Title: Jal's Coming Out Party
Author: puccafan
Characters / Pairing: Chris/Jal. Maxxie and others featured.
Spoilers: S2, "Chris." Set halfway through the episode, before Angie, the breakup, and Jal's discovery.
Summary: Chris and Jal's relationship is made common knowledge.
A/N: I need to do homework. I do. But instead I wrote this - albeit very quickly. Sequel to "Sunday Afternoon." Hope someone likes.
" Alright Freddie?"
Jal was thumbing through her psychology essay - checking last minute for any typos - when she heard his voice behind her, and she turned around with a small, resigned smile.
" Hey Maxxie."
The boy in question gave her a gleeful smirk and slung his arm round her shoulders.
" Good night?" Maxxie asked chirpily, as he guided Jal into the classroom whilst the bell rang out.
Pinned against him Jal awkwardly dug her elbow into Maxxie's stomach.
" Stop it you cheeky fucker."
Maxxie adopted a wounded expression and let go of Jal to rub his abdomen, as they took their seats.
" What? I'm just interested. "
Placing his hands on the table Jal watched warily as Maxxie leaned towards her with a smile.
" Want to know all the sordid details, me."
Jal smiled sweetly back, then in one decisive action leaned forward too and reached out and deftly grabbed Maxxie's nose between her fingers.
" Nose out please." she demanded, ignoring Maxxie's sounds of protest, giving it a playful wiggle before she let go.
Jal smothered a laugh as Maxxie batted her hand away and rubbed his appendage with an almost genuine expression of hurt.
Behind her the teacher had entered the room, and was attempting at the front of the class to gain the attention of the students not paying him a blind bit of notice.
Jal didn't bother turning round, and instead eyed Maxxie in consideration.
" Why didn't you tell me you knew?"
Maxxie shrugged.
" I dunno. Maybe I was waiting for you to tell me. " he mused, before levelling eye contact with Jal and adding gravely. " And as far as tests go this ones proves you're not a very good friend."
" I would have told you!" Jal protested loudly - a little too loudly as the teacher behind her coughed distinctly.
Lowering her voice as soon as the classroom chatter started up again Jal leant into Maxxie and informed him affirmatively.
" I am a good friend."
Maxxie smirked.
" Questionable."
" Fuck off!"
" Prove yourself then."
" Fine. I will."
" Alright - do you want to come out tonight?"
Jal's open mouth snapped shut for lack of an answer.
Maxxie grinned knowingly.
" Got other plans "pucking" have we?"
Jal narrowed her eyes at her blonde friend, and whispered across to him threateningly.
" What exactly has Chris been telling you?"
Maxxie sighed in a purposefully superior fashion that made Jal feel like kicking him under the table.
" Oh, all sorts. " And fixing her with his best challenging stare he added. " So you coming out or what?"
" This is coercion." responded Jal.
" Fancy words Jalander - but my question still remains unanswered."
Jal gritted her teeth.
" Fine." she conceded menacingly.
Maxxie leaned back triumphantly and flipped open his text book with a flourish.
" Excellent. Oh, and don't worry - you can bring Chris." he declared cheerfully.
" But why?"
Jal rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's whining and tugged him further up the concrete stairs.
" Because the world doesn't begin and end at the door to your flat Chris."
" Yeah, but - " Chris retorted, pulling Jal to a stop and making her turn and face him." - I think you're forgetting a problem with this plan."
Jal smiled benevolently down Chris's serious expression and squeezed his hand.
" And what's that?"
" Well I don't know if you know this but nudity is generally frowned upon by the general public. Believe me, I've been there. " replied Chris, placing his free hand on his chest.
Jal laughed lightly and turning round carried on dragging him up the stairs to Maxxie's flat.
" I remember."
" So why do we have to go out then?" continued Chris from behind. " Why can't we just stay at mine?"
Emerging onto the balcony running along the side of Maxxie's flat Jal shook her head.
" Careful Chris, you're straying dangerously close to Anwar levels of horny."
" Pft. " dismissed Chris as they reached Maxxie's door and Jal let go of his hand to ring the doorbell." 's not the same. Anwar doesn't have a girlfriend."
Jal turned and looked at Chris weirdly.
" Uh, yeah he does."
Chris frowned.
" Who?"
" Sketch."
Chris's frown deepened.
" Who?"
" Small girl? Welsh? Brown hair? Jesus Chris, she stalked Maxxie for over a month!"
Chris's face remained a blank, and as he shrugged Jal laughed again and shook her head once more, pointing at Chris.
" See? This is what I mean. You need to get out more."
" I get out!"
Jal fixed Chris with a pointed look.
" Only when I'm not around."
" Well why would I want to go out when you're around?" Chris replied in honest confusion.
Jal smiled at Chris, and took his hand in her own again, threading her fingers through his in a familiar gesture of comfort.
" Sweet Chris, but what about me? I can't go out if I go round to yours every evening. This way I can come out, and I can see you too. Compromise see?"
Chris blew out through his nose, and after a moment conceded grumpily and squeezed Jal's hand back.
" Fine."
" Thank you." said Jal, and smiling adoringly at his still grumpy expression, leaned up and kissed him.
And sure enough, as soon as her lips touched his, Chris stopped being so sullen, and instead pulled her in a little closer and deeper.
So much so that they didn't notice the door in front of them swing open.
" Whoa, what the fuck's this then?"
Quickly pulling away from Chris, Jal turned and came face to face with Anwar, Sid, Sketch, Kenneth and Michelle, stood staring at them in Maxxie's doorway.
As they stared at her and Chris, and Jal looked at the floor, everyone stood in awkward silence, no-one sure who should say what first. Jal was increasingly aware of her hand in Chris's, and Sid's nervous coughs in the doorway - though he was nearly always nervously coughing about something - and so was inordinately relieved when she heard a thick, west country accent call out to her.
" Hey, funny name! You and your young lad coming in or what? Getting a bit drafty in 'ere!"
The group of teenagers swivelled round to see the back of Maxxie's cowboy hat adorned dad retreating back into the living room, Maxxie's small dog barking and yapping around his heels.
" Sssshhh Taz. Quiet boy. "
Everyone's heads turned a bit further to the right, to see Maxxie come bounding down the stairs - stopping upon sight of Chris and Jal stood outside.
" Hey guys! Come on in." he called out, waving them forwards.
Raising a hand back to Maxxie, Chris nodded - and smiling at the surprised expressions of his friends on the way - pulled Jal inside, and the door shut behind them.
Striding over to them Maxxie hugged Chris heartily, and then evilly drew back and smiled at Jal, as Chris moved away.
Jal did little but cross her arms.
" What is this? " she asked gesturing around her. " My coming out party?"
" What? Who said I couldn't invite other people too?" replied Maxxie innocently, quickly hugging Jal before she could stop him then moving away to join Chris, who was over in the corner, tickling Taz under the chin and laughing along loudly with the dog's barks.
Jal was about to move away and join them too, when she felt an unwelcome arm round her shoulder and a gleefully lecherous voice near her ear.
" Guess they're not going to be taking your tits into care after all, huh Jal?"
Jal really felt like kicking someone.