Title: Roxy's empty fridge
Author: indehed
Fandom: Eastenders
Pairing: Christian/Syed
Warnings/Spoilers: spoilers for up to Monday 1st August 2011
This story portrays a canon homosexual relationship between two men,
Summary: Extended scene from 1st August 2011.
"I want our marriage to be everything theirs isn't."
"It will be. From our beautiful wedding and for the rest of our married lives."
Christian pulled Syed into a tight hug of support and Syed buried his nose into Christian's shoulder, inhaling deeply and closing his eyes to savour the feeling of being in Christian's arms after that horrendous dinner. He'd tried all day to get something said and he'd felt it build and build. He was happy about their engagement and he truly wanted his family to be accepting. He'd hoped at least Tam would be happy for him but what with his warning about Masood family drama he began to worry that his brother wouldn't be as supportive as usual.
His mother's speech about acceptance had seemed the ideal opportunity. If she wanted to respect him and accept him as he was then as always that included Christian. In that moment, when the silence had overtaken the room and his mother had practically recoiled, he'd had a moment of clarity again, and of bravery. He saw the hypocrisy in her words and the look in her eyes, and to see something similar reflected from his father had driven him out of there as quickly as possible.
Now he stood in Christian's arms knowing that whenever he needed support it was right here, despite any disagreements they'd ever had, Christian was always 100% with him.
He reluctantly pulled back and entwined his hands with Christian's again. Christian's smile reassured him, his eyes asking if Syed was okay and drew him in.
Syed closed his eyes slowly as he leaned in, lightly pressing his lips against Christian's and letting the pressure slowly build between them. Christian's mouth opened with his and their tongues met as the kiss deepened. Where they were faded into the background for Syed as he just let himself relax into Christian.
Christian pulled back slightly, allowing them to breathe but their heads stayed touching before they then nipped again at each others' lips.
"Get a room, boys, eh?" Roxy shuffled past them, completely unperturbed by what she was seeing and pressed the button to put the kettle on. "How'd it go then?" She asked, as Christian and Syed both stayed as they were but now paying actual attention to someone else in the room.
"About as well as could be expected," Syed answered.
"That good?" Roxy put a teabag in her mug as the kettle began to hum as it boiled. "Well, they might come around given time."
"Maybe," Christian nodded.
"I wouldn't hold my breath," Syed rolled his eyes.
"They came this far in accepting everything, you never know."
Syed didn't reply to Christian. He wasn't sure if Christian actually believed it or was just trying to be positive, but regardless, he didn't want to start an argument about his family. Instead he tucked his head into Christian's shoulder and then kept leaning on Christian as he turned his body against him. Christian wrapped his arms around Syed's stomach in a reverse hug as Syed put more of his weight back into Christian, his head back on his shoulder.
"How was Amy today?" Syed asked, changing the subject.
"Good as gold. Her mum, however..."
"Oi!" Roxy poked Christian's side with her spoon. "I'm not proud of that and you know it. God, I feel so stupid."
"What did you do?" Syed asked.
"She snogged one of the Moons," Christian smirked.
"Not Alfie! Last time Kat went mental and you hadn't even done anything!"
"No, the little one. Tyler," Roxy cringed at Christian's words.
"Isn't he a teenager?" Syed asked, slightly shocked.
"Might as well be," Christian answered for Roxy again, "Seems barely out of puberty to me."
Roxy turned and leaned on the counter with her mug of tea, "You want to talk cradle robbing what about you, Mister? Syed's half your age."
Christian and Syed just exchanged glances and laughed. They'd joked before about their ages. It wasn't that large as to make a huge difference in their lives. It had all got a bit too serious around Christian's birthday when he'd become sensitive to his higher years, but he was over that again now.
"I think she just complimented you on your youthful appearance," Christian prodded Syed's side as he spoke.
"That or you've just been insulted." Syed pointed out and Christian wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"Listen, I need to ask another quick favour," Roxy asked, nursing her mug and putting on the most innocent of faces possible.
"What now?" Christian sighed as he rocked his and Syed's bodies back and forth.
"I need to go see Phil again and give him some news, can you stay a bit longer with Amy for me? Please? She's in her bed, it shouldn't be any bother."
Christian and Syed exchanged glances, both interpreting each other perfectly.
"Sure."
"Yeah, fine."
They practically answered in unison. Christian dropped his arms from around Syed's waist, and the younger man felt the loss immediately as Christian's warm body moved away from his. He watched as Christian planted a kiss of Roxy's cheek.
"Good luck," Christian said, "And don't be shocked when you come home and find we've raided the fridge, I'm starving."
"Thank you, and eat what you want. If you can find something worth eating." Roxy dumped her mug in the sink and grabbed her bag from the table before darting out of the room. Christian had his head in the fridge quickly, and Syed enjoyed the view of him bending down while he heard the footsteps on the stairs as Roxy left the flat.
Christian closed the fridge door and stood up. "So much for in there... she's got to have a stash of something decent around here somewhere." He started opening cupboard doors until he had his eureka moment and turned to Syed brandishing a big bar of chocolate.
Syed stole it from Christian's hand. "You can't eat all of this on your own."
"I don't plan to," Christian flirted and grabbed Syed's wrist as he walked them both over to the sofa where they collapsed together into the cushions. "I can share."
Christian took it back from Syed's hands and started to break the chocolate up before opening the foil wrapper.
"At least Roxy knows to buy the good stuff." Syed said.
"You would know, chocolate whore," Christian smiled, taking a piece and stuffing it in Syed's mouth for him, he then giggled as he sucked the melted edge from his fingers while Syed tried to get his mouth around the piece.
Syed put his hand to his mouth as he savoured the taste and spoke around it, "Connoisseur, I think you'll find."
"Potato..." Christian added as he reached for the TV remote. He turned it on, making sure the volume was low so as not to disturb sleeping Amy, and then he put his arm around Syed's shoulders, drawing him in. He kept the chocolate on his lap and they both reached for more, hands bumping against each other. Christian let Syed take the lead but he decided to then lift the piece he'd selected to Christian's mouth, inviting him to take it from his fingers. Christian wrapped his lips around the chocolate and down, onto his fingers as he sucked the melting sweet, and Syed watched the whole time. He couldn't help but lick his own lips in response to the sight.
He tore his eyes away and down, as he picked up another piece with the same hand, keeping the chocolate piece to himself this time, but making sure to take his time as he licked it from his own fingers, letting Christian watch in return.
"Such a chocolate whore," Christian shook his head, but kept the eye contact. Before Syed could respond, Christian had leaned right over and captured his mouth. They shared the taste of the chocolate between them as they kissed. The weight and momentum of Christian's body flattened Syed on the couch and he leaned back into the cushions and wrapped his arm around Christian's shoulder to make sure he followed.
They were just getting into it, Syed had his hand under Christian's t-shirt and half way up his back, when the cries came from the other room, startling them from their bubble.
Christian lifted himself from Syed. He looked down at him for a moment. "Amy."
"Go see to her," Syed answered.
Christian dashed away and Syed could hear his soft voice as he tended to his goddaughter. Moments later Christian returned to the living room carrying Amy who had tear streaks down her face from whatever had upset her, though Syed guessed it must have been a nightmare of some sort. He watched as Christian hugged her close and murmured soft, safe, comforting words. Christian really would make a great dad one day.
"Do you want to stay with me and Uncle Syed for a little bit, yeah?" Amy's hands rubbed at her chubby little cheeks as she gave a solemn nod, pouting as she was as she was still upset from her nightmare.
Christian stepped over Syed's outstretched legs and then sat. Amy refused to let go of him, but also wanted to try and get in between the two men for added safety, so to placate her, Christian found himself in an odd and uncomfortable position on the sofa. Syed had to hide his grin behind his hands, but then turned it to his advantage by smiling at Amy and trying to get her to cheer up in return.
The two of them played with her, getting her to forget what she'd dreamt about. Syed had brought over some pens and paper for the budding young artist and the three of them had slid onto the floor to be closer to the coffee table. They'd each drawn themselves and Amy had held out the finished picture for them to take home later. She had been so proud of herself and the drawing when Syed had complimented her on it and he had helped her write their names underneath each figure while Christian had coloured in the sun in the top corner and drawn a pair of sunglasses on himself.
"We'll put this on our fridge and when you come over to see us next time we can do some more," Christian hugged Amy and she giggled.
The door slammed downstairs and they listened as Roxy stomped up the stairs before appearing in the living room. "Amy, sweetheart, what are you doing up?"
She held her arms out for her daughter, who pushed herself up from between her Uncles and stretched her own arms out for her mummy. Christian mouthed 'nightmare' to Roxy so she understood.
"Amy, say night-night to Uncle Christian and Uncle Syed, okay?" Amy turned in the hold Roxy had of her and waved to her Uncles, doing her best to copy her mother's words and Roxy took her back to the bedroom.
Christian made a face as he reached underneath himself, and pulled out the remnants of the chocolate that had half melted from being underneath him. Luckily it was still safely in the wrapper so hadn't spread onto the floor or Christian's jeans but it seemed to have put Christian off eating it since he'd been sitting on it. Syed grabbed it from his hands, carefully peeled back the foil and took a bite. Christian stared at him, incredulously.
Syed shrugged his shoulders. "It's perfectly fine."
"It's been under my arse for the last 20 minutes."
"So? It's not like I've not..."
"Okay, you don't need to say anything more..." Christian held a hand up as he laughed at Syed. "It's time we got home for some real food anyway."
Roxy appeared at the door again. "Thanks, Christian. Syed, you too."
"Are you back in for good now? Syed's anxious to get something other than sugar into his stomach."
"I'm fine with the sugar," Syed merrily took another melty bite of chocolate.
"Okay, fine, I want something decent to eat," Christian admitted. "This body needs proper, healthy feeding, or bang goes my career."
"If you got fat, I'd still love you," Syed said.
"I wasn't fishing for compliments, but thanks, babe," Christian gave Syed a peck on the lips then rubbed at his own as the stickiness of the chocolate seemed to transfer itself onto him. He then kissed Roxy on her cheek. "I'll see you in the morning, my dear."
"Will do," Roxy returned the kiss then turned to his fiance, "And Syed, whatever happens with your parents, you know you've both got the support of a lot of people around here. Your wedding's going to be gorgeous."
He smiled at her. It wasn't often he and Roxy understood each other, but it was times like this that he appreciated her friendship with Christian and could tell why she was so important to him. "Thanks, Rox."
Outside the flat, Syed finished the last piece of chocolate and balled up the wrapper in his fist. "We still have some sweets stashed in the flat, right?"
"If you put some in the basket when we last shopped, then yes."
"Good, because I've got an idea for what we can have for dessert tonight..." He looked at Christian, eyes hooded and flirting as he smiled.
Christian threw an arm around Syed and pulled him in close as they walked through the Square back home. "Maybe we can skip right to dessert then..."