"Come on Danny we've got to go!" Johnny shouted through the apartment as he hastily pulled on his coat. Johnny waited enough five minutes before going in search of Danny who he found in front of the mirror in their bedroom. "Still preeening?" he asked watching his boyfriend fiddle with hair.

Danny pouted. "I want to look good, I need to make a good impression."

Johnny rolled his eyes. "My family have met you before remember?" he said snaking his arms around Danny's waist and pressing a kiss to his neck. "They know what you look like."

"Yeah but this is different, inviting me round for the family Sunday dinner ... well it's a big deal isn't it?" Danny said glancing at Johnny.

Johnny smiled. "Yeah it is, but don't get worked up about it - we don't need to prove anything to them." he replied. "Besides you always look gorgeous."

"You're just saying that to hurry me up aren't you?" Danny said with a raised eyebrow.

Johnny grinned. "You know me so well!" he chuckled, grabbing Danny by the hand and dragging him out of the bedroom.

"I should by now, we've been living together three months." Danny smiled slipping his fingers through Johnny's and stroking the inside of his palm.

Johnny smiled remembering the night he'd turned up on Danny's doorstep with his bags; he'd run away after an argument with his mother who had caught him with Danny in his bedroom. She was absolutely furious, still unable to accept her son was gay and in a relationship with an older man even though the rest of the Carters didn't care at all. Luckily Danny had welcomed him in, otherwise he wasn't sure where he would have ended up.

As they headed toward the Vic Johnny sucked in a deep breath, he halted outside the entrance doors and turned to Danny. "So game plan - flirt with Shirley, she'll love that. Talk to dad and Nancy about West Ham United and compliment mum on whatever she is wearing." he told him. "Got it?"

"Got it." Danny nodded. "But I'm sure you mentioned something about not needing to prove anything to them?" he teased.

"Shut it." Johnny replied elbowing him in the side before grabbing Danny's hand and squeezing it tightly. "Okay, well here goes nothing." he said taking another deep breath before entering the pub.

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"So Danny remind us what you do for a living." Linda said as dishes of food were passed around the table. The Carters, aside from Tina who was working behind the bar downstairs, were gathered around the small kitchen table. Mick and Linda were at one end, nearest the sink with Nancy and Shirley to their left and right whilst Danny and Johnny were at the other end nearest the door - Johnny liked that, if things turned sour they had a quick escape route.

"I run Scarlett's with Ian Beale, and Lucy and I are taking care of Butcher's Joints whilst Janine ... well whilst she's inside." Danny replied.

"Hmmm ..." Linda sighed. "A restaurant and an estate agents run by a crook - not exactly reliable sources of income are they?"

Danny swallowed hard. "Both are doing extremely well." he replied politely, at the same time feeling Johnny's reassuring hand slide over his thigh.

"If you say so." Linda muttered under her breath as she topped up her glass with wine. "Lucy is your ex isn't she?" she asked looking stabbing at her roast potatoes moodily.

Danny watched her for a second knowing that she'd rather stab her fork into him. "Yes, but that was a long time ago." he said curling his hand around Johnny's underneath the table.

"Not tempted to go back then?" Linda asked.

"Mum." Johnny growled.

"Of course not." Danny replied squeezing Johnny's hand to calm him. "Lucy and I mutually agreed that it wasn't working, she's moved on and I'm with Johnny now. I wouldn't cheat."

Johnny glanced at Danny. "Don't, you don't need to explain yourself." he told him. "I trust you that's all that matters."

"Damn right." Nancy nodded glaring at her mother; she put down her knife and fork - she'd lost her appetite now.

"So how is Uni going?" Mick asked abruptly changing the conversation; he glanced at Danny and smiled. "First Carter to go to Uni our Johnny, dead proud we are."

Danny nodded, glanced at Johnny and smiled - he was just as proud of him as his family.

"It's going well, I've got some exams coming up so I'm studying for them at the moment." Johnny said in answer to his father's question.

"I hope you're not distracting him." Linda cut in, glaring at Danny from across the table.

Danny smiled back politely. "Of course." he replied taking a deep breath to calm the anger bubbling in the pit of his stomach.

"Good because I don't want him throwing away his education just for a silly fling." Linda replied.

"Mum!" Johnny snapped; he couldn't believe what she was saying and in front of Danny too, he was used to her saying things like this but never when Danny was in earshot.

"What? I'm just saying -" Linda started to argue back.

Shirley slammed her knife and fork down, silencing Linda. "We know exactly what you're saying, and it's not a fling is it? They've been living together for months." she said cutting across Johnny who was about to say pretty much the same thing. "Any fool can see how mad they are about each other." she added causing Johnny to blush.

"Who asked you?" Linda snapped at her sister-in-law.

Mick cleared his throat. "Let's just enjoy the meal shall we?" he said putting a stop to things before it spiralled out of control. "More wine Danny? Johnny?" Both nodded and Mick proceeded to top up their glasses; Linda looked at Johnny disapprovingly as he drank down the wine quickly and held it out to his father to top it up again but she said nothing.

"Can we watch the match at 3?" Nancy asked glancing at the clock, it was almost three o'clock now and she was desperate to get out of the kitchen, the atmosphere was suffocating.

"Sure we'll watch it together." Mick smiled at his daughter. "I take it you're a West Ham supporter?" Mick asked Danny. "All us Carters are."

"Those of us that care." Shirley muttered under her breath. "I'm going for a ciggy." she said pushing away her plate before getting up and leaving the room.

"Oh yeah big fan." Danny emphasises whilst nodding enthusiastically. Johnny couldn't help but giggle, Danny was really laying it on thick - he knew he couldn't care less about West Ham or any other football club for that matter but his family seemed to buy it.

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Mick, Nancy, Danny and Johnny were eventually excused from the table to watch the match whilst Linda stayed back in the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Johnny held Danny back as his father and sister entered the living room. "I'm so sorry about my mum, are you okay?" he asked.

"Pretty exhausted from all the interrogation but I'll survive." Danny replied.

Johnny wrapped his arms around Danny's neck. "Thank you, you're trying so hard and my mother is just being difficult." he whispered.

"You know I'd do anything to see you happy and I know how important your family is to you." Danny replied drawing back a little so he could look Johnny in the eyes. "Just don't ask me to do this every Sunday please!" he chuckled.

"I wouldn't want to put either of us through it, besides I prefer our Sundays." Johnny replied pressing a soft kiss to his boyfriends lips. "Curled up in bed, watching TV." he said between further kisses.

"Hmmm me too." Danny grinned.

"Come on lovebirds, it's about to start!" Nancy called from the living room.

Johnny laughed. "Think you can fake your love of football for the next hour and a half?" he asked. "I'll make sure you're rewarded for it later." he added with a cheeky smile.

"Promises promises." Danny grinned as Johnny grabbed him by the hand and led him into the living room.