A/N: Hello, hello. Yeah this took a little while, sorry about that. Once again thank you so much for your alerts and reviews, I really do appreciate them. This chapter is a tad angsty.

Chapter 4 – In Which Chris has an 'angry demeanour'

'Murphy called a meeting' Amber said, hurrying up to where the two boys were sat, side by side, practically propping each other up and half asleep. Chris groaned.

'Oh God. What kind of ridiculous plot twist has he dreamed up this time? Let me guess, it turns out Brittany and Quinn are long lost sisters.'

'What?' Darren said. 'That makes no sense.'

'Welcome to Glee' Chris said and Amber snorted.

'Come on. It can't be as bad as that time he suggested we all stay in character for a week.' Amber pointed out. 'I was ready to stab Lea by the end of it'

Chris got to his feet and turned, absently holding a hand out for Darren who took it and allowed Chris to pull him to his feet. 'Don't remind me. That girl is way too good at channelling Rachel Berry' Chris shuddered.

They set off across the studio lot, Chris only realising that he was still holding Darren's hand when Amber cast a curious glance at their entwined fingers. He released it immediately, trying to excuse the sudden movement by reaching into his bag. After a moment's rummaging he pulled out a bottle of diet coke.

'OK, seriously?' Darren asked.

'What?' Chris took a long drink. 'I'm tired.'

'You have a problem' Darren said sincerely. 'I don't think I've seen a day go by without you drinking some diet coke.'

'And that's a problem, why?' Chris demanded.

'Because it's not even that nice! And it's really bad for you.'

Chris gasped and clutched the bottle to his chest like he was trying to protect it. 'You know what you are? A hater.'

'Yeah well... you know what you are?'

'What?'

'Um... an addict!' Darren said and nodded. 'Uh huh.'

'An addict? Oh come on. It's hardly drugs and cigarettes is it?'

'Caffeine is a gateway drug' Darren said sagely. 'Next thing you know, you're on crack.'

'I think you're on crack' Chris muttered.

'What was that?' Darren demanded, swatting Chris playfully.

'I said I think...'

'Geez! You two bicker like an old married couple' Amber interrupted with a laugh. The boys both jumped a little, having momentarily forgotten she was there. And then Darren laughed too and Chris muttered something resentful sounding under his breath but his smile was warm.

They were among some of the last to arrive on the choir room set, the preferred place for full cast meetings, but Ryan still wasn't there yet.

'I don't even know why I'm here' Darren said tiredly. The minute they were both seated his head found Chris' shoulder again. 'I don't even have any scenes this episode. And I haven't had a new script through yet.' He swallowed nervously and he felt Chris' body tense a little against him. He wondered if they were thinking the same thing. Maybe his time on Glee was up already. Judging by the way Chris spoke, it wasn't uncommon for Ryan to have dramatic and seemingly nonsensical mind changes.

'Don't be ridiculous' Chris said, even though neither of them had actually voiced the thought aloud. 'Everyone loves you. Mind you if he starts this meeting with the words "I've had a bit of an idea", we're all fucked.'

'I'm putting ten dollars on Beth's return' Ashley said, leaning back in her chair to better talk to Chris.

Chris scoffed. 'You're on. I doubt he even remembers who Beth is.'

'Ian and Brad might' Ashley pointed out.

Similar conversations had broken out all across the room with some rather fanciful (in Darren's opinion) storylines being betted on. Dianna reckoned that Kurt and Sam were on after all whereas Lea was championing the return of Jesse. He was half listening to Jenna's rather convoluted theory on a Tina storyline when he was pulled back into the conversation by Ashley.

'What do you think, hobbit?'

'Er...' he said and he felt Chris' laugh rather than heard it. He sat up quickly. 'I... what?'

'Got a theory for a storyline? I can give you excellent odds' Ashley grinned.

'Oh well...'

'Don't get taken in, Dare!' Chris said. 'She'll rob you blind.'

Ashley pouted but before she could argue Ryan and Brad swept into the room with a quick apology and she turned back around to face the front.

'OK thank you all for coming' Ryan addressed the group. 'I've gathered you here because I've had a bit of an idea.'

Chris groaned quite audibly but luckily his voice was lost in the general outbreak of muttering brought about by this statement. Darren thought he heard Cory and Mark make one last bet behind him before Ryan cleared his throat to regain their attention.

'First of all Darren... congratulations. Teenage Dream has just become the most successful Glee song ever, making number one on Billboard.'

There was a pause as this piece of news was digested but then Darren had hands on his backs and congratulations thrown at him and claps and whistles and he nodded and smiled a bit nervously, unsure how to react. He almost reached out for Chris but felt Chris wouldn't appreciate the gesture in front of all his friends. He saw Chord grudgingly hand over what looked like twenty dollars to Harry who looked smug.

'So we've reworked the ending of Furt slightly, which is why we've gathered you here. We've done some script revisions and need to do some pickups. Darren we would like to keep you on for longer than we initially thought. We're rewriting your contract and we'll probably want you for at least ten more episodes, probably more.'

Ryan kept talking, mainly about having to get a meeting with his agent and agreeing terms but Darren's head was buzzing. He was on Glee. For as long as he stayed in Ryan Murphy's good books, he had a job. He couldn't believe it. He looked over at Chris excitedly but Chris didn't quite meet his eye and oh yeah. But surely Chris wasn't mad? Darren knew that they had both only expected to be working together for a little while but... they were friends now. Weren't they?

'... OK, Darren?'

Darren started and figured he really needed to start listening to Ryan when he was discussing important things like his future rather than thinking about Chris. Again.

'Yeah that's... wow. Awesome. Thank you' he stuttered and Ryan seemed pleased enough with the response.

'So Chris, as we discussed previously we're going to have Kurt transferring' Ryan continued.

'Right' Chris acknowledged dully.

Ryan didn't seem to notice Chris' complete lack of enthusiasm or if he did, he didn't care. 'OK so get your new scripts from Brad. Max I just need to have a word with you please. The rest of you I'll see tomorrow for a choir room pick up OK?'

The others murmured their ascent and went to grab their scripts, grumbling a little bit at the script change. They already worked long enough hours without Murphy's idiotic mind changes. Ashley looked at Chris sadly.

'I guess that means we won't be seeing you as much, boo?'

'I guess' Chris said tightly. Ashley gave his hand a quick squeeze and then went to get her script, leaving Chris with Darren.

'Chris...' Darren said quietly and made to place a hand on his shoulder. But Chris flinched away. 'Chris please...' he pitched his voice low so it wouldn't be heard over the chatter and exchanging of money that was going on around them.

'Told ya it wouldn't have anything to do with Beth!' Mark crowed, holding out his hand and a disgruntled Ashley handed over ten dollars. Darren would have laughed if he wasn't so worried, because Chris was doing everything he could do avoid Darren's gaze.

'My trailer' Chris murmured eventually.

'What?'

'Meet me in my trailer in about ten minutes, alright?'

'But...' Darren said.

'Ten minutes' Chris insisted. And finally finally glanced up to look at Darren. His face was completely expressionless and Darren just about knew Chris well enough to know that this was a danger sign.

'Alright' he said despondently. He had gone from being absolutely ecstatic about his sudden extended role to miserable about Chris' reaction so fast, that he had given himself some sort of emotional whiplash.

'Darren...' Chris said and Darren's head jerked up. Chris smiled, looking a little more relaxed. 'Congratulations on the number one.'

'You're mad at me' Darren said quietly staring at Chris' back. Chris was turned away from him, posture tense and arms folded.

'No I'm not' Chris responded.

'What?' Darren said incredulously. 'Yes you are.'

Chris sighed. 'And why is that?'

'Well this... thing that happened between us. It was OK when we only had to deal with it for a few weeks right? And now we're going to be together all the time. Because you're becoming a Warbler and... God this is a mess. I'll just... I'll tell Ryan I don't want the job. I mean...'

'Are you crazy?' Now Chris turned to look at him and Darren actually took a faltering step back at the look on his face. 'This is your chance, Darren. Are you an idiot? Of course you're taking the job.'

'But... then why are you so angry?'

'I'm... I'm not' Chris said hesitantly.

'And you call yourself an actor' Darren scoffed. When Chris just wrapped his arms more securely around himself, Darren softened slightly. 'Come on Chris, it's just me. What is it?'

'I'm not mad at you' Chris repeated. 'I'm mad at Ryan.'

Darren blinked. 'Same difference, surely? You're still mad that I'm around but you realise it's not entirely my fault so are choosing to blame Ryan instead?'

'Darren this isn't about you' Chris yelled suddenly and Darren flinched. 'Sorry' Chris said, a lot more softly and he edged a little closer. 'What I mean is, I'm not mad that you're sticking around. I'm proud of you and... I feel like we're friends now, aren't we?' he sounded a little uncertain.

Darren nodded way too enthusiastically. 'Yeah. Yeah we are. But then why...?'

'I'm just gonna miss everyone. Those guys... they've been my friends, practically my family for a long time now. And being out in Pasadena with you and the Warblers will mean that I hardly see them.'

'Oh.' Darren felt a little foolish and self centred but also... hurt. Because he wasn't enough. 'Well then.'

Chris seemed to catch some of what he was thinking from his expression because next thing Darren knew, he had his arms full of Chris Colfer. This was surprising in itself because Chris very rarely initiated any affection between them but they had certainly never hugged the way they were now without copious amounts of alcohol in their bloodstreams.

'Sorry sorry' Chris mumbled into Darren's shoulder. 'You're great. So are the Warbler guys. But... you understand, don't you?'

'Of course I do' Darren muttered, rubbing random patterns into Chris' back, feeling a sudden surge of affection for him. 'Are we... actually having a heart to heart?' he asked.

Chris laughed and pushed him away and just like that Chris was back. 'And you had to ruin it, didn't you, Dare?'

Darren grinned. 'I just thought you had got sick of me, and couldn't bear the thought of having me around any longer.'

'Well that's definitely true. But I am a professional so I will do what has been asked of me.' Chris heaved a weary sigh like it was all some great burden and then laughed at Darren's pout.

'Yeah well... you're no great shakes either, Colfer' Darren retorted childishly.

'Great shakes? What era are you from?'

'The same one as Blaine by the sounds of it.'

'You know I've just been flicking through this script and a bird, Darren. Really?'

'He's a Warbler. He's a symbol for all your hopes and dreams. Probably' Darren said defensively. God knows why, he didn't write it.

'Do you wanna go for dinner?' Chris smiled, totally changing the subject.

Darren grabbed his coat. 'Oh God, yes.'

'So you're playing school boy, Blaine Anderson?' the interviewer asked and Darren swallowed nervously. This was his first major interview and his publicist had sat with him for over two hours schooling him on things he was and wasn't allowed to say. This seemed a fairly safe question though.

'Yes' he said eventually.

'And you're gay, correct?'

'Oh uhm. Well my character is gay' Darren said.

'But you're not?' the interviewer pressed and wow this just awkward extremely fast. Before Chris, Darren would have just said 'nope, I'm straight' and moved on but now he wasn't so sure.

'Oh well I don't really think it's really relevant to the role whether I'm gay or not, is it?'

The interviewer's eyes bore into Darren's and he could guess exactly what she was thinking. Closeted.

'I mean, OK...' Darren hesitated. Well Chris had made it very clear that nothing was going to happen between them anyway so what was the point? 'Yeah I am straight. But I am incredibly comfortable with my sexuality. And I think it's important, you know, for the straight man to be seen so comfortable in a gay role. Because there's so much stigma attached to it. In an ideal world it wouldn't matter but I'm not delusional. I know this isn't the ideal world. So yes, I am straight.'

'And can you give us any hints as to what is coming up for your character?'

'I'm afraid I don't really know. Your guess is as good as mine at this point' Darren smiled warmly.

'But it's true that your character and Chris Colfer's character are going to be together?'

'Oh well certainly not anytime soon' Darren said. He was allowed to say that, he knew. 'And I have no idea in the future. I think if it happens it has to be an organic process where they grow together as people. But I think right now Kurt is at that stage where he needs some support and someone who understands him and not a boyfriend. And I think Blaine, as the older one, can fulfil that mentor role for sure.'

'And I understand that your song, Teenage Dream made it to number one on itunes. That must have been a really big deal for you?'

'Oh gosh, of course yes. I still think they're gonna realise they've made this massive mistake you know? Realise that they've just hired a total bum. But I'm totally living the dream while I have the chance. I just... the response has really been phenomenal. I'm so proud to be part of this entire process.' Cheesy smile to camera and interview over.

'Are you mad at me?' Darren asked.

'Oh my God, Darren. Why do you always think I'm angry at you?' Chris said, somewhat angrily in Darren's opinion.

'You have a very angry demeanour about you.'

'No, I don't. I'm charming' Chris said grumpily. 'You're just paranoid.'

'Here' Darren said suddenly holding out his hand to take Chris' sandwich. 'You won't like that. It's got that weird mayo you hate in it. I'll switch.'

'How the fuck do you know that?' Chris gaped at him, handing over the offending sandwich.

'See! Angry demeanour' Darren insisted, waving his water bottle.

'No, I'm not angry. I'm stunned. How do you know I don't like that mayonnaise?'

Darren frowned. 'I've been eating lunch with you for weeks now. I picked up a few things.'

'Right' Chris said weakly and then cleared his throat. 'Why did you think I was mad at you?'

'Oh yeah. My interview?' Darren said. Chris still looked confused. 'Where I said I was straight.'

'So?' Chris said, taking a bite of the sandwich too quickly for Darren to really take in his expression.

'It doesn't bother you?'

'Should it? It's not like you're my boyfriend, Darren' Chris said casually.

Darren was silent for a long moment. 'No. I guess you're right. I am just paranoid. Our relationship is a little weird though. With sex comes complications.'

Chris scoffed. 'Oh come on, you must have slept with your friends at some point in the past' he said, arching an eyebrow.

'Well yeah but... the sex doesn't usually come before the friendship. It's usually the other way around. Or it's an ex that I remain friends with after we've done the whole dating thing. We never dated, we just went straight from sex to friends which is... a little weird for me.'

'Yeah well. I don't play by the rules' Chris teased. 'I'm not your typical guy.'

Darren smiled. 'You can say that again.'

'I'm not your typical guy.'

Darren threw his sandwich at him. After a moment's pause he looked at Chris consideringly for a moment. Now seemed a good moment to bring up something he had been thinking about. 'Do you know what we should do?'

'Go and get some Diet Coke? Because I'm having withdrawal symptoms. Look, I'm practically shaking.'

Darren rolled his eyes but chose not to comment. 'No. We should have sex again.'

'Hahaha that's very funny Darren. You're not laughing. Why aren't you laughing?'

'Because I'm serious!' Darren said.

'OK' Chris said and Darren brightened slightly before he realised that that wasn't an agreement OK, that was a bad OK. A very bad OK.

'OK, you're a dick' Chris said.

'What? I...'

'You literally just said that with sex comes complications...'

'Yeah but...'

'And that you were straight.'

'I know I said that but...'

'You know what, Darren?' Chris snapped.

'What?' Darren said apprehensively.

'Now I'm mad at you.'

'But you didn't let me finish' Darren said but it was too late. Chris had already grabbed his bag and stalked away, clearly channelling his inner Kurt. Darren watched him go. Clearly the moment hadn't been quite as good as he thought. 'Well shit.'