Chapter 5 - Unexpected Intentions I

A/N: sorry guys, I was busy with school but good thing is that my exams are over YAY. I have to say, that some of the parts as we progress in this story was my idea, so I did not take anything from what happened. I had already had the idea beforehand. Sorry about my grammar as always, you guys know I do my best : )

"Hiya" Ste smiled at the older lady. She welcomed him with opens arms and a bright smile on her face. She was really something to look forward working here, always smiling. It was never a dull moment with her. "How ya doin' love?" She asked.

"Alright…" his thoughts run on last night's events that occurred.

"How's …um"

"Karey?" Jessica added for him.

"Just two more weeks…" She told him "you should see her, so swollen up like a pumpkin" He remembered the day before she had left the store due to stomach pains her sister had complained about. "Oh, how is she?"

"She's fine, Stomach pains seem to be contractions" She said, "It was a false alarm apparently"

"Well, that's good news right?" He said to her.

"Yea, with all her bossing me around, I tell you, I wouldn't mind she had the baby now and save us the trouble" Ste simply smiled not saying a word. He could hear the annoyance in her voice but he knew she loved her sister regardless of what she led on.

As the day went by, Ste kept thinking about fair Irishman that he couldn't help but have a strange interest in. With his chin rested in his hand, he turned to his red head friend.

"…Mrs. Maudy"

"Jessica" She corrected him. "You know I don't like to be called Mrs. Maudy, sounds so old" She said distastefully.

"Jessica…Have you heard of Brendan Brady?"

"You mean…" she made an action of a moustache above her lips. He smiled, "heh yea"

"Even though I'm new round here news travels fast" She added, "The Gay, bad boy, Irishman"

"He's gay?" said Ste, shocked at what he just heard.

"He doesn't really look like the type does he?" She caught herself, "well, not that there's a type…"

"Yea, I know what you mean" Still shock himself, processing the information in his brain. He thought about the time she assumed Amy was his girlfriend and he told her he was gay. First thing she said was "the good lookin' ones always gay"

"Thought you guys had a six sense for these things" Jessica said.

"I got knocked on mi head remember" He joked, "besides, I don't think we're all built with the 'gay radar'"

"My cousin, He could tell you a camper just by the shoes ya wear" She said confidently.

Ste looks at her with a raised eye brow "ya jokin'"

She nodded "no, I tell ya, he's never gotten it wrong" so sure of herself, as a costumer purchase and left.

She faced him, "Why you askin' about him for?"

"Just sumthin' a heard earlier…" He lied.

"Well, careful of that one, don't think he's the boyfriend material type" She advised him.

"whatcha mean?" He asked her.

"Heard he's killed people" She replied in a serious tone. Ste stayed silent taking in what she just told him. Is it possible? He thought to himself. His appearance was one that came off as daunting, someone who you would not have a second thought to mess with, but to murder someone? The thought ran shivers down his spine, yet it didn't stop his curiosity. He was really nice to him yesterday but who knows, it was pretty natural for someone to react the way he did.

"That's rumors though, Jess, you don't think he really did, do ya?"

"I'm not one to believe gossip but sometimes they ain't just gossip either"

"He can't be all that bad…." Ste added.

"Is that right?" She said looking at him.

"Like the bad boy type do ya?" She teased, nudged him in the rib. "Well, I gonna head out for abit, Lucy is supposed to come by, you gonna be fine?"

Ste nodded, as she headed out, his attention turned when the sound of the door chime rang.

He nodded his head and continues to walk around the store. Ste noted he always pick up the same the items as he made his way to the counter. Dropping the items on the counter, the awkwardness could be felt as the machine beeps. Both men were silent then the older man spoke.

"How're yer feeling? "

"Better now, thanks…" Ste replied, not sure what to say. It was embarrassing enough at what happened at the club, he thought. The doctor did warn him about crowd places, tends to trigger something in his brain as a panic attack. Somehow blinking lights and loud music were something that tends to be too much to handle, even now.

"You still up for that drink" Brendan said. his attention focus on the outside then turn to Ste, who expression was one of confusion.

"I thought-"

"What time you get off?" Brendan interrupted.

"Around six" Ste replied still unsure what to think.

"See you at the pub" Brendan nudged his head towards the place across the street, called 'The Dog'

"o…kay?" Ste replied with uncertainty as he watched as Brendan grabs his bag and left. He was not sure why the change of heart, was it he felt sorry for him for what happened yesterday? Or did he just change his mind? He decided not to question it any further.

Ste shook his head, trying to push aside the thoughts in his mind and focus as Lucy came strolling in.

Ste zip his hoodie, saying his goodbye then headed out the store. Ste felt his nerves shake, heart slightly racing. He wasn't sure what to expect. Wasn't this what he wanted? So why was he getting so worked up? Recall his earlier conversation, he was going to have a drink with the possible village killer. Ste felt his throat got dry at the thought and swallowed with uneasiness. People made up stories all the time he tried to reassure himself as he head to the pub.

Ste stood at the entrance searching for him through the crowd. His search ended as his eyes recognized the man with a moustache in a dark rolled up sleeve shirt, with a gold cross chain around his neck.

"Sit" The older man said, he had already started drinking. There was another glass in front of him. Without looking at him, he slowly pushes it across the table.

"Uh, I forgot to tell ya… I can't drink"

"Right" Brendan replied, pulling the glass back to him.

"Maybe I could have one-"

"Whatay're crazy!" Brendan snapped at him. Realizing his reaction, he sighs and relaxes in his chair.

"That came out wrong"

"No, it's fine…you're right, I shouldn't" He said, fidgeting with his hands. "I'll just get an orange juice" Ste got up and head over to the bar.

There was an awkward silence between both men as they sipped their drinks. He was fidgeting, Ste noticed. Rubbing his hand on his leg or tapping his fingers on the table once in a while, like he was anxiously waiting for something.

"So this is what you do in your spare time?" Ste asks humorously trying to make light conversation.

"Well, I don't know Stephen, since we did plan to go for a drink" Brendan replied plainly.

The younger man sat there, trying to bite his tongue. He had questions he was itching to ask. It's not like he could come right out and say it, 'hey have you killed anyone before?'

"How long you been in Hollyoaks?"

"Is this twenty one questions now?" The older man said defensively.

"no…just making small talk" Ste replied simply.

Brendan rubbed his hand across his forehead, "Almost a year now"

"So… we've never met before?"

"Nope, I've been away"

"No? I feel maybe I've seen you before…"

"Maybe around, I dunno" Brendan said annoyed, clearing his throat he took a long sip of his beer.

He didn't seem as threatening as everyone made him out to be, Ste thought. Maybe knowing that he was gay made it easier for him to relate to in a strange sense. He was intimidating but that came along with someone of his exterior. He was enjoying this alot more than he expected. Maybe it was the hit on the head had made him more receptive to psychotic endeavors or possible the only exciting thing that has happened since he's been out of the hospital. Even if it was one or the other, being out with someone else apart from the shop and Amy with the kids, he felt like maybe this was something his old self would have enjoyed.

As the time passed both men talked as Brendan began to feel the effect of the booze had reached his head decided it was time to go. They left the Dog and began walking through the streets of Hollyoak in the cool night. Ste didn't want to ask where they were going but from the direction they were walking to his home which led him to his next question.

"The other night, how did you know where I was stayin?"

"I asked Cheryl, she told me your friend's address"

"Oh…" Ste looks down on the ground. A lot less exciting than he imagined, him being the possible village killer. Ste thought of the serial killers from the movies how they found their victims house, then waited for the right time to act. So much for not believing rumors but then what did he really know about Brendan Brady. Something like this was hard to ignore. They spoke on common subjects in their conversation at the pub of soccer or simple topics they would get by. Even though he was the one that led the conversation, he enjoyed his time at the pub and walking back with the least possible pairing in the village. The whole time he didn't felt scared, actually, he was intrigue by him. At last, he would admit, he was attracted to Irishman in a way he couldn't explain. Being so close to him, he felt a certain tightening in his chest.

"Stephen" Brendan called him.

"wha-" Ste focusing on their surroundings, he realize they were few distance from his house. The younger man noticed it was the same distance he parked the night before.

"What's wrong?" he asked Ste.

"Nothing…" said the younger man.

"You sure?"

"Yea… tell Cheryl, said hi" Ste said.

"I might pop by sometimes…"

Brendan simply nodded.

"You don't mind?"

He stood there with both hands in his leather jacket. He was saying something that Ste wasn't focused on. Before he realized what he was doing he kissed him when Brendan quickly pulled back. His face read confusion and utter shock.

"I-I'm sorry" Ste said frighten by his own actions, did not waited for a response and quickly ran off leaving the older man to process what had just happened.

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