Pairing: CrissColfer

*Warning: Homophobia.

Chris Colfer and Darren Criss belong to themselves.

(A/N: Edited 11/1/12)

A Reason For Your Smile

It was very cold and windy night, anyone could tell by the way the trees swayed. It was scary. Although the sound of the night was muted by his whimpers and sobs. He just wanted to get the hell out of that place, he couldn't take it anymore.

"Ugh," Christopher moaned out of pain when he was washing off the dirt and blood in the bathtub. He had been beaten up again. It was irritating; he has never done anything against them—other than, according to them, "being a fag," because it was very offensive to them.

Lazily he got out of the bathroom and went to his bed. "One day…" he whispered and sniffed softly; his parents and his sister were sleeping and he didn't want to wake them up. Their family didn't know much about him being constantly bullied, he didn't want them to worry. Chris just pretended that everything was fine; he fake smiles and laughter every day. "… but one… day… I'll be—smiling…" he murmured before drifting off to sleep with dried tears on his cheeks.

"Fag!" Someone called in the hallway followed by rather noisy laughs.

Chris flinches instantly, a cold feeling going through his spine. He turned around to see who shouted. There were many students scattered around: Leaning on their lockers, other were walking with their friends, and some sitting on the floor. Chris noticed a bunch of jocks by the boys' bathroom—he thought that maybe one of them shouted—, but he couldn't figure out which one.

Chris didn't realize he has been staring at them for a while until one of the guys turned his head and yelled, "What are you looking at, homo!? We don't want you looking at our crotches!" Some other name-callings were thrown, and some more sneers.

Chris gulped, but frowned and replied with confidence, "As if there would be something to look at." Chris didn't even know where that came from, but his bravery faded off when the group of jocks ran up to him with unhappy faces.

He thought that maybe this time that he ended up in the dumpster was entirely his fault. He normally didn't reply to insults because, after all, he was better than them—better than anyone in this school—in this place.

Chris blushed slightly when his teacher gave him a disapproving look when he arrived late to the class. Well, it wasn't his fault. After being thrown in the dumpster, Chris had to get out of it and go straight to the bathroom to clean himself. There was a good and bad thing when dumpster was full. If the dumpster was full, that meant that Chris would have a soft landing (the last time it was empty, Chris felt relieved because he ended up with scratches only. He had sworn he was going to end up with broken ribs when he landed on his sides), but then again, his clothes get stains… a lot of them—Chris was not sure if he could even get them off. But what Chris was sure of was that those stains were of spaghetti or pizza. He made a face, "Gross." He breathed, and decided it was better if he did not think what the red stains on his white shirt were.

Chris sat on his regular sit; the back of the class and no one around him. It was okay, he liked that way. He once made the mistake of sitting on the front. He heard students sniggering at him, others threw notes with insults scribbled on, and the worst, when jocks threw wet crumple papers at his head. He was sure those were wet with their saliva, it was fucking disgusting. He felt like screaming about it, but he didn't. He never did.

"—Okay… good. You can take a sit now." The woman said with a serious tone. And the guy just nodded happily and went to look for a sit.

Chris wasn't paying attention to the new student, but he got to his senses when someone sat next to him. Chris looked incredulously towards his notebook and pencil on his desk, "No, there's no way." Chris basically ached to see who was mad enough to sit next to him. He was frowning; to be honest, there was a chance that the new kid was sitting right next to him. After all, the guy didn't know who Chris Colfer was to the school. He licked his lips and decided to take a look surreptitiously.

Chris rolled his eyes to see the boy, and noticed that this guy was looking right back at him. Chris was blushing, not only because the guy was handsome but… was this handsome guy smiling at him?

Get it together, Colfer. For the love of—this guy is new. That means that at most, by tomorrow, this same guy that was—possibly—smiling at him will be calling him names, pushing him against the lockers, or help the others to throw him in the dumpster. Chris shivered and then closed his eyes forcefully; he was going to get a headache just thinking about it.

He was so sick of this…

Chris played with his fingers, or for moments he just looked down at his desk. He wasn't paying attention to what the teacher was explaining, although it was not like he wasn't going to understand. He always did the homework and read his notes. Social life was not something on Chris' agenda; he had the whole night for himself and his homework, and of course, quality time with Hannah.

A small folded piece of paper landed on Chris' side of the desk. Chris gulped. He wanted to look around to see if he'd be able to catch the person who threw the piece of paper. But he didn't. It didn't matter whether he'd seen the person who threw the paper anyways, it's not like anyone would do something about it. Chris didn't want to open the piece of paper, he knew best.

He's got a lot of these, more than he'd like to admit.

faggot

go bak to da closet, homo

fairy

nobody wants a fag

ur goin to hell

kill urself nobody will miss u

god doesnt luv fags

unnatural

you sicken me

And the list went on and on... but no, he was braver and better than them. He unfolded the paper and read it.

Chris' glasz eyes widened; surprised when he read the small piece of paper, frowning slightly to the message.

Helloooo! I'm Darren! :)

Chris slowly turned his head to his right—to the new kid. The guy, Darren, he assumed, was discretely looking at him with a friendly smile. Chris pointed at himself and then to the paper on his desk repeatedly, as saying: Is this for me?

Darren gave him a big smile and then an expression that Chris read as: You're being ridiculous; of course the note is for you! Who else!?

Chris, still not sure, took a piece of paper and took his pencil. He replied: I'm Chris.

They spent the entire classes exchanging small notes.

Chris waited until everyone got out of class; he thought that by being the last one in the classroom, he could be able to see which way most of his bullies took, thus he could take another different direction.

It mostly worked.

A fingers' snap got him back to reality by scarring him, he flinched away a little. Chris saw the fingers right in front of him and looked up.

"Sorry…?" Darren apologized, "I didn't mean to scare you." There was a doubt in his voice; he had not expected Chris to act that way, he just tried to get Chris' attention.

"It's fine." Chris replied shyly. He couldn't tell why Darren was still… close to him.

Darren didn't look convinced, "Are you okay?"

Chris took his bag and walked out of the classroom slowly, Darren following him. "Perfectly fine… fantastic," was Chris' reply. He wanted to sound snarky, but he was too tired for this, instead, it sounded pathetic.

"Well, you obviously don't seem like it," Darren's voice was low but he actually sounded concerned. Chris stopped, so did Darren.

"You better go." Chris warned when he noticed people started gathering in the hallways.

"What? Why?" Darren asked. "Don't you want me around? Did I make you feel uncomfortable?"

What's wrong with him? Chris thought, like seriously. This guy seemed sad just because Chris was telling him to go away. It's not like we're best friends… or anything. Chris looked down a little; Darren was shorter than him. "Stop," he said, raising a little his hands as to make a point. "It's not that, Darren." Chris reassured a turned around to open his locker.

"It isn't?" Darren smiled hopeful.

Chris wasn't going to lie. There was finally someone who wanted to be around him without the need to hurt him physically or psychologically. It was rather… nice. But Chris knew it wasn't going to last long. When Darren realizes who Chris is in this High School, for sure he was not even look in Chris' direction. "No… look, Darren." Chris turned to look at Darren… Damn, those eyes. "Uh… I… I'm not like… you shoul—"

BAM!

"Don't get in my way, homo!" Some football player shouted while his friends high-fiving him as congratulation for pushing Chris against the lockers. Then they just kept walking off laughing loudly.

Chris was on the floor in a sitting position. Holy fuck—that really hurt, like really really hurt, was the phrase repeating in Chris' mind. He started breathing rapidly, as the pain went away. Chris kept his eyes down, not wanting to say anything, not wanting to hear anything… nothing.

"Chris…"

"—Don't."

Darren sighed but nodded. Darren wanted to say many things, but he didn't know where to start. Silence fell between Chris and Darren. Chris was deep in thoughts, and Darren realized there were some tears on his cheeks. If Chris was crying, he's got good at keeping it quiet.

Darren frown, Chris was used to it.

Chris yelped when he felt someone taking him from his waist and helping him up. "Let's skip school…"

It wasn't a question.

"… Thanks…" Chris said, still a little shaken up. Although he felt more relaxed, Darren took them to his car and drove them to a coffee shop. Chris didn't know the place, actually he didn't know where they were. Darren drove for like an hour, but Chris wasn't sure since he spent the time looking at his hands, or glancing at Darren from time to time.

"You're very welcome," Darren replied after he gave Chris' his coffee order. Darren sat across Chris, looking at him carefully. At least, Darren could gather for their exchange of notes and the previous event that, Chris is gay and is being bullied because of it. Seemed that nobody cared; Darren saw students around, they had not even turned around to see what had happened. So basically it was a routine. Also, there were a few teachers kind of far away, but Darren was pretty sure they saw it—or at least heard it.

"You don't have to feel sorry for me; I don't need anyone's pity." Chris said low without looking at Darren.

Chris was very proud of who he was, Darren knew that, and he smiled again. He liked that. "I promise not to do feel sorry for you… if…" Darren stopped there, with a mischievous smile on his face. Chris stared at Darren's hazel eyes, waiting for Darren to continue. "You let me be your friend, Chris."

Chris' eyes widened again and then, his expression was replaced for one that clearly said: Are you nuts?

"Oh, c'mon, don't gimme that look, Chris." Darren laughed.

"Why though? Are you blind or what?" Chris questioned. "Didn't you see what happened? And let me tell you that that was nothing, Darren, nothing." Darren wasn't smiling anymore.

"You're fucking with me," Darren said, wanting Chris to deny it. "They… they can't."

Chris sighed dejectedly, "I'm gay… in Ohio, Darren." Chris looked annoyed. "And it's gonna suck until I get out of this place. But I'm going to get out of this place. I'm better than any of them."

"Where are you—?"

"—New York."

Darren half-smiled, he seemed to have the same idea. "You're a junior—like me, right?" Darren questioned, Chris nodded frustrated. He didn't like the idea of waiting a year and half. He can't wait to graduate and don't look back.

Chris took a sip of his coffee, "It's going to suck for me—"

"It's gonna suck for both of us actually…" Darren hummed happily while he drank his coffee.

Chris stared blankly at Darren, "Are you—? Why… What?"

"Stop with the interrogatory, Chris. You know? I really like you so… sucks for you 'cause now you're stuck with me." Darren said, and Chris blushed when he felt Darren's hand on his.

After a long time, Chris authentically smiled again.

I hope it didn't suck so much. I used to write but in Spanish.
I loveee fluff. It wasn't fluff per se, but I wanted to write something cute, I guess?
Hope you enjoyed this crisscolfer! :)