Chapter Eleven

Brendan was still asleep when Ste awoke the next morning, still curled into his side, but with his arms now loosely around Ste's neck.

It was one of his favourite things to see Brendan sleeping, perhaps because it happened so infrequently and terrifically rare. But also because there seemed to be a vulnerability in sleep that Brendan (a master at hiding things) didn't often show no one but Ste. Sometimes even, he felt himself observing this peaceful and absolutely fragile features. Especially when the whole spectre of pastel colours was playing with them.

And thus it felt somehow wrong to see Brendan asleep, disconcerting almost, as if he seeing a side of Bredan, that he would never want him to see, one where he was laid vulnerable, helpless even perhaps, like everyone became when they shut their eyes at night. It used to be thrilling too somehow though, and perhaps that was why he couldn't help but watch him whenever Brendan did allow him to see him like this. But everything's changed since the last time...since they properly faced each others secrets and what was troubling their minds. It was the beginning of something completely wonderful and new. Something that was kept underneath their souls and then rightfully so was found. They finally found each other.

Ste smiled and untangling himself gently, rifled a hand through his smooth hair as he watched his eyelids flutter. The rain was still pouring outside of the window, while this flat was filled with the sun. When he saw Brendan, he didn't think he'd seen anything or anyone more beautiful, despite the circumstances and the event that caused it. Another person would find him absolutely insane and horrid, but nothing could stop Steven from being utterly in love with his madman.

He sighed softly as he watched Brendan's chest slowly rise and fall. Yet there was nothing soft or delicate about Brendan now it seemed. He traced the line of his jaw absent-mindedly, wondering how much he'd suffered to not let anyone see what he really was. He cares. Nobody will ever know that. It was a true privillege. Brendan Brady shows the kindness. But nobody will ever know that. They will always think of him like a villain, until the day he finally proves them otherwise. Nah. He doesn't have to prove them anything. They still won't understand how naturally strong and kind he is, perhaps only inside he was that characteristically gentle. The most beautiful man, he's ever known. The beauty is his kind heart, still untouched and unhurt - that was all Brendan Brady - a beast with the golden heart.

Leaning down to kiss him on the neck, he put his arms around Brendan's torso. He couldn't help pressing the light kiss on his stomach gently before resting his head against Brendan's bare chest.

He didn't move until Brendan woke, a good few hours later, trying to roll over before he seemingly realised that there was a weight on his chest that was preventing this. Instead of pulling him over the sheets, or trying to go back to sleep (that's what he would normally have done), he merely yawned though and reached down to place a sweet kiss on his lover's hair.

Steven sing-songed. "Morning,"

Brendan laughed sleepily, and run his hands through his hair.

"Do you want me to move?"

"If that's what you want." Brendan traced his fingers down Ste's back.

Steven smiled, warmth returning to his features. He looked so pleased and..hmm.. inviting. As usual. Without thinking, Brendan tentatively dipped his head toward Steven, who met him halfway for a slow kiss. Ste slid his fingers around the sides of his head, guiding him until they were perfectly slotted together.

Ste broke off, sucking in a steadying breath.

"What is it you want?" Steven asked in his ear.

"You," Brendan told him, caught in his throat. He stayed in the same position, waiting and observing his reactions. They were close, pressed against one another, heads touching.

"You already do," Steven whispered, slowly sliding his fingers along the bare chest.

Brendan grinned and propping himself up on his elbows, took most of his weight of Steven. "Indeed I do." he breathed, kissing him on the side of his mouth.

Steven smirked and merely knotted his hands more tightly in his lover's hair, guiding him down to kiss him once more. It was chaste this time, and Steven could feel Brendan's hunger already was growing hard.

He smiled into the kiss and, rubbed Ste's cheek afectionately, knotting his own hands in his hair, finding them distinctly less silkly than usual but not caring in the slightest.

Steven just sighed ever so softly and shifting underneath Brendan slightly, nudged one of his legs in between his own, forcing the smile to appear on his lover's lips

He undressed him slowly, kneeling in between Ste' legs so he could push the t-shirt up over his head, and then leaning down in, to press another, this time, sweet kiss on his shoulder.

"Why did you ever wear clothes to bed?" Brendan breathed as he threw Ste's clothes on the floor.

Stevenlaughed and leant back down to kiss him. "You," he whispered against Brendan's ear, tracing his fingers down and up his thigh. "Haven't been there, so..."

They didn't talk any more after that, drawing in their intimacy.

Steven instead nudging Brendan back to in between his legs and tipping his head back, an invitation he thought, for him to kiss his neck and bite very softly at the delicate skin this once, Brendan didn't even tease him; he didn't make him beg for it.

Brendan took his time, pressing soft kisses to every part of Steven he could reach and tracing patterns against his tanned skin with his fingertips until Steven was whispering his name into his mouth and telling him that he loved him over and over again.

He whispered his own words back, the words mingling with Steven's until all he could hear was his lover's heartbeat in his ear and all he could feel was Steven's warmth against his own.

They didn't part even when both of them were spent and Brenadn held him close, burying his head in Ste's neck, pulling his arms around his own body.

...

"These moments became so rare."

Brendan slid and tugged Steven so that they lay side by side, folded into a close and intimate embrace. Brendan was confused briefly as Steven brought his arms around him, until he considered Steven's words. This, for him, meant something extraordinarily dear. He would take anything from those moments that Steven could give to him. Brendan, his. Just as Steven belong to him. Nothing could compare to what they share between each other. He will treasure every single minute of them.

They held on, sharing in the underlying meaning until the Steven's anticipation for that required resolution grew firmly. "I want us to be like that forever." He paused. "Just you and me. if that's how it should be, than I always want to stay at your side, no matter how hard, sometimes, you try to push me away. Nothing will ever stop me from caring for you,"

He cupped Brendan's face with his fingers and looked into his blue temptative eyes. "Nor from loving you."

"That makes two of us," Brendan sighed in response, soft and certainly, covering his lovers full lips.

"And also from constantly worrying for you." Steven breathed into the kiss.

"That shouldn't be too difficult. We already know you're a terrific worrier." Brendan mused.

"Ahh...-"

Before he could reply, his lips were already captured and his mouth became a solidator hostage. Steven couldn't do anything but surrender to this wonderful and absolutely his warrior.

"This is different," Brendan says, and then, "isn't it so?"

"Steven,"

"We can go, this time, together."

Steven's eyes fall half closed at the brush of his mouth over Brendan's. One of his hands is still held tight in Brendan's while the other closes around the silk collar of his lover's shirt.

They broke off, just to feel the air and Steven can't keep his eyes from sliding half closed again, can't control the noise that slips from his throat.

Brendan sighs and relaxes into the kiss, taking a short step backward, guiding Steven with him with the hand on his waist. Steven moves with him smoothly, slightly, so Brendan keeps stepping backward until his back hits the benchtop. Their lips come apart slightly, and come back together again as Brendan crowds into him, pressing one long thigh between Steven's.

They could never part.

So Steven let himself drown in this kiss; get himself into that - completely lost himself in it, kissing Brendan with his whole body: he sighs and pushes back against Brendan's body, slides his hands up his sides, over his neck, to cup his face, then immediately, on his chest, to trace the thin line, and finally to bury them in Brendan's hair. He touches his cheekbones with his thumbs, tenderly but persistently on his way down, pressing his mouth harder against Brendan's for that moment.

One last gently, closed-mouth and tenderly soothing press of lips, and Brendan pulls away. "Yes."

Steven stares at him for a deep long moment and then leans in, pressing his forehead to Brendan's chest, wraps his arms around his waist.

"We should bring him a slice of my famous chocolate cake, shall we?"