Despite Chris' worries It turned out to be a really good morning. Out of the apartment Chris could relax, and he and Darren chatted over breakfast just like they always did. Chris hadn't even realised how hungry he was until some of the tension he'd been feeling dissipated.

"Do you still fancy a walk?" Darren asked glancing out the window of the deli, where they could see a few light flurries of snow coming down.

"Definitely." Chris wasn't going to let a bit of snow put him off. "We'll wrap up. It'll be fun." They did up their coats, ready to face the weather.

Chris reached the door first, and just as he started to pull it open he heard a voice, "Excuse me." He turned and saw a man from the table next to where they'd been sitting calling to Darren. "I think your boyfriend's left his gloves."

Chris watched as the man handed the gloves to Darren. Darren didn't bat an eyelid at the man calling Chris his boyfriend. "Thank you so much, " Darren smiled brightly at the man,"I think he'll be glad of those."

Chris' mouth dropped open slightly at the exchange he was witnessing. Boyfriend. Darren hadn't even seemed to notice, or certainly seemed indifferent to Chris being referred to as his boyfriend. "Come on then," Darren touched Chris on the shoulder, shaking him from his thoughts and handing him the gloves, "Let's go."

"It's my gig tonight," Darren reminded Chris, as they strolled amiably through the park, "Do you still want to come?"

"Of course I do. Are you the only one playing?"

"I'm on first, but I think there's a couple of other acts on after me. But we don't have to stay for those if you don't want to."

"I don't know. It'll be nice to take in a bit of New York nightlife. Nice as Chuck's apartment is..." Chris wasn't sure if being in too much was good for him in his present state of mind. Getting out was definitely the way to make these few days work.

Darren laughed. "Yeah, we are here to enjoy the city. We see enough apartment walls in LA."

Darren had gone on ahead to set up at the bar for his performance. He had left Chris with detailed instructions of how to get there later. "Don't worry. It's only a few blocks from here, I'm sure I'll find it. Just go", Chris mused.

"Okay, I'll leave you it." Darren pulled Chris in for a quick hug. "Don't fall asleep and miss it," Darren whispered hoarsely in his ear, "I'll be looking out for you." Then the hot air surrounding his ear was gone, and Darren disappeared through the door with a small wave.

Chris put his hands up to his flushed cheeks as the door closed. How did Darren do it? Chris groaned to himself. Darren is straight, straight, straight. A lovely man, but straight!

*****
Chris couldn't settle. It felt strange being on his own in the apartment. He wandered around looking at everything. Family photos on the wall - Darren was really was cute when he was younger. Then he moved onto the small selection of books on the bookcase. It was pretty obvious this apartment belonged to someone who wasn't at home that much. Even if filming Glee was hard work and long hours, at least Chris could come home to his own apartment at the end of the day if he chose. Not that he did always choose to, he thought to himself. He blushed at the thought of the nights spent on Darren's couch.

He didn't know what made him do it, but before he knew it he was in Darren's room (technically Chuck's room of course). He sat on the roughly made bed just looking around at Darren's organised chaos. He felt like a voyeur. But that didn't stop him. He glanced at the pile of clothes Darren had stripped off before changing for his gig. The sight of the black boxer briefs on top of the pile of clothes made his stomach flip as he involuntarily imagined Darren peeling them off and stepping out of them very slowly, probably not how he took them off at all, but once the image was in Chris' mind...He was damned! Damned and rock hard from that image alone. He threw himself face first into Darren's pillow, groaning. That gorgeous Darren scented pillow. Ugh.

Chris looked at the time. He had an hour to get himself together. He calmly removed all signs of himself from Darren's room, and made his way to his own room. For the second time that day he took care of himself in the shower. This really had to stop. He dressed with care, selecting dark jeans and shirt. Nothing to make him stand out too much. When he was satisfied he spent a bit of time answering a few texts he'd received, and checking his emails. His phone buzzed.
SEE YOU SOON ? ( Darren )

LOOKING FORWARD TO IT (Chris)

COOL (Darren)

Cool was the last thing he felt inside. But hey, he was a good actor, he was going out tonight to be a supportive best friend. He'd survived crushes before - ok maybe crushes where he'd imagined most of it in his head, rather than with a very demonstrative attractive friend. There were just so many positives to his and Darren's friendship - he really couldn't mess this up.