Chapter 4

Chris opens the door only to see Darren's back. He's standing on the front step bouncing back and forth on his feet to keep warm and Chris is pretty sure he's dressed as a pirate "damn his ass looks nice… no. stop". Chris coughs to get his attention and Darren turns around immediately, his broad smile turning into a look of shock in about a second flat. It takes a minute for Darren to regain himself and Chris thinks he's totally made a fool of himself in his outfit and Darren is totally judging him when he hears "Chris, wow, you look, wow" and when Chris starts to blush— because seriously he's wearing the tightest black leather pants paired with laced up boots and a studded belt and an even tighter black v neck, his hair's messier than normal, and he has fucking eyeliner on—Darren clears his throat "I mean awesome costume man, what are you supposed to be?"

"I don't really know" Chris finds himself laughing in response "This is all a part of Ashley's madness; I guess you'll understand after tonight… and you are a pirate?"

"Yeah, totally! I even brought rum, you know because Johnny Depp was like the best pirate ever and so I have to pay homage to him! You didn't think you were the only one who could rock the eyeliner did you?"

It takes a second for Chris to respond because while he did notice Darren's eyeliner, considering it is smudged darkly like a raccoon around his eyes, he's beginning to digest the fact that he also has a red scarf wrapped around his head, gold jewelry on his wrists and neck, and holy shit… he's wearing nail polish. "Nope." He finally answers, "But I'd definitely take my more subdued look any day"

"I wouldn't argue that, my whole face will probably be streaked black by the end of the night with the way I sweat" Darren laughs in reply "we should probably get going though, you ready?"

As ready as I'll ever be Chris thinks but just says "Let's get this party started" and struts off toward the car, totally missing the way Darren's eyes follow his ass until Chris calls back a "you coming or what?"

It's not until they're situated in the SUV that Chris actually understands just how awkward the car ride, and probably the whole night is going to be, it's only about a 10 minute drive but Chris still thinks he should have stolen some of his dad's liquor before Darren picked him up to ease his nerves a bit. They're a couple minutes into the drive and the silence is about to start getting really weird when Darren finally speaks up—

"Hey, I just wanted to say thanks for coming with me, like really I know it's kind of weird because we only talk in one class and on one hand you know a lot about me but on the other you really know nothing and I guess the same goes for you, but you're one of the only people whose treated me like just another average student since I came to school and it's really refreshing so I really would like us to be friends it's just kind of hard for me express that sometimes because I joke around a lot but I do think you're pretty awesome and I hope we have fun tonight" He finished with a soft smile like he thinks maybe Chris doesn't want to be his friend outside of class and he really is just using him as a ride.

"Wow okay, no problem about coming it really is better than sleeping on the floor and I figured you had enough to worry about with other people harping on your status that if we were going to be working together I shouldn't focus on that too… I mean I knew who you were of course" Chris blushes "but talking to you in class I really don't see you as some big celebrity you're just a huge goofball… and you're right you are kind of hard to read because you do joke around A LOT, but I'd like it if we were friends, honestly"

Darren responds with a simple "good" and they fall into silence for a while but this time it is comfortable.

As they pulled up both Darren and Chris stumbled out of the car a little more than was probably appropriate due to the fact that they hadn't been inside the party yet, but Darren had offered to share his rum in case there was nothing good at the party—although Chris knew there definitely would be because Craig always had the good stuff—but Chris couldn't refuse, so they spent the last half of the ride handing the bottle off to one another while Chris prepared Darren to meet Ashley "She's rude, crude, loud, has no sense of personal space, is either a cuddle drunk or a mean one depending on the liquor, and I literally want to strangle her more often than not, but if you don't like her I'll probably punch you in the face".

Darren just laughed loudly at that "I like the feistiness, is this tipsy Chris or are you just more comfortable with me and reassured my plans weren't to kill you?"

"I'll keep you posted" Chris replies maybe a little more flirty than intended before he takes a swig out of the bottle and he thinks he sees something flash in Darren's eyes but he shakes it off as the liquor burns his throat.

But now they're walking into the party and they are both feeling the effects of the rum and everyone is yelling for Darren to come join them and Chris sees him looking at the guys from his gym class so he leans in and speaks loudly to be heard over the music "go have fun with the guys, I have to find Ash any way… I'll see you around yeah?"

Darren shakes his head looking like he's trying to decide whether to be excited or disappointed but decides to walk over to his friends as Chris slips into the crowd.

Chris finds Ashley in the kitchen pouring herself a drink and runs right up to her wrapping his arms tight around her waist "HI!"

"Chris! Hi! Shit you look awesome… are you already drunk?" she asks as Chris hums lightly to the music and sways with her "Nope just tipsy, I had rum y'know because Darren's a pirate and we are friends now"

"ooookay. Wait where is Darren?" Ashley tries peering around the room to find a curly haired pirate but doesn't have any luck

"He's with friends; it's cool, I'm going to make a drink and then let's go dance!" Chris makes himself some vodka and sprite because it's the closest thing to him then grabs Ashley's hand and leads her downstairs where the music is playing and people are dancing.

Chris danced with Ashley for a few songs until she said she needed to refill her drink and went upstairs to get Him one as well. He was only alone for a few seconds before someone came up to him "Hi, I'm Grant, I must say you're costume looks impeccable on you" Chris can feel himself start to blush from the combination of a compliment, alcohol, and the hot climate of the dance floor—

"Hi, I'm Chris, we don't go to school together do we?"

"No, well not unless you go to UCLA? Craig is an old friend of mine and forced me to come back for the weekend… mostly to buy him the alcohol I'm sure" Grant laughs and Chris thinks he has a gorgeous laugh, which makes sense because the rest of him is well…gorgeous. He has perfectly styled brown hair, a handsome face with the most welcoming smile, a slender frame but Chris can tell he's muscular underneath his shirt…

"Oh no I'm still in high school, I'm in Craig's class actually" Chris replies blushing again

"Well I have to say you don't look that young, especially in that outfit… would you like to dance with me?"

Chris hesitates for about a second before he chugs the last of his drink (where is Ashley with that new one?) "I'd love to" He responds, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips

Darren stayed and hung out with the guys from his class for a while, he played a few games of beer pong and took some shots, until he remembered Chris was somewhere and he'd feel really rude if he ignored him all night considering Darren was the one to guilt him into driving together.

He checks the kitchen but doesn't see him so he decides to follow the music and head downstairs, Chris did say if you added alcohol and good music you couldn't get him off the dance floor, and this was an awesome song.

He starts scanning the dance floor, looking for a pale boy in all black when finally he sees him, but wait there's no way that's Chris, except yeah it definitely is. Chris is pressed tight against a guy, who doesn't even look like he's dressed up, slowly moving his hips to the beat as the other boy runs his hands up and down his sides while whispering in his ear. For some reason Darren can't take his eyes off the transaction until he hears a voice next to him—

"Enjoying the show? Damn I didn't even know Colfer could move like that and I'm supposed to be his best friend, you must've given him some good stuff" Darren must have looked at the girl with a confused expression because she continues "the rum? I mean I am kind of drunk and you are dressed like a pirate but you are Darren I mean I've seen you on TV enough to be pretty damn sure, plus you really are short."

It may have taken him a minute longer than it probably should have due to the fact that he's well on his way to being drunk but it finally all clicks "Yeah, yeah I am! You must be Ashley, It's so good to meet you I hear a lot about you from Chris" he says turning back when Chris' name rolls off his tongue to try to spot the boy again.

"You don't look like you're having much fun Darren Criss and here I heard you were supposed to be the life of the party" Ashley says trying to get his attention back

"Do you know the guy Chris is dancing with?" Ashley shakes his head no so he continues talking "He's not even wearing a costume! Like seriously Ashley its Halloween how dare someone come to a party NOT dressed up? It's just rude" Darren doesn't know why he's so worked up over this, yeah he takes his costume seriously but he doesn't even know this guy, and it's not his party…must be the rum

"So what are you like actually straight?" He hears Ashley ask him out of nowhere as his eyes remain locked on the dancing couple now facing each other—"I don't really like labels"

"Yeah so I've heard, hey hello can you at least look at me for 2 seconds?" She says sounding irritated and Darren can't help but wonder if she's getting to her angry drunk stage or if she really is this invasive normally so he turns to her just to be careful "Thanks, so what are you bi?"

"There's another label Miss Fink. But look I guess you could say I'm straight I've only ever had girlfriends, only ever slept with girls, only loved a girl but I have made out with a couple guys who did theatre with me when we were all really drunk, so I guess most people say that puts me on the fence I don't know or care loves about a lot more than gender and if I ever fell in love with well, not a girl I wouldn't think much of it I guess because I trust my feelings, but like I said I've only loved a girl and Hollywood needed a label so I got straight" He finishes partly annoyed because he hates that question because he doesn't understand why anyone cares, but also partly relieved because he doesn't have to give his interview answer of "yes I'm straight".

He's interrupted from his thoughts by Ashley's voice, "It doesn't seem like you're crushing on a girl now though"

Darren's eyebrows crinkle in confusion because that seems random "No I'm not. I'm not crushing on anyone"

"oh but I think you are" Ashley says sounded amused "It's why you've been scouting out Chris since you got down here"

Okay now Darren is lost "huh? No I promise I don't have a crush on anyone" and Ashley actually sighs at that "Chris is awesome and I feel bad about ditching him as soon as we got here and he was telling me about his awesome dance moves so I wanted to see them but I can't because he looks quite content"

"Darren" Ashley gets out sounded quite exasperated as she puts her hands on his back pushing him towards the dance floor where the guy Chris was just face to face with is walking away with two empty cups "Go get him"

Chris was just about to go search for Ashley, because he needed more alcohol and he definitely wasn't taking anything from Grant because they just met and getting drugged was not on his to do list, when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around quickly only to come face to face with Darren, wearing his signature lopsided grin. "Darren! Hi, I haven't seen you all night! What have you been up to?"

"Not much I played beer pong for a while and then came to find you but I ran into Ashley instead" Darren responds looking mildly uncomfortable

"Oh no, you had to meet her alone? Was she rude? I take back punching you in the face if you don't like her because she was angry drunk Ashley" Chris starts to be worried because he knows how Ashley has no filter AND how she's just waiting to trap Darren in a corner.

"No actually she was okay, a bit personal but you warned me so it's fine" Darren decides to leave out the part where she questioned his sexuality because he thinks it might embarrass Chris more than it did him so instead he says "I didn't come over here to talk about Ashley though, you promised in the car to show me some awesome dance moves and I've come to collect"

Chris couldn't help but laugh at that "You have perfect timing actually because I just sent the guy I was dancing with to get drinks, which I have no intention of drinking, because he was getting a little to frisky and I am NOT that easy, so I need to be busy before he comes back"

"Ahhh so I'm just a decoy to keep your gentlemen callers away? I am hurt Christopher"

"First, who the hell says gentlemen callers? Second no I have really been wondering where you were so let the dancing begin, oh but first I need to get a drink."

"No worries I still have some rum" Darren replies holding up his bottle that definitely still has a good bit of alcohol in it and grabbing Chris' hand "Come on let's go to the middle"

Darren leads Chris into the center of the crowd and he can't help but revel in the moment because everyone is drunk, in costumes, in the dark, so no one is making a big deal that he's here and dancing so he can let loose. This is what he's wanted. They begin dancing silly little moves while they share the alcohol but soon enough their arms make their way around each other's shoulders and they begin to move together, not pressed too tightly together but still enough. Chris tells himself it's definitely just because it's really crowded and they were forced together by the movements of everyone around them but then Darren whispers in his ear "you really do look awesome in that costume" and he forgets to think and just lets the music take him.

The dancing stays as appropriate as it can really, they're pressed together and both sweating and moving to the beat but hands stay on shoulders and Darren sings loudly to whatever song plays, especially S&M, and wow okay that does something to Chris, but they're both just having fun and laughing and pretty soon they're exhausted.

Chris grabs Darren's hand this time and begins to lead him towards the stairs, "Come on let's find Ashley and sit down somewhere" Darren just nods and lets himself be pulled along by Chris because he's really pretty drunk by now and the extra support is nice.

They find Ashley sitting on a couch in one of the rooms people haven't decided to take over bopping her head to the beat until she sees them, "Chris! Darren! Thank god I've been getting bored" Her eyes travel down to their linked hands which only Chris notices as he pulls away quickly and strides to sit on a recliner across from the couch. Darren just stands there for a second eyebrows furrowed in confusion until he shrugs his shoulders and plops down next to Ashley "So Darren tell me more about you, what's Hollywood like?"

"Ashley don't interrogate him" Chris interjects but not really paying attention because the alcohol has him feeling warm and sleepy by this point.

"No it's fine" Darren responds "Uh Hollywood's okay, I'm not really used to it and I tend to say whatever pops into my head during interviews and stuff which makes my pr want to kill me, but I'm getting used to it I'm just really grateful to be on such a good show and it's opened up so many doors for me especially Broadway, it's such a blessing"

Chris smiles at this—Darren would be one of those people who is shocked by their success even though they're awesome so why wouldn't they succeed?—until Ashley responds with "Oh yeah you were in How to Succeed weren't you? Chris went to go see it while you were in it" and for a split second Chris thinks Ashley really is just keeping up with conversation until he looks at her and she actually smiles and winks, bitch.

Darren looks shocked at this but his grin is huge "Really? Why didn't you ever tell me? Did you like it? Oh my God that's so awesome" he directs at Chris who looks like he wants to crawl in a hole.

"Uh yeah I did, I was in New York with my parents at the time and they knew I watched your show so they got me tickets, and of course I liked it, it was brilliant" Darren positively beams but Chris can't help but feel like just a silly little fan "Uh I'll be back, bathroom"

Chris was hardly out of the room when Ashley turned to Darren "I shouldn't have told you that" starting to regret pushing Chris so hard.

"Why? I think it's really cool, and obviously it makes him feel good" he doesn't understand the big deal.

"Because, Chris obviously doesn't want to be seen as some fan if you guys are going to be friends and I literally just announced that he was"

Darren thinks he's starting to understand, Chris watches his show and even went to see him on Broadway so obviously he's a fan of Darren's and thinks that makes him unable to also be Darren's friend. He just thought Chris didn't ask about Hollywood because he thought it was polite but maybe it's also because he doesn't want to seem too eager. But who cares? Darren wouldn't. "Of course Chris can be my friend and my fan. He's like totally awesome I wouldn't not like him just because he knew who I was or something, I don't get it"

Ashley sighs because she's really not trying to scream "you're both perfect for each other and I know this after like a week of you guys talking and meeting you once" but it's really hard when she knows Chris is crushing but won't admit it to himself, and god Darren literally lights up when he talks about Chris, his grin is bigger when Chris is around, and he wanted to murder that random guy from the dance floor. Not to mention he's been checking out Chris' ass all night without realizing it. But that's the problem, he doesn't realize it and so he doesn't see what's right in front of him. For someone who hates labels he sure isn't as open and perceptive to his feelings as he believes. "Oh Darren why don't you going to open those pretty eyes and look around… but first call me a cab would you?"