I wasn't sure about some of this chapter, just because it was insanely random. I explained everything at the very end in case anyone is sitting there going "what the actual fuck?"

Chris woke up the next morning cuddled up against a snoring Darren. It took him a minute to realize he wasn't wearing any pants. And then the night before came back to him. He smiled to himself and cuddled back against Darren, taking note of how wonderful he smelt.

Darren woke up a few minutes later and smiled at Chris. "Morning."

Chris smiled. "Morning."

Darren yawned and sat up. "So, how's it feel to be a whole year older, Colfer?"

"It uh...it feels good." he grabbed for his phone, which was normally on the night table, but was currently in his pants. Which were located somewhere in the room.

Darren saw him reach for his phone and passed him his pants. "Looking for Pebbles?"

Chris nodded and smiled at the name. They'd been up one night after a show and decided to name their phones. Pebbles and Bam Bam after the Flinstones characters. Chris laughed at something on his phone as Darren walked back out of the bathroom with clean boxers on. "Something funny?"

Chris held up his phone for Darren to see. There was a picture of Lea asleep in hers and Dianna's closet.

Darren laughed. "That's a keeper."

Chris nodded. "Its always good having blackmail on Lea."

Darren nodded. A second later he had a look of panic on his face. "Aw, crap. Chris, I bought you a present and hid it and everything and I forgot to give it to you!" He jumped out of bed and ran to the kitchen area.

Chris shrugged. "Its fine. Besides, last night was kind of a nice present."

Darren emerged from the mini kitchen area in the room with a medium sized box wrapped, very nicely, in purple wrapping paper with a bright orange bow. He held it skillfully under one arm while he fished a card out of his backpack and made his way back to the bed. He placed the present down on the bed in front of Chris and handed him the card.

"Happy Birthday! Open it!" Darren was practically bouncing in excitement.

Chris couldn't help but smile at Darren and opened the card. On the outside there was a picture of Kurt, from season one. Chris burst out laughing.

"Darren, did you really go out and find this card?"

"Actually, I went to try and find you a birthday card, and once I saw that, nothing else seemed good enough."

Chris laughed. "Thank you." He placed the card on the table next to the bed and looked at the present. "You really shouldn't have."

Darren smiled. "Its not much, trust me. I debated even giving it to you cause you'll probably think I'm strange or something. But open it."

Chris started unwrapping the present, revealing a case of Diet Coke. Chris looked at Darren, a huge smile on his face. "No one's ever gotten me Diet Coke for my birthday before..."

Darren nodded. "You hate it. I know its the worst present ever."

Chris shook his head. "No! Darren, its perfect. Thank you. You really didn't have to get me anything, but this is the best present ever." He opened the case. "Oh my god, its already cold." He took a can out, opening it and taking a sip. "Tastes so much better without the alcohol."

Darren smiled. "I'm glad you like it. I was seriously just gonna stick it in the fridge. I'm kinda surprised you didn't find it in there yesterday." He grabbed the case and put it back in the fridge and glanced at the clock. "Aw crap, Chris. We've gotta start getting ready. We're due down at the bus in an hour and a half."

Chris got up off the bed, leaving his diet coke on the table. "Guess we should shower then..." he smiled knowingly at Darren before they both took off towards the shower.

Two hours later they were showered, dressed, packed up and on the road again. Chris, Lea, Dianna and Darren all shared a van. Darren had requested that he drive cause he felt like it, and the driver didn't seem to mind getting the day off. On a normal trip, Lea, Dianna and Chris would be talking and looking through magazines, and Darren would be texting and phoning his manager trying to fit in another appearance here and there.

But today was different. Lea was hung over and sitting quietly with her sunglasses, while Dianna continued sleeping. Chris was sitting closer to the front, looking through a pile of magazines. Darren had tried to convince him to sit up front, but Chris knew that would only cause Lea and Dianna's knowing looks and he'd have to try to keep them quiet. Darren had pouted a bit, but Chris promised to sit with him after the first pit stop.

And if he were sitting next to Darren, they couldn't have flirty looks in the rearview mirror like they'd been doing since they left. He blushed a little bit every single time before going back to his magazine. The magazine he had picked up so no one would suspect he was oggling Darren. What was he reading?

Oh. Cosmopolitan.

He'd never really had any use for this magazine. He knew how to take care of his skin. And he knew enough to get him through any sexual encounters he'd had. But now he couldn't help thinking maybe it would be a good idea to learn a few more techniques. He started actually flipping through the magazine.

Cameron Diaz doesn't want to get married. Sequined eye shadow is apparently in. 101 things about men. So far nothing interesting. Oh, wait a second. The extended male orgasm. That sounds interesting.

Chris started reading the article, mentally taking notes of the tips. Him and Darren weren't quite there yet, actually, Chris wasn't sure they were anywhere yet, but this was still some damn useful information. Clearly not all of it worked (he doesn't wear a bra, and therefore cannot remove it to entice a man) but walking around in his boxers and nothing else while getting ready was something he could do.

He looked up and met Darren's eye in the rearview mirror again. Yeah, they really needed to talk this through.

Darren waited until they stopped for lunch before pulling Chris aside. He made sure to lock the bathroom door so no one walked in before pressing his lips to Chris'.

"I've wanted to do that since you first looked at me in that mirror."

Chris smiled through the kiss before gently pulling away. "As nice as this is, I did actually have to pee when I excused myself to go to the bathroom."

Darren nodded. "Me too, but I had to do that first." he winked and went off into one of the stalls to relieve himself. Chris did the same. Once they emerged and washed their hands, Chris looked at Darren.

"I need to ask you something."

Darren looked up from drying his hands. "Anything."

Chris took a deep breath before launching into his little speech. "We didn't really discuss it last night, and I guess part of me just really needs to find out what's going on before my mind works this up into something its not." He met Darren's eye. "What...is this for you? Was it a one time thing, was it an experiment...?"

Darren smiled, stepping close enough to Chris that he could wrap his arms around his waist. "Chris, when I said I wanted us, I meant it. I want a relationship with you. I mean, I'm not sure we could tell the world, but I do want us."

Chris smiled and kissed him deeply, with everything he had. They probably would have indulged in some sexytimes right there, but Cory started knocking on the door.

"Are you guys in there? I have to pee!"

They opened the door and apologized. Chris could have sworn he'd heard Darren mumble something that sounded a lot like "cockblock"

Chris sat up front with Darren for the rest of the trip. Lea and Dianna were a bit more energetic, but he knew they were still hungover, and staying to themselves.

Chris couldn't help but notice how comfortable Darren was behind the wheel of the van. He had one hand on the wheel and the other resting on the shifty thing, as Chris called it. He'd been thinking about holding his hand for the past half hour, and finally decided to just do it. He reached over and took Darren's hand.

Darren was clearly shocked, but smiled at Chris and continued driving while holding his hand. Chris smiled a little wider and returned to staring out the window, not noticing a shocked Lea and Dianna sitting behind him.

By the time they hit the next rest stop, everyone was looking at them a little diffrently. Chris had been waiting for the machine to dispense his diet coke when Mark came up and patted him on the back, proclaiming "You da man!" and stalking off.

Ashley had cornered Chris outside.

"Christopher Colfer, why did I have to hear about you holding hands with the hobbit from Lea?"

"Oh god, did she send out a mass tweet or something?" he scrambled for his phone but Ashley stopped him.

"No, she sent out a text to the rest of us though. Complete with picture and all." she showed him the picture. "So, do I get an explination?"

Darren called him over to the van as the first van took off. He nodded and looked back at Ashley. "I'll text you the whole story. It might take a bit though. And you can't tell Lea."

Ashley nodded and got into her van.

Chris spent the next 15 minutes typing furiously on his phone, trying to fill Ashley in on the whole story. The second she texted back her excitement for him, he took Darren's hand again, smiling over at his boyfriend.

They finally get to the hotel a few hours later. There was no rehearsal, but the show was in an hour. Everyone grabbed their stuff and headed up to their rooms to shower and change before riding to the venue.

Chris and Darren were in the elevator with Ashley and Jenna. Somehow everyone ended up on different floors this time around, so they waved goodbye when they got off the elevator, leaving Darren and Chris alone.

Darren hit the close elevator button and turned to Chris. "Will you go to dinner with me after the show tonight?"

Chris smiled. "Darren, you don't have to take me out to dinner. Honestly, if we went out somewhere romantic we'd probably end up all over the press tomorrow. Why don't we just order some room service, watch some movie, maybe make out a little."

Darren nodded. "You know, that sounds perfect." He moved closer to Chris, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before the elevator opened.

Chris got to the door first and opened it. He held it for Darren and shut it behind them, making sure it was locked.

Darren went straight for the AC. He'd never understand why people turned it off it hotel rooms. They took turns showering before heading downstairs and going off to the show.

Alright, so I decided that Darren should get Chris diet coke, because it shows just how well they know each other. -Le shrug-

The cosmopolitan thing was an idea that I had, and I almost wrote an entirely different fic (and still might) because I couldn't get the idea out of my head, but then I wrote it in and planned on taking it out before posting it, but it comes up again. If you're wondering which copy it is, its the June 2011 issue with Cameron Diaz on the cover.