Chapter III: So Much One Can Tolerate
1.
Mia was getting very annoyed… Annoyed was even an understatement. "If you keep tapping your desk with your pencils, God help me Darren because I'll—"
Darren turned his head, "Mm… 'm bored though," he complained as if it was a valid excuse, Mia sighed in response. "Besides, I'm worried," he added.
Mia gave him an odd look, "Worried? Why on Earth would you—?"
"Oh! Finally you decided to join us, Mr. Colfer." The teacher said humorlessly. "Hope you brought your late pass," she warned. Chris nodded and handed her the pass, "Go sit," he commanded and Chris obeyed.
Darren noticed something was wrong… was his boyfriend limping a little? He frowned.
Chris took his sit between Mia and Darren, left and right respectively in the back of the room. "Well—'morning, Chris," Mia saluted smiling. He nodded again showing her a smile, "You oversleep, Colfer?" Mia teased lightly.
"Ye-Yah, you could say that," was Chris answer. He turned around to meet his boyfriend's gaze when he felt Darren's hand massaging his knee indiscreetly as comfort. "Hi."
"Hellooo, babyyyy." Darren sing-songed lowly but still smiling, "Are you okay? You don'—"
"I… I am fine, Dare," Chris replied. "I just… just overslept." He reassured.
Darren didn't buy it.
2.
"This apple fucking sucks," Darren stated, and Mia thought amusingly if she could get away with killing his friend. "I wouldn't be surprised if I'd find a worn in this apple," and put the apple on the tray.
"Eww—fuck, Darren, I'm eating." Mia told him accusatorily and completely losing her appetite after picturing Darren's comment on the food.
"Clearly… I can see that."
She took a look his friend suspiciously, "Are you bothered or something?"
There was a pause before Darren finally spoke. "Chris is taking a long time," he contemplated before turning his head again to see if his boyfriend was coming back to their table.
"I knew it! It had to do with Chris." She laughed triumphantly, forgetting everything about her food.
"Well, duh."
"You're such a sap… and geez. He will be here soon. He went to get you food because you were being a princess about the food you got." Mia said, giving a nasty look towards Darren's tray because really, what the fuck Darren got for lunch? "Is that supposed to be pizza?"
Darren stared at his tray, "I don't even wanna figure it out. This shit is not edible though…" Darren complained once more, "but anyways, I'm worried. It can't take too long to get in line and get food—it's been a long time." As on cue to Darren's words the bell rings and there's still no sign of Chris.
"Well… I guess you were rig—"
Darren stood up abruptly, "I'll go find him."
He didn't until the end of the day.
3.
Darren's shirt was getting wet—or at least the collar.
He had P.E. and today their teacher made them run for the whole hour, and as hell he was going to go all sweaty to his Bio class. Although he was trying to take a quick shower—he even barely dry his hair and now it was getting his back wet—, and still he still took longer than expected.
"Well, guess who's gonna be late for Biology… again." He told himself; the first time he was late for Bio had nothing to do with P.E. though. Darren smiled goofily at the memory, he got to spend time with his boyfriend ("Darren, hm—stop… we're going to be—gnn," Chris was telling him. They were in the boys' bathroom; luckily, nobody was there but them. "Buuut, Chriiiis," Darren pouted playfully but still slightly kissing his boyfriend's face).
Fuck, he loved that, because Chris would blush uncontrollably when Darren kissed him around his face. Darren noticed Chris wasn't used to that affection and, man; Darren will make him get used to it. Mind you, it was his pleasure.
Darren was walking down the hallway (closer to his classroom already) when the girls' bathroom door opened slowly, and saw that, actually, it was not a girl. "… Chris?" He muttered and walked faster until reaching him.
"Dar-Darren?" Chris stuttered; his eyes were red and glassy. He had been crying, he couldn't deny that, but knowing Chris he would try to deny the obvious.
"Chris… baby—What…" Darren was trying to formulate a sentence, but he was getting angry, and besides, he could swear that he knew what exactly happened; he was going to punch the living hell out of—
"Nothing, Dare, it's not what you think," Chris argued.
"… oh? Yeah? What's what I'm thinking, uh?" Darren challenged. He was so sure that it was the jocks.
"I got sick… that's… it. Yeah. I just threw up…" Chris replied, "I—it was something I had … for breakfast..." he elaborated.
Darren, not convinced, just went with it—at least for now. "We're late for class, babe. Let's go." Darren said taking Chris' hand in his, and before Chris could protest. "I'll let go before getting to class—don't worry." Darren promised, he noticed how Chris blushed. He smiled.
Getting to class Darren tugged Chris in front of him.
"You get in first, baby." Darren said politely and Chris went straight ahead; Darren, being behind Chris, could see the back of Chris' neck.
Shitshit—Okay, Darren, control your anger. Patience… Darren was repeating in his mind.
But fuck, there was just so much that Darren could take.
4.
"OhmyGod, Darren, stop it!" Mia hissed, frowning at the guys right in front of her. Darren was teasing and tickling Chris' sides—he's been at it since they decided to get to work in their English project. "We're in the library; we're so gonna get kicked out if you," she point at Darren, "keep this up." She warned while flipping through her notes.
Darren bluntly chose to ignore her; his arms went around Chris' waist, pulling him even closer. "Hmm, buzz-kill," he called Mia.
"She's rig—DarrenstopitOhmyGod." Chris yelped when he felt Darren nuzzling around his neck; Chris blushed.
"You smell so good," Darren claimed smiling cheekily when Chris got decently away from him.
Mia sighed, those two were too cute. She normally enjoyed it, but not now when his school project depended on his partners too. "You guys are sickeningly adorable, but save it for later. I'm not getting an F's in this assignment just because Darren decided to be a loving puppy right now."
"Oh, suck it up," Darren told Mia, but smiling and whispering in his boyfriend's ear. Chris was going to reply, but someone appeared in front of them. They all turned their heads.
The woman in charge of the library was looking down at them, precisely, at Darren and Chris. "Out," she commanded. The guys were looking at each other, confused. "I'm not tolerating this kind of behavior," the woman said harshly while pointing at the Exit door.
"Oh," they thought.
Mia felt awkward; she realized why they had been kicked out and also realized that Chris noticed that too, she knew Darren wouldn't care but Chris… "I'll go this way," she pointed the other way.
"You sure? We can walk you home—'s kinda late." Darren reasoned.
Mia mentally agreed but she saw that Chris was not okay and God wasn't she going to presence another discussion. "No, I—I have to go do something—yeah," and like that she left.
Darren looked at the path Mia took, "Well, that was odd, wasn't it?" He wondered somewhat loudly. He breathed soundly, and turned around, facing the back of his boyfriend. "What's wrong, Chris?"
Chris frowned, looking confusing, or that's what Darren though. "Hu? I—what— I… no—I mean… yeah… yes." Chris blabbered, his cheeks turning red because of the embarrassment.
"… penny for your thoughts?" Darren asked playfully to lighten the tense moment, while walking up closer to Chris. Although it didn't work out well, Chris answered by looking down at his feet. Chris' lips were quivering and Darren assumed that Chris wanted to say something but maybe it wasn't the moment—or the place. Darren noted that the street was empty and they were close to his house, "Chris, honey, let's go. It's getting cold out here." He said and Chris nodded absently. Darren took Chris' hand in his and realized Chris tensing.
They didn't exchange words in all the way back to Darren's.
5.
Darren was happy and very please too.
It was Friday so that means he can freely spend the rest of the day with his boyfriend without getting worried about sleeping early, homework, and obviously, school. Oh, man, did he love Fridays!
Slam!
"Fuuck," someone groaned in pain.
Darren froze. He knew that sound—someone has been pushed brutally against the lockers, and fuck that sounded so fucking painful. And more painful was the feeling he was getting; he knew that voice.
A boy (which Darren also recognized) sniggered, "It was just a farewell, fairy. We won't see you until Monday—we'll miss you." He mocked and some other guy laughed loudly.
Darren felt as he was going to vomit, he walked closer. And he was mentally asking that the guy that was being bullied wasn't his Chris.
Well. Shit.
"What you thought? Because Darren started hanging out with you, you wouldn't receive your diary doses?" The guy sounded very angry, looking at Chris who was holding his tears but about to break down. "He told you already, stop. Darren doesn't deserve to turn into a goddamn—"
"—Okay. Fucking. Enough." Darren appeared yelling. He walked up close to Chris and helped him up. Chris didn't dare to look at him.
"Darren, whatthefuck, man? You should stop hanging out," one of the two jocks complained. He wasn't that tall, but he had muscles.
"Dude," the other guy (who actually looked threatening, according to Darren's perspective) said with a nasty expression, "You cannot keep this up. You're cool, we like you. But it'll change if you keep your fucking act."
Chris' turned his head, looking sadly at Darren. Darren just shrugged, "What act? I like Chris—I like him tons. I can hang out with whoever I want."
"No!" The two jocks yelled in unison. "He's a fucking fa—"
"Fuck you!" Darren cut him off. "I'm not listening to this anymore," and pushed Chris ahead of him. "Let's go." He directed, Chris didn't say anything but didn't disobey either. "Ooh, and by the way, guys!" Darren called them with a cheeky smile, "I'm probably even more gay than this cute guy right here," he confessed, pointing at Chris, and wink at them playfully.
Darren swore that this time Chris wasn't getting out of their talk.
6. Enough Is Enough
"So," Darren started, "Something you wanna tell me?" he asked. They were on Darren's bed, across of each other.
"Don't know, shouldn't I say that? You were the one that said that needed to talk," Chris said, showing no emotion.
But, oh, Darren knew better. "Really? Well—"
"—I… sorry. I… why did you… you know you just outed yourself a couple of hours ago." Chris started, still disbelieved about the way Darren came out to the jocks. "Why? You know what's going to happen... you were fine—"
"—Realizing how my boyfriend gets bullied and me not getting my share didn't seem fine to me."
Chris' eyes widened, "What?" He blurt out. Darren was too serious, "I don't—I'm not—"
"You just forgot that I was there when some of my former-acquaintances pushed you against the lockers or what?"
"I…"
"Or when you disappear in lunch… we you get late to class… I fucking saw bruises in the back of your neck the other day," Darren pointed out; the conversation getting serious as his voice.
Chris looked down, he was frowning and tears were forming. "I'm used to it," was his simple and realistic reply.
There was silence after Chris' words.
"Me saying 'You shouldn't' isn't an answer anymore, y'know?" Darren informed softly crawling closer to Chris, "Hey, I know—or at least, I think I do." Darren declared as he set his hands on his boyfriends' cheeks, forcing to look him in the eyes. "Baby, we're dating. Although they don't know and don't like it, it still doesn't make fair that I don't get pushed and insulted too." He said calmed, wiping off Chris' tears. "At least now they know I'm not straight, I can have my share now, baby."
Chris jumped to him, hugging Darren's waist, and cried—started sobbing muttering inaudible things that Darren tried to understand but couldn't. Chris' sobbing was the only thing that Darren was hearing while stroking Chris' hair, waiting for him to calm down.
Chris stopped slowly, but still hiccupping and repeating something. Darren looked at him sadly and pulled him up. Eye to eye. "What's wrong, Chris? Why didn't you tell me? I've been dying for you to tell me this whole week but you just kept this to yourself."
Chris snuggled closer to Darren, sighing. "I just…" Chris' face was all blushed (in regular circumstances, Darren would love that—he still does, but it wasn't the moment to tease his boyfriend about his shyness).
Darren hugged him, "You can tell me anything—that's the things about us. Communication."
"I'm scared."
Darren was processing but still couldn't pin point what exactly Chris meant by that, "Oh… you're scared about the taunting getting worse?" Darren whispered, and in all honesty, he sounded angry at himself. Obviously, if the students in that close-minded school knew about Darren and Chris, Chris would be bullied even more. As if right now Darren noticed it was more because the jocks think that Darren would catch the gay. Darren nuzzled against his boyfriend's neck, "Sorry, baby. I didn't think about it…" he sounded guilty, just hoping that he would get bullied now that he was out.
Not that Darren was a masochist, but he didn't enjoy the idea of everyone hating on his boyfriend. Although all the time he was hanging out with Chris, the jocks just warned him but didn't do anything against him well-being. With Chris, it was a different story.
But Darren couldn't be selfish and go hold Chris' hand, or hug him really close… and God, not even kiss him. And fuck, he loved kissing those lips. Stop, don't be selfish, he thought.
"… no… it's not that," Chris hinted.
Darren was staring at his boyfriend now, as if he would get an answer by looking at his eyes because Darren could honestly say that he had no idea what Chris meant now. "Baby…"
"I'm afraid of losing you…" Chris confessed, and Darren felt him tremble. "I'm fucking scared that if you get bullied too, you'll leave me alone." Now Darren felt Chris shaking strongly and sobbing harder. "I know I sound pathetic, I know—but… I need you. I… I love you." There, he said, and how bad Chris was dreading to finally get it out.
After a couple of second of no reaction, Darren sighed, relieved. "Oh… Oh, Colfer," he uttered lying on his back on the bed, taking Chris on him. "You—I thought…" He stopped; Chris was still sobbing but dying out. Darren rolled over, ending up with Chris under him. He appreciated Chris' face better; he was still blushing, puffy eyes. Darren kissed him and felt Chris tense.
"Dare… I…"
"Chris… fuck, Angel, I love you so so damn much." Darren claimed, kissing softly Chris' face. "That's why it hurt when you didn't tell me how the bullying got worse—the way you hided it from me. I know I can't make the bullying stop, because believe me when I say that I'd do anything to make it stop, but I can't. I'm not trying to be a prince charming by telling you that I'll protect you from all the jocks and bullying, because I won't always be there… but if you have to climb the mountain of hate—let me do it with you…" Darren finished in a whisper.
"You…" Chris pronounced before hugging him tightly, with a lot of tears in his eyes. "You love me too…" Chris cried.
"… Angel—shhhh… don't cry, love, don't…" Darren comforted, kissing his temple.
Chris sniffled, "No… don't worry," he giggled, "These are happy tears," Chris contested with a smile on his face.
I'm not ending any chapter with angst, just saying.
And I finished it up faster because the Crisscolfer pics on Tumblr. Crisscolfer riot, guys. Gotta love it!
Hope you guys liked it! :D