need it." Ste blinked at her for a couple of seconds.
"Yeah. Sure." He pulled his phone out and found the number. "Here." He passed the phone to her so she could write it in her own. "Why are you asking for them anyways? Shouldn't they be trying to solve their problems?" Leela sighed and rested her face on her hand.
"You know dad. He never tries to resolve the problem. Just ignores it and hopes for the best. And mum isn't any better. They're both avoiders. Me and Teegs are planning an intervention. You should join."
"No. Thank you but no."
"Okay. And how is your therapy going?"
"Good." He said.
"That's it? That's all I'm going to get?"
"Yup." He turned back to the certificate and rolled it up. "How are you?"
"Fine. I'll let it go for now. I'm good. Just you know. Existing."
"Oookay."
"No. I mean. I'm looking for purpose. That's my new mission." Ste looked at her confused. "Well it's 'cause like...I'm feeling so bored with my life at the moment. So I'm looking for purpose."
"Purpose for what? A job? A life direction?"
"Anything really." She blew a raspberry into the air. "Wanna help me search for meaning of life?"
"Nope. I got a job to do." He left her sitting outside the kitchen and immediately regretted walking into the room. The scorching heat from the sun was bad enough but the kitchen was a hundred times worse. It felt like a live sauna. Doug was frantically staring at boiling pots frozen in one spot. "Doug. What are you doing?"
"I don't know." He looked panicked. "My parents are coming. They're coming here, Ste."
"Oh. What's wrong with that?" Ste frowned turning the stove off. As far as he knew, Doug's parents were normal.
"They don't know I'm gay."
"Okay."
"And they think I'm engaged to Leanne!" He cried out, panic in his voice.
"What?!" Ste felt his eyes budge out of his head. "What did you tell them that for?!"
"I was scared, I was rejected by you, you started dating Brendan, I was hurt and they called and I wanted to tell them but it just came out!" Doug was actually crying at this point. "You have no idea, Ste. It's easy for you. You're already out! My parents, they'll take away my trust fund! I need that money for my future!" Ste closed his eyes and counted to ten to calm down whilst Doug kept on speaking. "And now they're coming here and they want to help me plan my wedding. What am I supposed to do?" Doug sat down on the stool and stared out the window. "I'm going to have to marry Leanne. Oh God." Ste rolled his eyes and turned back to the food. Doug just sat there silently staring out the window whilst Ste worked. When the food was ready and served to customers, Ste turned back to Doug.
"Here's what you do. You welcome your parents. Tell them you love them and tell them you're gay. If they really love you, they won't care. If they don't, they'll take the money. But you have a steady job at the moment so you can save up for your future. And marrying Leanne is like the worst idea. She got real proper terrifying last time she was engaged." He took a breath. "Coming out is never easy but I've not met anyone yet who regretted it." He thought back to his own coming out.
He told Amy after they argued and she squeeled like crazy. The next day she bought him magazines of hunky men working out. Her coming out was even funnier. He spent his entire wages on magazines with Mitzeee and put the pictures up on every inch of her room writing 'This is what you're getting into' in one of her red lipsticks on her mirror.
"You don't get it, Ste. You've got it so easy. Not everyone accepts this. My parents... They aren't... You have your family. You have Amy. You have Leah and Lucas. You have so much. You don't know what it's like to not have anything. How scary it is." Ste rolled his eyes at Doug's dramatics. "You have no idea what it's like."
"Are you fucking serious?" Ste looked at him. "Yeah. I've no fucking clue. Because it's not like I basically was a punching bag for me stepdad me whole life being called a fag. Not like when him and mum found out and I landed in the hospital for two weeks. Me kids had to see me like that, Doug. Not like when I lost all me friends except for Amy because they were either scared I would give them HIV or tried to pull them. I know what it's like to have nothing. To be looked down at 'cause of who I am. The only difference between me and you is that your parents might not give you money where I was scared for me life. Me kids life. I know how difficult it is. Just because my life is alright at this moment, it does not mean it's easy. Don't ever say that. Just because something looks easy, it doesn't mean it is. Right?" He turned back to the food ignoring the American behind him.
"I'm sorry." Doug said in a small voice.
"I don't need your apology, Doug. Just stop thinking you're the centre of the universe and be honest with who you are."
"It's not that easy."
"Actually." Ste turned to him and smiled thinking about his kids and Brendan and the Brady boys. "It is a lot easier than you think."
-.-.-.-.-
"Can we go to the beach, daddy?" Lucas asked colouring in a pineapple whilst Leah listened to Holly's iPod and mouthed the words.
"Not today, Lucas."
"What about on the weekend? We could even ask uncle Brendan and Declan and Paddy to come with." He jumped excited in his seat. "Pleeeeease. It's so hot. Pleeeeease." Tony appeared out of nowhere.
"That would be a good idea actually. You should go. I'll even give you the Friday off." Ste thought about it for a moment.
"It could be fun." Ste debated in his head. "But I don't know. I don't have a car." Tony dropped himself in a seat across from him.
"I do. And Brendan does as well. Why don't you go and ask him?" Ste narrowed his eyes at Tony.
"Why are you trying to get rid of me?" Tony put on an innocent face. "Toneh. What are you-?" He stopped speaking when he saw John Paul walk through the door with his hand in Marcus'. "I think I understand now." Tony turned around to look behind him and faced Ste with a guilty expression.
"I didn't want to tell you."
"Who's gonna make the food if not me?"
"I was hoping to convince Lynsey or Doug." Tony scratched his ear.
"It's fine. As long as I don't have to talk to him, I do not care." Tony nodded and walked over to the table JP and Marcus were sat at. Lucas nudged him to bring back the attention to him.
"So can we? Go to the beach?" Ste found himself nodding as the little boy beamed happily. Ste pulled his phone out and sent a text to Andrea that he wouldn't be able to attend the session on Friday. She wouldn't pick up her phone since she was probably in session so Ste had a choice of leaving her a voice mail or sending a text and there was a higher chance of her seeing the text first.
He looked over at John Paul and Marcus who seemed happy and in love. Little touches that sent out the message they couldn't keep their hands off each other. Andrea quickly replied with a quick 'Looking forward to see you next week, Ste.' a moment later. Ste wondered for a moment what it would be like. Planning a wedding. He imagined he would fit the gay stereotype and go Leanne about the entire thing.
Brendan wouldn't say much but he'd secretly get up at night and mess around with everything. Partly for fun and partly because he thought he knew better. Ste smiled to himself a little, his eyes still on the happy couple but his mind on his Irishman. He let himself wonder and fantasize for a couple of moments. It was nice and pleasant and it sparked a glimmer of hope in Ste. He's been feeling that a lot. Hope.
"Daddy. Call daddy Brendan." Leah said. She stopped listening to the iPod and Lucas must have updated her on their weekend plans. Ste thumbed the name on his screen for a while debating on whether or not to invite the Brady bunch. He liked the idea of spending some time together with his kids in private but he adored Paddy, Declan was really interesting to have conversations with and Brendan was...Brendan. Just his presence made Ste's mood light up.
"Yeah?" Brendan sounded distracted. Rushed. Annoyed.
"Hey. It's me. It's Ste." Lucas looked at him strangely as Brendan kept silent. "Hi." Brendan chuckled on the other side.
"Yes, Steven. I know it's you. I wouldn't have picked up otherwise." Ste frowned as Brendan's voice remained annoyed.
"Oh. Is everything alright?"
"No." Brendan growled. "Apparently my dear sis thinks this club is some fuckin' charity project. She booked it for a weekend in the last week of August for bachelor party and a wedding reception for free! She's shut down the club for a private event on the busiest nights we have! Right before the fucking students go back to putting knowledge in their drug induced little brains. We're not even providing the food! Foxy, for fuck's sake, stop wasting my whisky. Danny, you gonna help me out here or what?" Ste heard replies from male voices but he couldn't exactly understand what they were saying. "Hold on, Steven. Foxy, if Danny goes near Kevin, you can throw whisky at him then. Not before. Stop wasting my product that costs more than your fucking car insurance!"
"Screw you, Brady!" Ste heard Warren Fox yell loud enough.
"Never happening. Yer fucking ugly as hell, Foxy." Brendan must have moved into his office because Ste heard him go from a loud place with male laughter and music to complete silence. Brendan inhaled deeply. "Sorry, Steven. You know us lads."
"Yeah." Ste didn't feel like pointing out that he didn't actually know. His only male friend was Joel and he moved away. There was also Tony but he was more like a dad than a friend. And Doug was...not a friend. More like an acquaintance.
"You okay?" Brendan asked quietly.
"Yeah." Ste repeated himself sounding hollow, eyes stopping on the happy couple again. He felt irritation itch at his skin. He shouldn't have called. Brendan probably won't want to come. "So you've got your hands full at the moment?"
"Mm. Always got time for you, Steven." Brendan said suggestively. Leah kicked him under the table accidentally whilst getting off her seat to give Holly back her iPod. Ste cleared his throat.
'Now or never.' He thought to himself.
"I've got my certificate. From that business course. That Tony made me sign up for."
"Good lad. Anthony."
"Mm." An awkward silence fell upon them for a few minutes. Ste looked down at the table and fidgeted with the napkin, his voice caught in his throat. He didn't know how to ask.
"That's really good. Seriously. We should celebrate." Brendan broke the silence. Ste wondered if he sensed his inner struggle.
"Lucas and Leah want to go to the beach this weekend." He blurted out. Brendan didn't respond at all. "'Cause it's so hot, innit? So we're gonna go on Friday. Do you...? Would you...? You and the boys...? D'you think we should...?" Ste closed his eyes and let his head drop on the table. Lucas giggled at his father. "D'youandboyscomewith?" Lucas giggled again. Ste exhaled heavily, thinking about how imbecilic he sounded.
"Steven?" Brendan asked unsurely. "Are you asking if I'll go away for a weekend with you and both of our kids?"
"I don't even know." Ste murmured quietly. "I think I'm trying."
"That's...Steven, that's something couples do."
"Aren't we a couple, Brendan?" Ste asked feeling his heart in his throat. "Me and you?" He squeezed his eyes shut. "You said we'd go one day. Away. Together. On holiday." His voice getting quieter by the second.
'SHUT. UP.' Ste was thinking in his head. Every word seemed to make the situation worse and more awkward.
"We are. A couple. A fucking good lookin' one. You're my...uh...You're my boyfriend. And I'm yours. If we have to call it." Ste felt something warm spread against his chest and he was sure his eyes watered under the closed eyelids a little bit. "Don't make me repeat it. Please don't make me say it again."
"Okay." Ste whispered in a raspy voice. "I won't."
"Good. That's...good. The beach. Good idea. Deccy will be in. He's so bored. Paddy can't swim so we gotta buy those arm floaters. Where's the nearest beach?"
"I don't know. I have to look."
"I'll come 'round tonight with Paddy and we'll figure it out. Dec's going with Cheryl and Nate to a football match."
"Chez at a football match?"
"Nate's parents are gonna be there or something. She's still trying to impress them. Dunno why. She's me baby sister. She's brilliant." Ste smiled to himself listening to Brendan defend Cheryl. "She cares more than that fuckin' ice queen mother-in-law. She is loyal, smart, she works all the fuckin' time. If they don't appreciate her, then they can fuck off."
"Ya taking a dump in he'e, Brady? The fuck's takin' you so long?" Ste heard Warren Fox's voice come through loud and clear. He must have been next to Brendan.
"Calm yourself, princess. I'm having some me time." Ste heard some clattering and then Warren Fox spoke a clear goodbye to him before he disconnected the phone.
Ste looked up smiling to see his children stare at him with big eyes. He actually forgot they were there. JP and Marcus were still there however Tony had gone somewhere. The happy couple were holding hands but Ste noticed JP glaring at him when Marcus looked away. Lynsey came out of the kitchen and passed him a bunch of papers.
"Holiday forms. Tony filled them out. Just sign." Ste grinned at her and signed quickly as Leah asked her why horse hair was used in wigs. "They're stronger, honey. Animals are just overall better than humans."
-.-.-.-.-
"I've been lookin'." Brendan announced the moment he walked in. Ste was busy drying Lucas' hair. After work they went to the park and right before they were meant to go home, Lucas decided it would be more fun to throw himself into a mud puddle. How the mud puddle existed without rain in the last month was beyond his understanding but there was one and Lucas decided he loved it. "For where we should go. Hey, Lucas. What did you do?" Paddy ran over to Leah and hugged her half way. Brendan kissed Ste lightly as a hello and shook a KFC bucket smelling like chicken.
"I MUDDLED!" Lucas yelled happily beaming at Brendan. "Can I muddle at the beach, uncle Brendan?" Ste started drying Lucas' arms.
"Sure, buddy." Brendan flicked the little boy's nose lightly, earning a giggle in response and sat down next to Ste on the couch. "I like West Kirby. It's small but nice. And there are like a lot of B&B's around. Less than an hour away."
"Sounds good." Ste nodded wrapping the wet towel around Lucas' arms. "Go hang it up and you can have popcorn." Lucas grinned and ran to the bathroom past a wrestling Leah and Paddy on the floor. "How much is it?" Brendan shook his head.
"I booked it already."
"Wha? Brendan. It was my idea to go. I should pay."
"Too bad." He smiled smugly.
"I should pay at least half."
"It's already paid for so there's no point."
"Yeah, there is-"
"No. Steven, why can't I just do something nice?"
"Because I feel like I owe you."
"You don't." Brendan cut him off and lowered his voice as Lucas jumped in with a vicious roar into the wrestling match that was Leah and Paddy. "Besides. We have our own room which I plan on taking full advantage off. You can repay me in a more physical manner." Ste gulped and smirked a little. His eyes travelling to Brendan's lips then back up to his eyes.
"What? Am I your personal trollop?" Brendan's eyes followed Ste's actions and travelled to his mouth.
"Steven. You know you're way too expensive to be a toy boy." He leaned in, smiling and Ste couldn't help but lean into the man himself, kissing him sweetly, laughing lightly as the three kids were rolling around screaming in war.
-.-.-.-.-
Ste told Tegan the next day he wouldn't come for Friday dinner which she passed on to the rest of the family which resulted in an angry voice mail from Danny, a bunch of curious texts from Leela and a sad face emoji from Peri followed by a picture of an empty plate. But it didn't matter because on Friday midday he had packed his kids stuff and just waited for the Brady boys to come.
"Daddy. Can I have gum?" Leah asked sitting on her bag. She packed it herself and then watched wearily as Ste packed Lucas' as if she didn't trust him.
"Me too! Me too! Me too!" Lucas bounced in front of the TV. He was squeezing some last minute cartoons in.
"No. You always swallow it and then it'll get stuck inside for seven years and stick your organs together." Ste said frustrated looking for the sunblock. He realised after a second that he used it all when the three of them were at the zoo.
"How are we all going to fit in daddy's car?" Leah asked curious.
"I don't know, Leah. Maybe we'll put you in the boot."
"No fair!" Lucas pouted as Leah gloated. "I want to ride in a boot."
"Daddy means the trunk, Lucas." Leah said exasperated rolling her eyes. "And I'm the oldest so I'm going to sit in the front."
"What kind of a car does uncle Brendan have? Is it a Bentley?"
"I don't know, Lucas. Where's me money?"
"On the table!" Leah and Lucas shouted in unison. Ste grinned sheepishly as indeed he saw his keys, his wallet and his phone on the table. Just then someone knocked on the door startling him. Leah skipped to open it and cackled dragging a Declan inside. The teenager glared at her as he walked in. He was wearing a shirt of some cartoon Ste never even heard of.
"I lost a bet with Peri." He mumbled at Ste. "This character is the most hated for her satanic sacrifices." Leah cackled and picked up her bag but it was almost as big as her so she nearly fell over under its' weight.
"Ow." She mumbled as she accidentally hit her nose. Declan took the bag from her.
"Come on. Da's waiting in the car. Air conditioning." The teen explained at everyone's questioning looks. "This was a brilliant idea to be honest. I can't wait to go and cool down at the beach." Lucas and Leah followed Declan out the door as Ste grabbed his and Lucas' bag along with his keys, wallet and phone. He turned the TV off quickly and locked the flat catching up to the kids soon after who were walking towards a silver Mercedes. Brendan was clearly having a heated discussion with Paddy from his body language.
Declan opened the trunk and Brendan noticed the small family. He grinned and rolled his window down.
"Hiya." Ste said feeling giddy.
"Hello. You got everything?" Brendan asked as Declan took the two remaining bags and put them in the boot as well.
"Just need sunblock."
"We'll get that there."
"How are we all fitting in your five person car, Brendan?" Ste asked a little worried but Brendan's grin widened.
"Just hope in. Paddy and Lucas in the middle. Declan and Leah at the windows."
"And me?" Ste asked smugly as the kids piled inside the car. Brendan leaned out of the car.
"You're up here with me, Steven." He growled, reaching up to his neck and kissing him filthy, making Ste moan which of course resulted in Leah screaming, Lucas crying, Paddy making hyperventilating noises and Declan groaning in mental anguish. Brendan pulled away annoyed. "Fine! We've stopped! Jesus!" Ste grinned and walked around the car to the front passenger side. Brendan turned around to the kids and Ste curious, followed his lead. Declan helped Leah and Lucas get their seatbelts on but his own extended so much it went around his torso as well as small Paddy's.
"Handy." Ste muttered earning a chuckle from Brendan.
"You'd know best, Steven." Ste shook his head but felt himself smile. "Alright. Let's go. If we're lucky we can still hit the beach."
"I brought my toys to play with the sand." Lucas told the car. "D'you know how to make a sand castle, uncle Brendan?"
"I told you." Leah said, exasperated again. "Daddy Brendan is not a prince. He doesn't know what castles look like. Daddy will help you. Can we listen to music? I'm bored."
"Sure, lovey." Brendan turned the radio on. "Padraig, if you stick gum on me brand new interior, you will regret it for a very long time." Paddy crossed his arms and stuck his tongue out. "Friggin' kids." Brendan muttered.
"Can I have a juice box?"
"Are we there yet?"
"I hope there'll be some girls there. I love you people but I need to be with me own kind."
"I'm bored!" Brendan huffed as the four people in the back made a lot of noise and complained too much for a lifetime. Ste looked out the passing scenery and smiled.
"Quiet! I can't hear the bloody navigation." Brendan was clearly getting more and more agitated and Ste couldn't help but think that this was good. Their little made up family. It felt right. The kids squabbling with the adults. The teenager ignoring everyone. The pouting, the agitation.
Lucas and Paddy even started to dare each other who could belch the loudest but Leah said she would eat them in their sleep if they made her sit through that.
After that everyone got really quiet and the only sounds were the GPS, the radio and everyone breathing in a blissfully air conditioned car.
-.-.-.-.-.-
"Hi. We've got a reservation." Ste said. Brendan parked the car right behind the bed and breakfast hotel which was dedicated to customers only. The beach was a seven minute walk. Ste could see it from the front door.
"Name?" Asked cheerfully the teenage desk clerk. Declan perked up at the sight of her and puffed out his chest.
"Brady-Hay." Brendan answered from the back of the group. Lucas hanging off his back whilst Leah and Paddy attempted to climb each other both failing miserably. The girl who introduced herself as Ella gave Ste three room keys.
"This one is the king. And these are the twins. The twins are adjoing but I'm afraid the king size isn't."
"That's alright." Ste smiled trying to hide the dirty images coming up in his head. "We'll manage."
"Great. You're the only residents at the moment on the first floor. We serve a full English breakfast buffet from eight till ten. Lunch is from twelve till two and supper is from five till seven. D'you need anything else?"
"Can you help my brother?" Leah asked sweetly pointing at Declan. "He's drooling."
"What? No! Shut up, Leah!" Declan shouted and picked up all six bags by himself stomping upstairs. The teenage girl hid her laughter as best as possible but a faint blush coloured her cheeks.
"Is there a shop near by?" Brendan asked. Leah and Paddy following Declan with silent giggles. "We need some arm floaters and sunscreens."
"Arm floaties!" Lucas yelled happily and wriggled off Brendan running after his age group.
"There's a small booth that provides swimwear equipment at the edge of the beach. You'll see it when you follow the trail. It's right next to the food booth. There's usually a motorcycle there as well. But the sunscreen can be bought from the gas station around the corner if you'd like to get it at a cheaper price."
"Brilliant. Thank you, Ella." Brendan smiled at her charmingly and Ste rolled his eyes as the teenage girl blushed again.
"Stop trying to pull." Ste hissed as they were walking up the stairs. The kids were making a lot of noise since Ste still had the keys in his hand.
"Mm. I think I like it when you get jealous." Brendan smirked and tutted up the stairs quicker leaving a gobsmacked Ste behind.
The younger man felt satisfied when he saw that he still had the keys to the room. He opened the kids' rooms first ignoring an impatient Brendan who was staring at him annoyed.
The kids' rooms were nice. Both white large, a TV in each, two beds and a door in the middle whilst the bathrooms were placed at the sides. They had the view of the small city.
"Daddy! There's our car!" Leah said excited pointing out the window. Brendan walked over and nodded appeased.
"No one's tried to knick it yet." Declan came through the adjoining door.
"We should keep this open." He told Leah and Lucas. "Just in case you need somethin'. Or want a sleepover. Holy shitballs!" He clapped his hands together. "Let's build a fort from our room to your room!"
"Yeah! Let's do it!" Paddy jumped up and down excited. "Da. Get out. You and dad aren't invited." The little boy started to push his father out of the room. Ste smirked and left of his own free will as Brendan was outraged that he couldn't have fun like his kids.
Their own room was quite big as well, TV in the corner, bathroom to the side, view of the beach and there was a giant comfortable looking bed in the middle.
"Fucking hell." Ste breathed out and proceeded to throw himself smack in the middle of it.
"Nice view." Brendan's voice sounded amused but Ste just waved him off and rolled himself around the bed.
"Piss off, Bren. This is a childhood fantasy I'm working on here." Ste started moving his legs and arms around the bed trying to create an angel. Brendan was standing at the small table where they put their bags and raised an eyebrow. He looked delicious. Ste didn't want to pop a boner around the kids so he didn't notice just how much. The older man was wearing jeans that hung low on his hips and a black short sleeve. "Though, I have some other fantasies in a giant comfortable bed that we could work on." He grinned as Brendan's eyes roamed him over making Ste's skin buzz.
"You're so hot and cold. One minute I should piss off and the next you're drooling for me." He advanced on Ste so that he was standing right in front of him. His knee bumped Ste's leg's apart and he cocked his head to the side. "Starting to feel used here, Steven." Ste sat up and pulled Brendan down to his level, kissing him slowly. Brendan propped himself up on his arms trapping Ste in and made the filthiest groan ever when their tongues touched. Brendan growled and pushed against Ste to get him up further up on the bed and pressed himself along Ste's body once they hit the pillows. Ste's hand travelled to Brendan's arse pressing his groin closer.
"Lube. And condoms." Ste panted as Brendan grinded against him. "I want to ride you, Brendan. Fuck, I want to ride you." Brendan smirked and pinned Ste's arms above his head.
"Maybe I'll let you next round." Ste would have objected but at that moment, when Brendan's 'tache was scratching his jaw lightly, he was really turned on by how controlling his lover was.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"Leah, eat your beans." Ste said downing his breakfast.
"They look runny." She crossed her arms. "I want the hash browns."
"You didn't want the hash browns. You wanted the beans."
"But now I want the hash browns." She said louder.
"You can have them after you finish your plate."
"No." She turned around in her chair and faced the wall.
"Leah." Brendan sat down next to her with a huge plate. Lucas and Paddy joining on the other side. Declan was sitting at the other end of the room talking with Ella.
"Here you go, darlin'." Brendan put some hash browns and bacon on Leah's plate careful not to touch the beans. She turned around and beamed at him, grabbing at the food with her hands.
"Thank you, daddy Brendan. You're my favourite person ever."
"Da got me ice cream as well." Paddy bragged happy.
"AND I GOT JUICE!" Lucas shouted excited slurrping it down. "CAN I GET MORE JUICE?!" He asked and squealed when Brendan nodded, running out of his chair to the buffet. However he walked carefully back with it, eyes wide to catch any spills. Brendan looked over at Ste and lost his smile when he caught Ste's expression.
"What?"
"Are you going to be the fun parent?" Ste asked. Brendan looked over at the three small rascals immersed in their food.
"I have two modes when it comes to children, Steven. I'm either on their level or I ignore their existence. I'm not good with kids. Unless I produced them."
"You're gwood with ush, uncwe Bwendan." Lucas said in between the chewing.
"That's 'cause you like me. Not many people like me."
"We like you. Daddy likes you. Mummy and Auntie Anne like you. That's enough." Leah said with a tone of finality. They ate in silence for a moment with Ste stealing glances at Brendan who was annihilating his food. When Lucas, Paddy and Leah went to the buffet again Ste spoke quietly.
"I'd be okay with it." Brendan looked up at him mid-chew. "You being the fun parent. I'd be okay with it. M'not good with kids either. Never really was one. Lucas and Leah...it's easier for me to tell them what's right and wrong than trying to be friendly with them. I mean. I love them. Obviously. But I'm not good...at playing with them. You are. I'd be okay with you being the fun parent." Ste finished and went up to the buffet himself when the kids came back. Brendan stared at him wide eyed.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
They set out to go to the beach around ten but even then the weather was getting more and more humid. Ste bought four packs of arm floaters and four bottles of sunblock from the booth before they went to set up. They found a nice spot.
Declan immediately went into the water but came back five minutes later complaining about how cold it was. Ste got a towel out and forced the teenager with a glare to put it around himself. Brendan got two large blankets out and Leah found rocks to pin them down to the ground.
"Deccy, get a coffee." Brendan pulled out a fiver.
"S-ss-sss-ssss'fine." The teen spoke through his chattering teeth. Lucas hugged Declan.
"Get warm soon." He said pushing his cheek against Declan's toweled arm. "I'll go get coffee with you. What is coffee?"
"D-d-d-de-evil-l-l-l-l-l's dri-i-i-ink."
"You don't like coffee?" Ste asked. Declan nodded but it was hard to tell because of the shaking. "Maybe they have tea or hot chocolate." Lucas gasped and started jumping.
"HOT CHOCOLATE! HOT CHOCOLATE! DECLAN, LET'S GET HOT CHOCOLATE!" Declan stood up and took Lucas' hand, holding the other one towards Brendan who rolled his eyes and gave him a tenner. It was entertaining watching them walk to the food booth. Declan shaking from the cold wrapped in his towel holding onto a small Lucas who was jumping up and down from excited over hot chocolate.
"Daaad?" Paddy got the puppy eyes out. "Can you blow up my arm floaters? Pleeeease." Leah sat on one of the blankets and pulled out Lucas' plastic bucket. Ste nodded and took the sunblock out of the bag.
"Sure. But daddy Brendan has to put sunblock on all of you." Paddy and Leah groaned and Brendan even made a face but took the bottle. He sat on the blanket to get on the same level as Leah and Paddy. Ste opened up one of the bags and stared at the sea. It was quite something. He hadn't see something like that in years. Never thought he would actually not feel guilty over wanting a family holiday. Over having a family holiday. And it did really feel like a family holiday. Him, Brendan, Declan, Leah, Paddy and Lucas. They felt like a family.
"That lad keeps on looking at us." Brendan muttered standing up. Leah and Paddy having white stripes on their faces looking like small warriors. Leah even growled like Brendan to get into the character. Ste looked over in the direction. There was a group a couple of feet away setting up with a guy in his twenties looking in their direction.
"He's probably staring at you because you're so hot." Ste said sarcastically turning back as he tried to blow up Paddy's arm floats. He dropped one on the ground by accident and bent down to pick it up but Brendan made a growling noise when he did so. Ste straightened up quickly frowning at his boyfriend. "S'the matter?" Brendan was glaring in a direction of the stranger. "Brendan." Ste tugged on his shirt.
"He's not looking at me. He's looking at you." Brendan hissed narrowing his eyes even further. "I'm gonna go over there and teach that bloke a lesson to keep his fuckin' eyes to himself. Be right back." He made a move to do so but Ste threw the other arm float at his face startling Brendan.
"Blow it up. Or you're swimming with Paddy and Lucas clinging onto yer neck for dear life." Brendan transferred his glare to Ste. "You can put sunblock on me afterwards and he'll go green with envy 'cause you get to see me naked."
"EW!" Leah shrieked overhearing. "Stop being so gross!" She was frowning at them. "Declan! Daddy and daddy are being gross again!" She complained as the teenager came back with Lucas, both holding cups of hot chocolate. Declan looking a bit better.
"You two should be ashamed of yourselves." He said simply and sat next to Leah grabbing the sunblock holding the cup to her. "Lucas, c'mere. You're turning red already."
"S'cause I've got porcelain skin." Lucas said proudly but stood in front of Declan. "Auntie Anne says so. What does porcelain skin mean? Am I a doll?"
"No." Ste laughed sitting down and blowing up another pack of floaters for Lucas. He didn't want to risk his son drowning for fun. "Just means you need to be careful with the sun."
"Ste. That bloke's staring at you like a peace of meat." Declan said putting sunblock on himself. Brendan growled and helped his son before taking of his shirt and putting it on himself.
"Should teach the lad to stop objectifying people." He muttered.
"Da. Keep your jealousy far away from me." Declan told him stretching out on the blanket, putting the wet towel out to dry.
"Leah! That's my bucket!" Lucas screeched and tried to attack her but the little girl put a hand on his forehead and somehow managed to keep him away from him without moving a muscle.
"Steven, help me out here." Brendan passed him the sunblock. "Can't get me back, now can I?" Ste shook his head smiling putting the half blown up arm float aside. "What about you?" The Irishman asked looking him over after he was finished. Ste shrugged, clinging onto his white shirt carefully and Brendan stretched out like his son.
"M'not really comfortable." He muttered quietly only for Brendan to hear, finishing the arm floaters.
"When can we go into the water?" Paddy asked.
"We'll see how warm it's in an hour." Ste told him, ignoring the questioning look from his boyfriend. "Then hopefully you can go and swim. Lucas, share with Leah. You have more toys."
"But I wanted the bucket!" Lucas said angrily, his hands too short to reach Leah.
"Lucas can't have the bucket. Lucas can't have the bucket." Leah sang.
"Leah. Knock it off." Ste said tiredly and grabbed Lucas mid way sitting the little boy next to him. "Here." He gave Lucas a book of stickers he bought on Thursday. "Go crazy." He put sunblock on his legs, arms, face, neck and ears quickly.
"STICKERS." Lucas whispered, his eyes going wide. Paddy came over and they both stared in amazement at the many stickers. "We have to use them." He whispered to the Irish boy.
"We can't tell Leah." Paddy whispered back. They looked over at Leah to see if she was paying attention to them but she was busy making sand mountains. Ste shook his head and took out a pad of paper.
"What are you doing?" Brendan asked him.
"Menu for a private event. I always do them when someone hires Tony's to cater." He answered.
"What's the event?" Ste hesitated.
"Uh...It's John Paul's wedding." He didn't have to look at Brendan to know the man had an incredulous expression on his face.
"He's getting married already?" Declan asked. "That's quick."
"Well, Tony says that they set the date for end of September." Ste wrote cake ideas on his pad.
"What? That's not a lot of time to plan a wedding. Right?" Ste shrugged.
"They're probably not doing much. The McQueens usually do weddings in their garden. Myra likes to keep everything in the family." He wrote down a bunch of starters before he started to theorise brand new ones. It started off with planning JP's wedding meal but Ste felt so comfortable and happy that soon he lost himself in trying to think of new dishes. His dyslexia didn't even agitate him.
"Daad." Paddy poked him. Ste looked up from the pad into his small face looking eager. "Can I go into the water now?"
"Has it been an hour?" Ste asked surprised and looked over to see Brendan lying on his stomach and Declan was being buried in the sand by Leah. Lucas was sleeping under Brendan's shirt. Ste also noticed there were a lot more people on the beach, it was hotter and the man Brendan was glaring at was still staring at them.
"Yush. Can I?" Ste smiled and leaned over to the Irishman.
"Brendan. Me and Paddy are gonna go into the water." Brendan made a noise of acknowledgement. "Don't fall asleep."
"Fuck off." Brendan growled sleepily.
"Here." Ste passed the arm floaters to Paddy who put them on excited. Ste checked on Lucas who was in a fetal position snoring softly, his head using the sticker book as a pillow. Ste moved the shirt off his face enough for Lucas to get fresh air. Paddy stood up grinning with the arm floaters.
"Let's go." Ste stood up and took Paddy's hand as they walked to the water which was closer to them now than when they came. The water was icy at first and Paddy squealed whilst Ste hissed but after a moment of standing in it, they adjusted to the temperature. "It's not as cold anymore."
"Yeah. D'you want to go in further?"
"Yup!" They walked in, the waves trying to knock them down. "This is so much fun! None of my friends have ever been on the sea. Can I pee in it?" Ste looked around.
"Just don't let anyone see you." He said quietly.
"Okay. I'll do it later." They stopped when they were up to Ste's waist. "I'm floating! I can't touch the ground anymore!" Paddy yelled excited. "Can we go further?" Ste thought about it. His shirt was still on and he didn't want to take Paddy in too deep.
"Alright. But not too much." He held onto Paddy's hand as they moved. "You want to try swimming?"
"Sure. You know how?"
"Yeah. When I was younger me and me mates used to skeeve off and go to the lake." Ste was walking backwards, the waves trying to topple him off balance by hitting his back. "You need to lift your legs so they hit the surface."
"But won't I fall in?"
"Nope. I got you. And you have the floaters, 'member?" Paddy took a brave deep breath and lifted himself up. "Good. Now swimming is about moving your body forward. You keep your legs straight and move them up and down like scissors. Wanna try it?" After half an hour Paddy was feeling exhausted so Ste suggested they went back to the blankets, dry off and get some food but someone approached them first.
"Hi." Ste recognised the man as the one who was staring at them. "I saw you two over here and wondered if you wanted to come and play with me and my mates." Paddy clasped onto Ste's hand tight and the twenty one year old felt protective over the young boy.
"Nah, you're alright. Cheers." He tried to get around the man.
"The guy you're with. Is he your dad or something?" Ste stopped and eyed him. "He's like ancient. And you're...You're hot." The man smirked and stared at Ste, cocky. "I'm James."
"Good for you." Ste moved again pulling Paddy with him.
"The fuck?" He heard the guy swear.
"What's wrong with him?" Paddy asked quietly.
"I don't know, Pad. Some people are just off." He pulled Paddy all the way to the beach making the young boy giggle. Brendan was snoring loudly, his back dangerously red. Declan and Leah were nowhere to be seen, Lucas was still sleeping in the same position Ste left him in. "Alright, you lie down and dry off." He told Paddy who took the floaters off and lied next to his father smiling.
"This was so much fun. I can't wait to go back in."
"We'll get some food later on and we'll see." Ste said sitting down next to Brendan and squirted sunblock over his back startling the man awake.
"Jesus, Steven!" Brendan shouted.
"You fell asleep, you knob." He spread the cream as gently as possible. "Your skin is super sunburned. So shut it."
"Fuckin' hell." Brendan muttered.
"Da, I was swimming." Paddy said sounding faint. "It was so much fun." Ste put sunscreen on Brendan's legs as well before walking over to Paddy and putting sunscreen on him too. His own shirt was wet and clung to him annoyingly.
"That's marvellous. You did well, Pad."
"Thanks, da. But that creepy man was really weird and almost ruined it."
"What creepy man?" Brendan looked over at Ste who rolled his eyes and went to check on Lucas. "The one who was leering over ya, weren't it? What'd he do? Was he tryin' it on?"
"He tried." Ste said. "Didn't exactly go his way. Where are Leah and Declan?"
"They're not here?" Brendan looked around. "Huh." He fell back on the blanket. Ste laid down next to him staring at the sky. "Gissa kiss." Brendan muttered.
"What?"
"Gissa kiss." Ste turned his head to the side, smiling at the Irishman's face and scooted closer, kissing him. Brendan's hand rested on Ste's hip, grip firm as the two men made out. Of course then cold water was thrown over them. "THE FUCK?!" Brendan sat up as Ste tried to blink the water out of his eyes. Declan and Leah were standing above them shaking their heads.
"Control your fucking urges. Or we'll control them for ya." Declan said and Leah crossed her arms annunciating the point.
"Where'd you two go anyways?" Ste sat up.
"Pee." Leah said sitting on the dry blanket. "I needed to pee and not in the seeeeeeeeeeea. I want to go in, can I go in? LUCAS! WAKE UP!" She shook her little brother awake.
"Floff." The little boy sat up, blinked and then laid back down, hiding himself under the shirt.
"Daadddy! I want to go into the sea."
"You know what, darlin'. I could go for a swim." Brendan said. "Your daddy would probably drown himself."
"Nuh uh." Paddy defended Ste. "Dad is really good at swimming. He was teaching me."
"Well, he can rest then. Must have worn himself out." Ste tried not to read into the suggestive tone of voice.
"I'll go in too. I feel brave enough now." Declan declared and soon the three of them were going in. Leah refusing to use the floaters because she was in the orange swim group at school and that was the best group according to her. Ste took his phone out and snapped pictures of Brendan, Leah and Declan in the sea. A picture of Paddy slowly drying and Lucas sleeping peacefully.
Everything was imperfectly perfect.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-
They came back to Hollyoaks the next evening. Sunburned and exhausted but feeling rested as well.
"I'm going to sleep in my bed for like a thousand years." Declan announced as soon as they got to the village.
"What would you say if we stayed over at Steven's?" Ste looked at Brendan surprised.
"As long as I get my own bed, I'm still going to sleep for like a thousand years." Brendan caught Ste's eye and smiled. Genuinely smiled.
"Amy's room has been empty for years and she had the best bed. As long as Paddy doesn't mind sharing with Leah and Lucas."
"I like pancakes." Paddy said tiredly.
"I take that as a yes." Ste smiled as Brendan pulled in to park near Ste's flat. The two men got out of the car quickly, kids following slowly. Lucas basically hanging off Declan's arm. Ste passed him the keys so they could head straight inside whilst him and Brendan took the bags inside. He stopped Brendan right before they headed in. "I love you."
It was easy. Simple. Three normal words.
Yet it wasn't.
It felt as if Ste gave a bit of himself away in that moment. And it was terrifying.
It was horrific. It was blissful. It was awful. It was amazing.
"I love you, too." Brendan kissed him. "Now come on. I need to sleep and I can't do it alone anymore."
"What? Am I your bloomin' pillow?"
"Thought I made that obvious." Brendan smirked and Ste couldn't help but kiss the smug arrogant bastard.
"DAD! LEAH'S LICKING MY FACE!" Paddy started screaming.
"YOU TASTE LIKE BANANAS!"
"IT'S MY SHAMPOO! STOP LICKING ME!"
"NO! I WANT BANANAS!"