"What's going on bro?" Chord asked, approaching Darren with a cup of coffee and a napkin of biscuits that most likely came from his trailer. "Headache?"
"You could say that." Darren chuckled, slapping his copy of the script against the table.
"This scene is going to be fun!" Chord grinned, patting Darren on the back before leaving the curly-haired man alone to stare at the stark white pages of his script. Darren fiddled with the tiny post-it note that kept track of some pages.
Specifically the drunken Blaine/Rachel kiss.
Don't get him wrong, he doesn't care kissing (or in this case, making out) with his co-stars but the fact that he's almost excited to be necking with the Broadway star, Lea Michele, is the problem.
Okay, okay. Darren dared to admit (in his head) that maybe he has a tiny crush on the short brunette, but really? Who doesn't? Thick brown hair that curtains her chiselled cheekbones, chocolate eyes that shine with every emotion, lips that pout, smile and seduce. The slopes and curves of Lea's body is enough to mesmerize, but coupled with those legs sculpted by God himself, Lea Michele took Darren's breath away.
But more than so, her voice. Her voice.
Darren had never heard something, someone, so brilliant and amazing. Whenever Lea sings, Darren stiffens, and allows the powerful volumes of the notes engulf his soul.
He wasn't aware that he zoned out until he felt a hand against his back. He snapped around and saw just the person he was daydreaming about, wearing an amused smirk on her lips.
"What's up?" Lea asked, bouncing on the balls of her tiny feet.
"Nothing much." Darren said, rubbing his thick eyebrows with a sigh. "Just reading the script."
"Ooh!" Lea squealed and plopping ungracefully on Darren's lap. "We are so going to enjoy this!" She exclaimed, flipping a few pages. "Body shots, stripping and ooh! Spin the bottle!"
Darren groaned internally, not appreciating-yet revelling beneath-the warmth that just landed on his lap. Lea squirmed, finding a comfortable position before sitting still to read the script for the episode they will be filming tonight. Darren tried to ignore the way Lea's flesh melded with this, but he can't! He clenched his left fist and began to take Joey's advice in calming down:
Seven times one is seven. Seven times two is fourteen. Seven times three is twenty one. Seven times four is twenty eight. Seven times five is...
"Darren...?" The newest cast member almost groaned when Lea's fingers scraped against his scalp. Clearly, the Broadway star had no qualms with being touchy. It all came naturally to her, and it's frustrating Darren more than anyone in the cast of Glee.
"Hmm?" Darren hummed, his eyelids fluttering to a close.
"I got a text from Brad that we're going to be filming soon." Lea said softly. "Although we don't really have to move, I just thought you should know."
"Uhuh..." Darren groaned, sighing in content of feeling Lea against his tight jeans.
"You're adorable." Lea giggled before leaping off of him and meeting Kevin and Chris at the door that lead to the set. Darren just sat there, palms up and jaw dropped as if the best thing in the world just leapt off his fingertips. Which in his case is probably the truth.
The first part of them filming the party scene went by smoothly, and Darren felt great. It was his first scene interacting with New Directions and they really are great people. When Darren laughed along with the cast, his earlier apprehension slowly diminished.
That is, until Brad announced that they will now film the Spin the Bottle scene.
The scene where Rachel kisses Blaine.
Darren gulped and looked over to Lea who was chatting with Dianna and Naya as hair and makeup assaulted his face. They dabbed at his sweat while he tried to concentrate.
"Sit down in a circle please!" Brad exclaimed, and the entire cast all sat on the floor, with the board set up in the middle. Darren took the space beside Chris who patted him on the shoulder. The curly-haired man smiled weakly and reached into his pocket for a handful of Tic Tacs that he shoved inside his mouth.
"...and action!"
Darren watched Chord and Heather kiss, amused at Naya's drunk acting and her repetition of 'me no gusta'. He laughed when Lea snorted and giggled, spinning the bottle so it would point towards him.
He was aware that it was predetermined but Darren can't help but imagine it to be fate.
"Ohohoho! This is fantastic!" Chris exclaimed, clapping his hands together.
Darren laughed, holding up his hands in arrest.
"Blaine Warbler, I am going to rock your world!" Lea giggled and pointed at Darren.
I bet you will he thought absently.
Lea gripped the front of his cardigan and tugged him toward her lips. Darren knew he should be acting, but in this scene, he can't. He just can't. He felt Lea grin and snicker against his lips and he chuckled as well. He heard distant chants of 'teeth, teeth!' from Chord and Kevin. He cupped Lea's face and revelled at how tender her lips felt and tasted. They tasted like marshmallow heaven.
Darren pulled away, but only slightly. Not because the script called for it, but he can't pull away for more than five inches. He needed to share the oxygen with this brunette as much as he possibly can.
"Your face," Lea gulped and subtly licked the corner of her mouth. Darren was still entranced by the way the muscles on her face convulsed. "...tastes awesome! Looks like I found a new duet partner!"
Darren cheered along with them, but not for the same reasons.
The cool L.A. breeze swept Darren's face when he stepped out of the set for a breather. He felt unprofessional, liking that kiss so much that his lungs felt incapacitated. They were on a five-minute break, because apparently the lighting was a bit off for their kissing scene.
"Oh Lord help me." Darren groaned, squatting down on the ground and cupping his face. "Can I pull this off again? I don't think I can... Walt Disney, Albus Dumbledore, Rafiki... Help me."
"Wow Darren. You're hitting the first signs of insanity." Chris grinned, squatting down beside him. How he did it with Kurt's skinny jeans, Darren doesn't know.
"That might be applicable to me right now." Darren chuckled.
"Clearly you liked that kiss." Chris said while humming 'I Kissed a Girl' softly.
"Ah, there I go, being obvious." Darren sighed. "You think she noticed?"
Chris shrugged. "Maybe. Lea's not really perceptive when it comes to these things. She's just really touchy. Like that time Cory got to touch her boobies..."
Darren tuned that part out.
"...so, no. I don't think she noticed." Chris smiled, pulling Darren up and brushing the invisible lint off his shoulders. "You'll be fine. Just try not to enjoy it too much."
"I don't think that's possible." Darren muttered, following Chris inside.
They filmed the kissing scene again. This time, Darren tried imagining the giant Jafar scene. The one that never fails to freak him out.
Except this time, the image of Lea as Princess Jasmine jumped at him.
And he was her Aladdin.
"Brilliant. That's it for tonight, guys! Early call for Darren and Chris tomorrow, thanks!" Brad announced, wrapping up the filming for tonight. Darren drew in a breath and said his goodbyes to the cast before taking his Freelance Whales bag so he can leave.
"See you tomorrow Darren!" Lea yelled after him, flailing her arms about as a farewell. He waved back and grinned.
Tomorrow can't come fast enough.
A few days passed and Darren almost forgot about the kiss between him and Lea, which can be seen as a blessing. That way, he can keep talking to the Broadway star without staring at her lips as if hypnotised.
But that happens anyway. Oh well, what can you do?
It's their second kiss for that episode. Lea and Chris were sitting in the cafe scene, waiting for Darren to make his appearance. He waited patiently for his cue, and he almost had a heart attack when Lea seemed to appear out of nowhere to pull him down to take his lips.
Darren blinked once, looked up at Chris and blinked again. "Huh." I'm 100% straight. "I'm gay. One hundred percent gay. Thanks for clearing that up for me, Rachel. Can you save my spot in line for me? I have to go run to the bathroom." To calm down the rage in my chest after kissing Lea again.
He exited the scene and squeezed his lungs free of air. Wow Darren, calm your ass down. Just because you two have some form of on-screen chemistry doesn't mean she would want to go on a magic carpet ride with you.
"I'm not opposed to that." Darren heard a tender voice from behind him. He didn't realize that he said those words out loud.
And that Lea was right there, behind him. Arms folded against her back, rocking to and fro on the balls of her feet. She bit her lip and smiled up at Darren. They both may be short but he still has a few inches on her.
"I-err... What?"
"You taste a lot like fruit. What is that?" Lea asked, stepping forward thus decreasing the space in between them.
"I-it's lychee candy." Darren mumbled.
"So...?" Lea cocked a brow.
"So... what?"
"Aren't you going to ask me on a 'magic carpet ride'?" Lea giggled. "We can do another duet!"
"A Whole New World?" Darren asked hopefully, aware that he looked like a twelve year old right about now.
"Yep!" She nodded. "But only if you ask me."
"Well." Darren cleared his throat and straightened out his blazer. "Princess Lea, will you do me an honour of accompanying me on a magic carpet ride?"
Lea giggled and took Darren's offered hand. "Of course. But only if you show on me the world, shining, shimmering, splendid."
"Only if you tell me when you last let your heart decide."
"Just now, actually."
If only the scent of LA fumes didn't cling to their nostrils, or the constant stares from the crew did not exist, it would have been magical. Neither cared, because either way, it was.
Especially when they kissed for the fourth time, but the first without the harsh heat of the lights and the absence of cameras that focused on their face.
"How about that carpet ride?" Lea grinned, engulfing Darren in a hug which he dutifully returned.
"Now?"
"No time like the present!"
Darren laughed and took Lea's hand, hoping to see a whole new world with her.