Author's notes:
Future Chryed which is set in their own home, not in Christian flat, hence a proper kitchen!
This may be slightly confusing but it should (hopefully) makes sense.
Tis is my first ever fanfic, let alone Chryed FF so con-crit is very welcome. Although, if you say how much you hate this, I'd still love you.
I haven't read any Chryed fic before so if this type of scenario has been written about before, sorry!
I don't think the characterization is right either.
I'm really not selling this am I? I'll stop writing and let you read…
"What?"
Syed's eyes are downcast, fixated on the way his fingers are spread over the tabletop, blush making his cheeks flush and he is biting his lip hard, very hard. He could cry, as he feels bad for leading Christian on, for almost forcing him through this. Because, you see, Christian was doing this to please Syed and Syed had been lying all along to please Christian. But now the confession was on the table, between them, and Syed didn't dare to look up.
"I'm sorry, Christian…"
He sniffles, when he said he could almost cry, it's the truth, because he can cry easily and he feels like pushing, pushing hard on Christian's buttons. There is the clang and clattering sound of cutlery falling to the deep end of the sink and he sucks in a shaky breath.
"Why, Sy? Why didn't you tell me?"
He gives a helpless shrug and still doesn't look up from the table as he tries to find his words, but they stumble over his tongue because he's always inarticulate at times like this. The words he's thinking of refuse to go past his lips because he can't really find a reason, he just wanted to make Christian happy and he thought this made him happy. But it was clear right now that his boyfriend would have much rather taken honesty and Syed feels foolish.
"I…I like making you smile."
He's hoping the cuteness of the words will soften the blow, and there's a long, drawn-out sigh from the other side of the kitchen and suddenly Syed's view is obstructed by Christian's hand lifting his chin, making him look into bright green eyes, so penetrating and dangerous that Syed swallows hard and wants to close his eyelids but he's not going to do that because he's still pushing, pushing and he's starting to enjoy it a bit.
"I could have found something else to do, that would have pleased the both of us Sy."
Christian's hand is still under his chin when he nods, eyes watering as his bottom lip wobbles a bit and he's pushing, he knows he's pushing, because in the end it doesn't matter that much, it's not that bad, it's only freaking pie, for God's sake! But it is so important to Christian that Syed feels like he's facing the doors of Hell opening in the older man's eyes for him to walk in and fetch his punishment. Only Syed's building his confidence back because he always thought the shorter jokes were the best and Christian should really get a grip.
"Like…pumpkin pie?"
The joke doesn't make Christian smile and Syed bites his lip again, remorsefully, almost, as he manages to look away from his lover's piercing gaze, to the table top, to the tiled floor, to the white fridge, to the wooden cupboard, to anything but Christian as he tries to rectify the situation because it's slowly going too far. At first it was alright to look apologetic and to be sorry for the blurted confession he made upon entering the kitchen, but now it's too much.
"Syed…"
And now he finds his words, now he's articulate, because he had enough time to think it over and he's starting to get a bit annoyed that Christian just can't understand it's not that bad, it doesn't matter. Okay, he should have said it straight away ages ago but what was done was done.
"Okay, so…I should have told you, three years ago, that I don't like rhubarb pie, and that would have made you just as annoyed as you are right now, only I would have been too scared to take it. So, yes, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but it made you happy to do this for me and that was enough for me to go past how awful rhubarb pie actually is!"
And Christian's back into his surprised, deer caught in the headlights kind of look, the look that makes Syed crumble and the younger man sighs, looks down, and fists one hand over the table, before sighing again, his shoulders moving with it, like a wave over his body.
"You…you always ate it all."
A soft smile spreads over Syed's lips as Christian sits in front of him, finally letting go, finally relenting and he nods, turning his body to face his lover. His love. Of course he always ate it all because he was glad to see that beaming look over Christian's features, and that was what mattered, that made the taste disappear. When Christian first started making him it, he felt that maybe if he ate it all, it would make Christian love him more. Always more. And as the months went by and their relationship grew, each forkful of rhubarb pie was a step closer to their own kind of domestic bliss, so it was okay. It was always okay.
"Of course."
Christian's hand leapt from his side of the table to Syed's, grabs fingers and squeezes, making the younger man look up at him, and a smile spread on both their faces as they share a look. Pushing, pulling; now it doesn't matter anymore because Christian has let it go and everything is right in their world again.
"So, pumpkin pie, you said?"