Inside the deli, before things went any more imitate. As Ste broke away, taking his clutches.
"Ste, you always do this to me, why? Every time I try to get close to you, you go cold on me" Doug sounded quite sad though he expected it.
"I got to go" Ste told him, as he slowly limped out in his crutches after Trevor's second attack. Paul Browning blamed it all on him when Mercedes walked in. Saying he was trying to get the drugs of him. Resulting in Trevor giving him another beating, as he broke his leg this time.
He would have broke Brendan's leg too if his arm wasn't broken. Trevor has some morals, he knew Brendan would be unable to walk without collapsing if he broken his leg too. He was human and had some sort of conscience. After all ,nobody is one dimension. It's almost impossible to be one dimension, everyone have bad and good points. Some people just have more bad points.
"No Ste, I'm not letting you go out on your own" Doug started, as he followed him outside. Which is when Steven looked down the road, he could see a familiar figure about half way down the road.
"I'll be okay, I want some alone time" Ste replied to him, Doug just nodded and went back inside. He was a push-over at times and easily lead.
...
As he follows the figure, though on his crutches he was very slow as well. Both of them were now, Brendan unaware that Steven was lagging behind him as he lagged himself. Except he never had anything to hold himself up with, just the walls.
"Brendan" Steven called, as he made his way slightly faster.
Though he couldn't go any faster without being in agony. Brendan hear's his name being called, though carried on walking. As he puts his hands on the wall, ignoring the voice. He knew exactly who it was.
Steven groans loudly, as he finally gets to him, he forced his broken leg to go at normal speed. As he holds onto his arms, unaware one is broken. Brendan groans, as he pushes him back and turns around.
...
"Go away Steven" Brendan hissed cruelly, as he didn't want Steven involved with this anymore then he already has.
"No" Steven answered him, he didn't understand. Why is Brendan out of prison?
"Yes, I don't want anything to do with you, now go back to Doug; you always were going to go back to him after I went to prison" Brendan snarled, though his heart wasn't in this. It was killing him, pushing him away again.
"What are you doing out?" Steven asked him.
"I got out Steven, but it wasn't for you; it was for me" Brendan lied while gritting his teeth.
"You don't mean that, you did come out for me, didn't you? That's why your back in the village, an open space" Steven was cut of.
"Go back to Douglass, Steven, you seem to of made up your mind" Brendan was cut of as well.
"Brendan, if I have to choose between you and Doug then you would win every single time" Steven tells him, that was true. He would choose Brendan over most people, except his children. But even then, he doesn't want to choose him over them or the other way round. He would have them both but with anyone else, then Brendan would win.
"Just go Steven, I'm over you" Brendan broke his heart in a single sentence.
...
Steven just stepped back, as he watched him slowly walk away. Maybe he should just listen to him. It was a spur of the moment but he just walked of as well. He was not thinking right when he went of.
As he returned to the deli.
"You calmed down now?" Doug asked him, as he sat on the couch.
Ste stayed silent, just silent. Not knowing what to tell him, though something Brendan said was carved into his mind.
"Were doing the silent treatment now" Doug sighed, as he went behind the counter.
"I can't do this anymore" Ste finally spoke up.
"Do what?" Doug asked him.
"Live like this, I can't live this lie; Doug I'm sorry but this was never going to work out" Ste admitted, biting his fingernails.
"What? So why did you get back with me? Was it meant to be a joke?" Doug asked, hurt.
"No, I thought I wanted it but I don't; I know that now, you deserve someone who actually loves you and that's not me" Ste answered.
"You still love Brendan?" Doug asked with his arms crossed. Ste just nodded.
"Ste he is prison for thirty years, I'm here now; you need to get over him" Doug replied.
"No, I can't and I won't" Ste told him, looking up
"Fine, even when is not here then he still ruins my relationship with you doesn't he; typical of him" Doug was cut of.
"You know what, I've not got time for this" Ste stood up again, grabbing onto his two crutches.
...
It took Steven about half an hour until he decided to look for Brendan, he couldn't believe that he hasn't tried to yet but with his crutches it was hard. As he limped down the road, looking all over.
Brendan couldn't have got far in his state. He know's most of his hiding and thinking spots by now, the river, the club, the house, the streets. He know's exactly what streets too. So Steven carried on walking.
It took him around an hour until he found him, Steven was in agony still though. As he looked over at Brendan who was sitting on a shop doorstep. He was homeless after all.
"Brendan" Steven called, as he limped towards him.
"Steven, how the hell did you find me?" Brendan asked him. As he stood up.
...
"Come back to mine Brendan, please" Steven pleaded with him.
"No, besides you and Douglass are back together" Brendan told him.
"No, I broke up with him; for you" Steven replied.
"Look at me Steven, I'm in pink shorts and a yellow shirt with holes in my shoes; I'm on the run from the prison, I got one broken arm and broken ribs with two black eyes; I'm not exactly boyfriend material right now" Brendan was too warm aswell to make matters worst.
"You sound boyfriend material to me" Steven answered, Brendan gave an emotionless smile.
"You know what Steven, I'm not going to lose you, I take you home" Brendan stood up and walked over. As Steven passed him one crutch for his broken ribs.
"Thanks" Brendan took it reluctantly, as they both held each other up on the way. Though they had to sneak around a lot. As locals were knocking around, doing their daily routine.
...
Steven had to push Brendan into an alleyway and he kissed him when Sienna Blake walked past, so she wouldn't see Brendan. As he placed his body against it, to try to hide him. Kissing him to hide his face.
"Ow" Brendan said with no emotion, as he released himself from Steven's grip.
"That was just as painful for me as well you know" Steven took his crutch, as he and Brendan carried on limping together. Holding on each other's shoulders, as they had to hide again when Martha Kane walked into the florist.
As they had to kneel down and crawl away from the window, that was very painful. Even more painful than when Steven had to quickly and forcefully push Brendan against the wall. Steven put his hand in to grab a bunch of flowers, as he chucked them on the other side. Martha tutted as she went to the other side.
Which gave Brendan and Steven the perfect chance to make a run for it... A painful run.
As they limped behind each other, Steven fell half-way down. With Brendan holding him up again, as he pulled him closer. Passing him the crutch, as another local named Maxine Minniver walked past, as Steven shoved Brendan gently to behind the bridge which was looking down on the whole village.
As Steven collapsed from the pain, as he waited for Maxine to go down the road. As they got up once again.
"Steven, hey; it's okay" Brendan could see he was in pain, a lot more pain since his leg was broken.
"Come on, quicker" Steven paced down, with Brendan holding him up. Collapsing slightly himself, though he soon for back on his feet. Holding Steven up with all the strength he had left which was not a lot.
Steven was relieved when his home was finally in view, as he and Brendan both fell down. Putting their backs against the garden wall, as they sat on the grass.
"Jesus Christ and I thought Cheryl's work out DVD's were exhausting" Brendan was almost breathless.
"How do you know they were exhausting?" Steven asked him, also out of breath.
"When Lynsey was alive, her and Cheryl once forced me to join them in the summer of 2005, it was a very horrible summer indeed; Eileen walked in as well" Brendan told him.
"Oh, Eileen has got a habit of walking in" Steven gave a small smile.
"Yep, she barges into doors like a sport" Brendan wiped the sweat of his forehead.
"Did Cheryl and Lynsey make you do anymore?" Steven asked him, to make light conservation.
"Yep, all summer; I'm glad you never knew me in 2005" Brendan was cut of.
"You would have got arrested if you knew me in 2005" Steven smiled, he was only fifteen back then, while Brendan would have been twenty-five.
"I would have slapped your wrist and sent you to bed without supper" Brendan teased.
"Yeah well I would have stole your car" Steven teased back.
"You already done that, which is why I gave you the slap on the wrist and sent you to bed without supper" Brendan answered back.
"It's wierd though, when I was fifteen you already left school about nine years ago" Steven smiled.
"God Steven, you make me sound really old" Brendan made a face.
...
"Right, let's go in then" Steven stood up, as he fell down again. His leg was throbbing with pain.
"Hey Steven, come on; it's okay" Brendan held him up, as he gave him one crutch, picking up the other one. As Steven unlocked his keys, to hear the sound of Sinead O Connor with her crying daughter.
"Steven, what's going on?" Brendan asked him.
"Ste, thank God your... What's going on?" Sinead asked, she entered where they were. Holding her daughter, while she fed her a milk bottle.
"Sinead, don't tell anyone please" Ste pleaded.
"What is he doing back?" Sinead asked, in her thick Liverpudlian accent.
"Look he got out, don't tell anyone please" Ste pleaded again.
"What is she doing living here?" Brendan asked Steven, holding him up more.
"She moved in" Ste looked between them.
"Hello, she who moved in is here" Sinead said sarcastic.
"Sinead, can you give us a moment; I mean, can you go back to your mum's for tonight?" Ste asked her.
"No, I'm not going back there" Sinead was cut of.
"You heard him Sinead, I think you should go back your mam's" Brendan spoke to her gently.
"Really? Well I'm not going back there" Sinead insisted.
"Sinead please, just go; me and Bren need some alone tonight and your daughter would want to see her Nan" Ste told her.
"I can see where I'm not wanted but I'm not going back their, I'm going to Ruby's and I will be back tomorrow" Sinead told him, as she put Katy in the pram. Pushing her past them, as she slammed the door behind herself. She was not happy as expected.
"Okay Steven, come on" Brendan walked him past the couch and into the bathroom instead.
"Why?" Steven asked, as he sat on the floor.
"I'll run you a bath, no offence but you look like you need one" Brendan told him.
"Oh, can you stay in the bathroom with me then? I can't trust you on your own" Steven confessed.
"My intentions" Brendan put the tap on.
...
"So Sinead won't say anything?" Brendan asked him.
"No, she won't; she wouldn't grass" Steven insisted.
"Okay" Brendan leaned in closer to him, giving him a soft peck on the lips. He had to be gentle with him now.
"Yeah, go on then strip" Brendan said, it was innocent. As Steven started to do it slowly, carefully. As Brendan took away the crutch and placed it on the other side. Moving up closer.
"I had a cast for my arm but it fell of" Brendan told him simply.
"Oh, can you help me; I can't move up right" Steven told him, as Brendan did help him up. As he helped remove his clothes, turning of the tap as Steven adjusted him in the bath.
"Are you okay?" Brendan asked, he just nodded weakly.
"Anyway, you need a bath too" Steven insisted, as he picked up a sponge.
"I'm good thanks" Brendan replied to him. As Brendan took the sponge his hand and started to clean him himself. He wanted to feel his skin again, Steven started to softly stroke Brendan's broken arm, smothering him.
"Take your top of Brendan, yellow's not your colour" Steven gave another small smile.
"Yeah it is, you should have seen the one I worn in Southport" Brendan took his top of anyway, as they were bruises on his body. All around, just like Steven's body.
"Why are you wearing pink shorts? In fact I think there for women" Steven gave another smile.
"I got these clothes from a council estate; I had to pick up the first fitting clothes I could find" Brendan slipped out of the trainers, chucking them towards the opposite side of the bathroom.
''Really? I don't even think a charity shop would accept them" Steven groaned quietly,as he moved his broken leg by accident.
"Hey, it's okay; which one is broken?" Brendan asked him.
"That one" Steven pointed towards the left one.
"Okay" Brendan started to soak the right one, rubbing the dirt of with the cheap sponge.
"Right Steven, I got to rub the other one" Brendan told him.
"No, don't touch it please" Ste begged weakly.
"Steven, I got to; you can't leave it all your life" Brendan put one bit of water on the broken one, Steven groaned.
"No! Stop it!" Steven painfully pleaded, as Brendan took his hand away.
"Fine" Brendan ruffled Steven's hair.
"Hmm, should we go to bed now?" Steven asked him, peacefully.
"Okay, your cleaner anyway" Brendan pulled the plug. As he quickly exited the bathroom and into the bedroom to collect the PJ's for Steven. No intercourse tonight.
...
They entered the bedroom,just to relax in each other's arms. As Steven snuggled up to Brendan, as he pulled the covers over him more. It was nice for a change, instead of an empty, cold bed. He felt warmth for the first time in weeks.
As Brendan kisses the top of his head.
"Bren, you're not going to leave me again, are you?" Steven asked, looking up.
"No, were going to run away; go to Germany, France, Italy; the first plane out of England" Brendan sighed. That came out forcefully.
"Anything, I'll do anything if it means I can be with you without having the police on out backs constantly; maybe we should go down under the opposite side, or India that's far away or Iceland" Steven made him laugh.
"Iceland's not that far away" Brendan told him, kissing his lips again.
"Oh? No it's not actually" Steven made face.
"Right, so we get on a plane tomorrow" Brendan spoke, before falling asleep. Steven soon followed, as they held each other through the night.
...
They woke up the sound of two cars and footsteps.
"Steven, what's outside?" Brendan asked him, just as the door was being knocked frantically on.
"Leave it" Steven told him, as he cuddled up more.
"Brendan Brady! You have tens seconds otherwise were breaking and entering!" they heard a police office call. Steven gasped,as he started to cry. He knew what was coming, as he held tighter onto Brendan.
"Steven, it's okay; shh" Brendan held him tighter, just as the sound of the door being kicked open. As Brendan shook his head, in fright. As he held onto Steven just as tight, he doesn't want to go back there.
Their door busted open, with two police officers storming in.
...
"Get out of here!" one police officer snarled, as they forcefully grabbed Brendan.
"No! Get of him! Steven cried, as he held onto him though the police officer's were stronger. Brendan was only wearing his shorts, as they dragged him out of bed.
"Don't take him away from me again!" Steven cried, as he jumped out of bed. As they pushed Brendan up against the wall and put on his hand-cuffs.
"No, you're hurting him!" Steven cried some more. As they pushed him back.
"Hey! He has got a broken leg!" Brendan tried to push the police of him, though they dragged him back.
"Be quite Brendan" one of the police officers ordered.
...
As they pull him away from the bedroom and towards the door. With Steven running behind them, forgetting about the pain for a second or two.
"Don't! Don't take him away, you will hurt him again!" Steven cried, as he collapsed on the floor again. The police officers slammed the door, Brendan was still trying to escape as he knocked on the window.
Steven rushed over, as he put his hand over his which was on the other side of this glass, though the car drove of moments later.
...
When Brendan got shoved back into his cell, he sat on his bed and just broke-down. He doesn't know who or why they grassed him up. It wasn't fair and something Brendan does know now is that he is forever wrapped in chains.
Fin