A little bit of something. :) xx
"What are you doing out here?"
Christian vaulted over the back of the bench and slung his arm around Syed's shoulder.
"Sitting..." Leaning against him, Syed raised his eyebrows and smiled, sadly.
"Well, obviously, I can see you're not dancing the Lambada. You okay?"
Christian knew the answer, without having to be told, and waited patiently for Syed to get round to unburdening his woes, gently stroking the back of his neck as he did so.
"I've been watching that Robin.."
The small bird, perched on top of the rubbish bin, cocked it's head, small bright eyes darting from one to the other of them.
"Has it done anything interesting?"
Grinning, Syed shook his head.
"It ate a bug. And puffed out it's chest a bit."
"Fancies you. Have you had a crap day? You looked miserable at lunch, hardly ate a thing. I know the cafe's hardly haute cuisine, but you're usually a devil for a cheese bagel.." Christian's brow furrowed with concern, and he touched Syed's chin, tilting his head towards him, so he could look more deeply into his eyes.
"Lost my appetite.. It's been like a morgue in the salon today, we should have offered embalming as a service. Tanya flits in and out like a ghost, and I preferred Jodie when she was yabbering nonsense.."
Syed ignored Christian's snort of incredulous laughter, and carried on.
"..No, really. I yearn for her to ask me if I think Unicorn's exist, anything would be better than seeing her trying to be brave, a single tear dripping down and ruining the nail art she's painstakingly created. And I'm not much better, I'm probably transmitting stress through my very fingertips, sending clients away twisted and knotted with pain from my angst. Parent's eh?"
"Who'd have 'em?.." Christian shivered, the cool air of the September evening chilling against the sweat on his arms, and another sensation, a sense of foreboding that he quickly chivvied away.
"..Come inside, Sy, it's getting dark."
"The nights are drawing in.." Syed gave himself a little shake, trying to eradicate the maudlin fug that had been oppressing his brain all day.
"Soon be Christmas.. We're like a pair of old women. I take it you're not up for the wild party with the Eaton-Mayo's then?"
Syed groaned.
"Is that tonight? You go, Christian, I'll be like a Zombie of doom."
"We can eat the bits of you that fall off into the buffet. Michael's going, isn't he? You could flirt with him, wind me and Rory up.."
"I do not flirt with him, it's all in your imagination.."Syed protested, his mouth curling mischeviously, a sight that gladdened Christian's heart.
"You so do, worse now, like you're showing that poor man who's got a prior claim.."
Christian tugged at a tendril of Syed's hair,and pouted.
"OW! I like you jealous, makes you try harder... Anyway, he's not going. He's going to see a school play, Rory's daughter's in it."
"You are kidding me!" Christian's jaw dropped in amazement, and he began to chuckle. "..Can we go too? That I have to see.."
"Don't be mean, he's shitting himself. He sent me a text telling me he's terrified he's going to go mad, and swear, or drop his trousers, or both.."
"Ha Ha! Nutter. Awww, school plays, parents evenings, ballet classes.. It's going to be fabulous!"
Looking at the delight on Christian's face, Syed lifted his hand, and kissed the palm tenderly.
"I know.. If my Mum and Dad could stop behaving like idiots, and if I can find my wife.."
"The former, I'm afraid, will never happen. But the latter, It'll be alright, Sy, trust me, I'm a personal trainer."
"Yes." Syed agreed bravely, trying to be hopeful, and to sound convincingly optimistic. ".. How was your day?"
Christian stretched his legs out in front of him, yawning so loudly that the Robin flew away, with a flutter of brown feathers and a flash of red, into the dusk.
"Good! A fair bit of pent up rage and teenage turmoil going on, but mostly a lot of sweaty pounding and grunting."
"A typical night round ours then?" Syed winked, and Christian glanced longingly at his mouth.
"I think we've got a bit more finesse than that, baby. But if you're offering.." Christian stood up, and held out his hand. "Let's go home, I'm cold. I'll cook you something.."
Syed allowed himself to be pulled upright.
"You can't, there's paint pots and dust sheets everywhere. I swear that pasta I made last night tasted of emulsion.."
"Minute Mart speciality ready meal then? Taste the Difference, it tastes like shit.. Or your favourite from the Argee?..."
Sensing that Syed was too despondant to decide, Christian swivelled him round.
"..Go for a walk, Sy, clear your head, I'll see what we've got in the fridge, rustle something up. I need to get a shower.."
Syed wrinkled his nose, and smiled.
"Yes you do. I won't be long.."
Syed could hear whistling as he entered the dark flat. Unzipping his jacket, he hung it on the hook beside the door, and called;
"Christian!"
"In here!"
He followed the sound of the voice, and walked into the bedroom. Candles flickered around the room, sending crazy shadows across the unpainted ceiling. A tray on the bedside table had a single rose in the centre, between a plate of biscuits and a Thermos flask of tea. Smelling the fabric softener they used, Syed noted that the bedlinen was freshly changed. Christian turned back the duvet beside him, and held out his arms, regarding him with love.
"Oh my darling, you look like a man who needs to be held."