The glass door swung open and Christian bounded across the foyer, sweeping Syed up and planting a big kiss on his cheek.
"Hello lovely. Sorry I'm late, I couldn't decide what to wear."
Syed looked him up and down approvingly, taking in the black jeans and the green check shirt.
"Good choice. But we're at the cinema, it will be dark. Does it matter?"
Christian pouted and tugged at Syed's sleeve.
"It always matters, anyway look at you all dolled up in your best black. Is Tamwar here, and the delectable whatsername?"
Syed nodded and jerked his head in the direction of the food counter.
"Harriet. They're just stocking up on industrial size buckets of popcorn, they might starve in the two hours that the film lasts."
Christian's mouth twitched wickedly.
"Is Tam going to cut a hole in the bottom of the carton?"
Syed bemused for a moment, slowly cottoned on.
"Christian!" He chided in mock outrage. "Stop it! Please try not to embarrass him, you know how easy it is."
Christian pulled a sad face.
"I think my very existence mortifies him sometimes."
Syed rubbed his back reassuringly.
"No, no. It's just sometimes you're a bit too…" He sought around for the right word to describe him.
"Gay?" Suggested Christian helpfully.
Syed laughed.
""Well if that were the case, he wouldn't be able to cope with me either as I seem to be just as gay as you. No, ebullient."
"Ebullient eh? I shall try to be the exact opposite, whatever that is. Unbullient? Abullient? It'll be a job though, Jane fed me a big bit of cake before I set out."
Syed groaned.
"You've had sugar? There's no hope. Try not to wind him up, he's nervous enough being out on a date."
"Double date! The Masood boys out with their squeezes. What are we going to see?"
They strolled towards where Tamwar and his friend were waiting to pay.
Syed grimaced slightly.
"The Rancid Depths."
Christian gave a short yelp of unconstrained mirth.
"Haaaa! It's a romantic comedy then. Does your mother know Tam's got a young lady?"
"He thought it politic not to mention it."
Syed studied the pretty blonde girl smiling shyly up at his brother and continued.
"Her not being Muslim and all.."
Christian studied her more closely.
"Ah. Well at least she's not a boy, so a slight improvement. She's not a boy is she? In drag?"
Syed poked him in the ribs.
"Don't you dare ask him that. If I get a box of Maltesers will you promise not to hog the whole lot?"
Christian opened his eyes wide, replying ingenuously;
"As if I would. Get some Pepsi too. Big ones, lots of ice."
He held out his hand and beamed.
"Hi Tamwar! And you must be Harriet, I love your top…"
They sat in a row in the darkness, Harriet furthest in, next to Tamwar, then Syed and Christian in the aisle seat so he could stretch his legs out.
The film started with a group of teenagers setting off on a potholing trip.
Christian leaned to whisper in Syed's ear.
"I can tell you exactly which ones are going to die. The thin one, the geeky one and the spotty one. And there'll be maggoty men underground. There always is."
"You're always wrong. Though I'll give you the maggoty men, they're inevitable. Stop messing with my Maltesers!"
Syed slapped him away and slumped further down in his chair.
"You didn't say that last night." chuckled Christian, shifting to try and get more comfortable.
Within the first ten minutes the thin one had been stabbed through the eye with an iron spike. They heard Harriet shriek and Syed nudged Christian, showing him how her fingers were now curled in Tamwar's, whilst he stared straight ahead, the film flashing it's reflection in his glasses.
They mouthed 'Aww' at each other.
Christian sat primly watching the screen and Syed edged a little closer.
"I'm being restrained." Hissed Christian
Syed swallowed his disappointment.
"Good boy."
Syed stroked the inside of Christian's thigh and he patted his hand absentmindedly, moving it away. He jumped and clutched his chest as another of the characters was grabbed around the waist by something lurking in the darkness of the caves.
"Scaredy." Tittered Syed and Christian harrumphed.
"Am not." He took the pepsi carton from the holder next to Syed's seat and swigged a mouthful.
"Oi!" Syed muttered. "That's my one."
Christian turned, a glimmer of devilment in his eye. He put his hand on the nape of Syed's neck, and tilted back his head, gently forcing his mouth open, he placed his own upon it and trickled the warm drink down Syed's throat.
Syed felt his blood run hot and quickly positioned the Malteser box over his groin.
"You bastard." Syed spluttered, checking to see if Tamwar had noticed, but he was still engrossed in the film.
He put his hand back on Christian's leg, happy that he let it remain there, and in the gloom, Syed saw him wink.
"Shall we leave them to it?" He asked quietly.
"Tambo! Christian's remembered he's left the gas on. Do you mind if we go?"
A man sitting in front of them turned and bellowed "Shush!".
Tamwar, secretly breathing a huge sigh of relief that his brother would no longer be there to cramp his style, screwed up his nose and mumbled.
"Fine. Best go and check that gas. Don't want things blowing up."
'Too late.' Thought Syed and tried to readjust himself before he stood up.
Christian grabbed his wrist and led him up the stairs.
"The exit's that way Christian." Syed protested.
"I know. But the back row's up here."