Living Alone!
Welcome to Connors Journey, if you've found this story please do read *Let Them Eat Cake* on my profile first it will help you understand the characters, and how they got where they are in this story.
Happy Reading!
Connor looked around the flat, he was nervous but excited.
Claire and Tom were moving into a bigger flat not far from the shop, so Steve and Nick had offered the flat to Connor, with Faith and Sams permission of course.
Today was moving in day and as Steve and Nick lugged the last few boxes up the stairs Connor stared out of the window, overlooking the train tracks that ran past only a couple of buildings away.
"Sheesh, do these boxes get heavier or am I just getting older?", Nick heaved himself up the last couple of steps, dumping the box to one side with a dull thud.
Looking up he smiled as he saw Connor, with the same stance as Steve, looking out of the same window he'd watched Steve at on the afternoon of that Saturday, the Saturday he'd first stayed over.
The day they'd first slept in the same bed, shared the same breakfast the next morning.
Sighing, he looked back as Steve huffed up the stairs behind him.
"Fucking hell, these stairs get steeper I swear, screw this being nearly 40 lark, take me back to being 26, I could sprint up these then".
He huffed and puffed like a stream train as he dumped the heavy box to one side, throwing an arm over Nicks shoulder, propping himself up.
"Awwwww poor baby" Nick pouted with a laugh, "I'll soothe your aching muscles later, with a nice massage!", he winked at Steve as Steves face lit up with mischief as he gave his husband a sly wink.
"Hhhhmmmm mm mm mm, I will look forward to that, your fingers are magic", he crooned against Nicks ear, "in more ways than one" he whispered seductively, "mmmmmm" he licked his lips, smirking at his husband.
"Steve, bloody hell, poor Connor, you'll embarrass him", Nick slapped his cheeky husband lightly on the chest, then looked apologetically over at the young man who was watching them with smiling eyes, Steve turned and flushed pink with a half smirk.
"Sorry son, I get a bit carried away with this man here, just can't resist", he grinned as Nick pushed him playfully away, tutting at his bare faced openness.
"Hahaha it's ok, it's fine, I don't mind at all", Connor laughed, "but if you're going to get down and dirty I'd appreciate it if you took it elsewhere", he winked just like his father, his face creased in mirth as Nicks face flushed red from his chin up.
"You're as bad as he is", chuckled Nick pointing over to Steve who just stood there, hands together, shuffling his feet looking oh so innocent.
"Meeeeeee? I'm a good boy", he pouted as Nicks face exploded into a grin, "Steve seriously, no one's going for the cute act, now give over", laughing he pulled him into a hug as the man laughed and slung his arms around him, pitching a thumbs up towards Connor.
"See", Steve laughed, "I win.....every time, he just loves me too much", he ruffled Nicks hair.
Nick couldn't help but laugh at his crazy honey haired comedian of a husband as he turned to face him, "yeah yeah ok, I love you", he kissed him on the nose, "happy now?", Steve gave a smug self satisfied smile, nodding his head like a bobblehead doll.
"You two, seriously?!", Connor was laughing.
As he laughed his eyes twinkled, and crinkled at the corners just like his dads, shaking his head he picked up a box and wandered into the kitchen.
"So, when do we get to meet your girl then?", Steve followed him in and started helping unpack the box, "has she met mum and Sam yet?".
"Ummm yeah she has, they got on okay", the lad lied.
Connors voice lost its cheeriness at the mention of Jess, his girlfriend, he'd been with her six months, but his heart really wasn't in it.
She was a nice enough girl, pretty, blonde, slim, all the guys at his work fancied her, but he........ It just wasn't quite right, he couldn't put his finger on it though, there was something he didn't like in her demeanor, something he just couldn't fathom, and the attraction he'd first felt wasn't there anymore either.
In truth, Connor didn't want to admit it, but Faith and Sam didn't like the girl either, a fact they'd made plain the day he'd taken the girl to meet them.
She'd held herself with arrogance and disdain, and they'd picked up something they didn't like from her aside from her attitude, and told Connor so just before they left, leaving him wondering why he'd held on so long.
"So, bring her to the pub tomorrow night, we're meeting up with Chloe and Zak at The Hatchet, you're welcome to join", Nick said as he wandered in, looking at his watch. "Nearly closing up time Steve, we'll go lock up the shop Connor, there's your set of keys", he handed the young man a bunch of keys, indicating which was which.
As they went back downstairs leaving the lad to sort himself, Steve looked worried, "I don't know about this girl Nick, Connor seems unsure, it sounds like he may not be as happy as he says he is".
Nick sighed with a slow nod ,"well, he's going to have to be disappointed a few times, we were, but look at us now!", Steve nodded in agreement, "well I just hope he's not going to do anything he'll regret", he sighed.
"He'll fuck up Steve, we all do, but we'll be here, waiting in the wings when he needs us ", he hugged his love close as Steve let out another louder sigh.
"This parenting lark stinks", he huffed a quiet laugh over Nicks shoulder.
"Come on grumpy daddy, let's go home and leave the lad to sort himself, we'll see him tomorrow anyway", Nick chuckled.
Getting back into their car Nick commented, "it's a nice afternoon now, bit chill but we could've walked to Faith and Sams, a walk home would've woken us up a bit".
"Bugger that", Steve huffed as he clipped his seatbelt in, "we'd never have got all Connors stuff here in one trip without our car as well, and after all that running up and down I wouldn't make it home, I'd have to call a taxi", he laughed as Nick rolled his eyes, laughed, then started the car.
