Fic: Like A Satellite Trapped In Orbit (Around You) (15/18)
Media: Fic
Title: Like A Satellite Trapped In Orbit (Around You) (15/18)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Overall angst
Word Count: ~1500
Summary: Continuation to Gravity Thou Art A Heartless Bitch. Since Darren ended their relationship, Chris has been trying desperately to move on. But it’s not that easy. For either of them.
15th August 2013
Darren Criss
I may be about to commit murder. Will you come visit me while I’m in jail?
Chris Colfer
I thought I was going to be your alibi?
Is it Jack?
Darren Cris
Oh yeah good point. That’s a better solution. I’m too pretty to go to jail.
And yeah it’s Jack. Trust me when I say you never wanna be in the situation where you’re living with someone you’re competing against.
Chris Colfer
Wow smug.
That bad huh? A few days ago you were saying that it was all fine, a bit of friendly competition blah blah blah.
Darren Criss
I lied ok? I can feel the tension brewing like... something that brews. Like coffee. Or something.
Chris Colfer
You would never guess that you write songs would you?
Why don’t you go home for a few days, get away from it for a bit? I’m thinking about going home in a few weeks myself.
Darren Criss
That is an excellent idea. I knew you were the right person to whine too. Thanks Chris! D xx
*
22nd August 2013
Karyn and Tim Colfer are relaxing in front of the television that evening when they hear a sudden commotion by the front door.
‘Tim!’ Karyn hisses, grabbing the remote and turning the volume right down. ‘I think there’s someone in the hallway.’
They both pause to listen and there’s a dull thud followed by a muffled curse.
‘I think you’re right’ Tim says.
‘Well?’
‘Well what?’
‘Go and found out who it is!’
‘It’s probably just Chris. Who else has a key?’ Tim says reasonably.
‘But he would have called or something wouldn’t he? What if it’s an intruder?’
‘That’s ridiculous’ Tom says but can see by the look on his wife’s face that she won’t let it go until he goes to investigate. He picks up one of the table lamps and hefts it menacingly in an effort to show how ridiculous this situation is but Karyn nods seriously and says.
‘Good idea,’ causing him to roll his eyes.
Karyn listens anxiously as her husband exits the room, lamp raised threateningly over his head.
‘Ahhhh!’
Karyn is pretty sure she recognises that yell.
‘Ahhhh!’ Tim responds in kind. ‘Jesus Christ, you gave me a heart attack!’
‘Me? Look at you. Why are you holding the lamp?’
At the sound of her son’s voice, Karyn laughs in relief and goes to join them in the hallway. Chris is there, looking tired and a little concerned that is father is threatening him with a lamp but otherwise fine. He’s also got a bag nearly as big as he is, no doubt filled with dirty washing. Old habits die hard.
‘I was going to clobber you with it’ Tim says matter-of-factly, lowering it. ‘Not that it isn’t great to see you or anything but what are you doing here?’
‘What do you mean? I fancied a break and came to stay for a few days. Didn’t you get my text?’
Tim and Karyn exchange a look. ‘No’ they chorus.
‘But it’s fine’ Karyn is quick to add. ‘I’ll make your room up in a minute and I’m sure Hannah will be pleased to see you. So why is it you’re here exactly?’
‘I told you’ Chris says, not quite meeting her eye. ‘I just needed a break from LA for a while.’
‘Right’ Karyn says agreeably, but she’s completely unconvinced. Chris looks as tired and down as he did at Christmas and she’s worried that he’s still not looking any happier after eight months. And this time she’s determined to get to the bottom of it.
*
August 23rd 2013
‘I’m on the phone’ Karyn calls to where Chris and Hannah are in the kitchen doing the washing up.
‘Ok mom!’ they chorus in return, too intent on the task at hand to really care.
‘You know,’ Hannah says presently, still drying the same plate she was when they started the washing up, ‘it’s cool you being home.’
‘Really?’ Chris asks, gently prising the now very dry plate from Hannah’s grip and putting it away, finally prompting her to get started on the steadily growing pile of wet dishes. ‘Why? Did you miss me?’
‘No’ Hannah says matter of factly. ‘It’s just nice having someone to share the chores with.’
‘Hey!’ Chris pulls a face of mock outrage and splashes her a little bit with the sudsy water.
She lets out a cry of protest and shoots him an affronted look before plunging the glass she was drying into the bowl, allowing it to fill with water and promptly pouring it all over him.
‘Hannah!’ he gasps, automatically backing away, which turns out to be a bad plan because Hannah is now standing between him and the
sink. She turns on the tap and turns to look at him with a frankly sinister look on her face.
‘No Han...’ Chris tries to reason with her but to no avail as she sends another wave of water his way, effectively drenching him. Using the only weapon he’s got, Chris throws his sodden wash cloth at her, hitting her square in the face.
Now weaponless, Chris backs towards the fridge, trying to find something else to use and avoiding the next wave of water sent his way. His back hits the fridge and he remembers this one has one of those ice dispensers on the outside. Putting his hand behind him, he puts his hand on the lever, trying not to wince as a pile of ice tumbles into his palm.
Hannah takes advantage of his stationary position to drench him a further three times but is surprised when Chris does the unexpected thing by charging her. Before she knows what’s happening he’s managed to tip the handful of ice down her back, causing her to squeal in a very satisfactory manner.
She tries to push him fairly ineffectually. He easily has the height and weight advantage over her, easily keeping her at bay. During their tussle, and unnoticed by either of them, the tap has been steadily running and now the sink is overflowing, sending sheets of water onto the floor.
‘Shit!’ Chris exclaims, turning his attention from his sister to the sink. Hannah, not realising the problem, takes advantage of his inattention, tripping him and sending his stumbling. Chris laughs as he reaches the sink, not thinking to turn the tap off, simply lifting the washing up bowl out of the sink and emptying the lot over Hannah.
‘Chris!’ she yells, sodden and dripping. ‘That’s disgusting food water. No fair’ she pouts.
‘I think we have other problems’ Chris says, taking in the state of the kitchen. Everything is pretty soaked and the floor has turned into one massive puddle.
‘Shit. We flooded the kitchen!’ Hannah yells.
‘Are you crazy?’ Chris hisses, slapping a hand over her mouth. ‘Mom’s only in there, so you want her to hear?’ The freeze and for one long minute it seems like they’ve got away with it.
But then they hear her in the hallway, coming closer, still talking on the phone.
‘And we'll hold the banging of heads together in reserve. Give them their time in LA. If they've not sorted themselves out by then we stage an intervention, deal?’
Karyn pauses to listen to the response and Chris frowns, wondering who she is talking about and who she’s talking to. Because surely he’s the only one she knows that spends a lot of time in LA. But whose head is she banging his against? He strains his ears to hear more but she’s wrapping up the conversation saying,
‘Oh god, I may need it!’ before ending the call. She’s right outside now and Chris finally has the foresight to turn off the still running tap. The door opens and he and Hannah draw together, pinning innocent expressions on their faces as if to say ‘it was like this when we got here!’
Karyn takes in the devastation with an expert mother’s eye and then turns to glare at her children.
‘Seriously? A water fight at your age? Chris you’ve only been back five minutes and you’re already....’
Chris tries to look contrite but he can feel Hannah’s shoulders shaking beside him as she tries to suppress her laughter and he is helpless to resist as his own laughter bubbles out of him until he and Hannah are both laughing and holding onto each other for support.
Karyn rolls her eyes fondly, not truly mad but trying to make a good show of it. ‘Mops. Both of you’ she says sternly, pointing in the direction. Her children comply, giggling and avoiding her gaze like naughty school kids.
Karyn supervises the cleaning of the kitchen with a task master's eye but Chris and Hannah don’t seem too worried about her idle threats if the glances they exchange followed by more giggling mean anything. Chris can feel his mother's gaze on him as he works and looks up to meet her gaze. She is staring at him thoughtfully. Not angry, more like... worried?
He wonders what it is he’s done now to concern her, but realises he pretty much just needs to exist for her to worry, she is his mother after all. But then he remembers her telephone conversation and wonders if there might not be more to it. But it’s not like she can know about him and Darren. Can she?
*
Jen's Part, not entirely a Darren POV this time
Title: Like A Satellite Trapped In Orbit (Around You) (15/18)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Overall angst
Word Count: ~1500
Summary: Continuation to Gravity Thou Art A Heartless Bitch. Since Darren ended their relationship, Chris has been trying desperately to move on. But it’s not that easy. For either of them.
15th August 2013
Darren Criss
I may be about to commit murder. Will you come visit me while I’m in jail?
Chris Colfer
I thought I was going to be your alibi?
Is it Jack?
Darren Cris
Oh yeah good point. That’s a better solution. I’m too pretty to go to jail.
And yeah it’s Jack. Trust me when I say you never wanna be in the situation where you’re living with someone you’re competing against.
Chris Colfer
Wow smug.
That bad huh? A few days ago you were saying that it was all fine, a bit of friendly competition blah blah blah.
Darren Criss
I lied ok? I can feel the tension brewing like... something that brews. Like coffee. Or something.
Chris Colfer
You would never guess that you write songs would you?
Why don’t you go home for a few days, get away from it for a bit? I’m thinking about going home in a few weeks myself.
Darren Criss
That is an excellent idea. I knew you were the right person to whine too. Thanks Chris! D xx
*
22nd August 2013
Karyn and Tim Colfer are relaxing in front of the television that evening when they hear a sudden commotion by the front door.
‘Tim!’ Karyn hisses, grabbing the remote and turning the volume right down. ‘I think there’s someone in the hallway.’
They both pause to listen and there’s a dull thud followed by a muffled curse.
‘I think you’re right’ Tim says.
‘Well?’
‘Well what?’
‘Go and found out who it is!’
‘It’s probably just Chris. Who else has a key?’ Tim says reasonably.
‘But he would have called or something wouldn’t he? What if it’s an intruder?’
‘That’s ridiculous’ Tom says but can see by the look on his wife’s face that she won’t let it go until he goes to investigate. He picks up one of the table lamps and hefts it menacingly in an effort to show how ridiculous this situation is but Karyn nods seriously and says.
‘Good idea,’ causing him to roll his eyes.
Karyn listens anxiously as her husband exits the room, lamp raised threateningly over his head.
‘Ahhhh!’
Karyn is pretty sure she recognises that yell.
‘Ahhhh!’ Tim responds in kind. ‘Jesus Christ, you gave me a heart attack!’
‘Me? Look at you. Why are you holding the lamp?’
At the sound of her son’s voice, Karyn laughs in relief and goes to join them in the hallway. Chris is there, looking tired and a little concerned that is father is threatening him with a lamp but otherwise fine. He’s also got a bag nearly as big as he is, no doubt filled with dirty washing. Old habits die hard.
‘I was going to clobber you with it’ Tim says matter-of-factly, lowering it. ‘Not that it isn’t great to see you or anything but what are you doing here?’
‘What do you mean? I fancied a break and came to stay for a few days. Didn’t you get my text?’
Tim and Karyn exchange a look. ‘No’ they chorus.
‘But it’s fine’ Karyn is quick to add. ‘I’ll make your room up in a minute and I’m sure Hannah will be pleased to see you. So why is it you’re here exactly?’
‘I told you’ Chris says, not quite meeting her eye. ‘I just needed a break from LA for a while.’
‘Right’ Karyn says agreeably, but she’s completely unconvinced. Chris looks as tired and down as he did at Christmas and she’s worried that he’s still not looking any happier after eight months. And this time she’s determined to get to the bottom of it.
*
August 23rd 2013
‘I’m on the phone’ Karyn calls to where Chris and Hannah are in the kitchen doing the washing up.
‘Ok mom!’ they chorus in return, too intent on the task at hand to really care.
‘You know,’ Hannah says presently, still drying the same plate she was when they started the washing up, ‘it’s cool you being home.’
‘Really?’ Chris asks, gently prising the now very dry plate from Hannah’s grip and putting it away, finally prompting her to get started on the steadily growing pile of wet dishes. ‘Why? Did you miss me?’
‘No’ Hannah says matter of factly. ‘It’s just nice having someone to share the chores with.’
‘Hey!’ Chris pulls a face of mock outrage and splashes her a little bit with the sudsy water.
She lets out a cry of protest and shoots him an affronted look before plunging the glass she was drying into the bowl, allowing it to fill with water and promptly pouring it all over him.
‘Hannah!’ he gasps, automatically backing away, which turns out to be a bad plan because Hannah is now standing between him and the
sink. She turns on the tap and turns to look at him with a frankly sinister look on her face.
‘No Han...’ Chris tries to reason with her but to no avail as she sends another wave of water his way, effectively drenching him. Using the only weapon he’s got, Chris throws his sodden wash cloth at her, hitting her square in the face.
Now weaponless, Chris backs towards the fridge, trying to find something else to use and avoiding the next wave of water sent his way. His back hits the fridge and he remembers this one has one of those ice dispensers on the outside. Putting his hand behind him, he puts his hand on the lever, trying not to wince as a pile of ice tumbles into his palm.
Hannah takes advantage of his stationary position to drench him a further three times but is surprised when Chris does the unexpected thing by charging her. Before she knows what’s happening he’s managed to tip the handful of ice down her back, causing her to squeal in a very satisfactory manner.
She tries to push him fairly ineffectually. He easily has the height and weight advantage over her, easily keeping her at bay. During their tussle, and unnoticed by either of them, the tap has been steadily running and now the sink is overflowing, sending sheets of water onto the floor.
‘Shit!’ Chris exclaims, turning his attention from his sister to the sink. Hannah, not realising the problem, takes advantage of his inattention, tripping him and sending his stumbling. Chris laughs as he reaches the sink, not thinking to turn the tap off, simply lifting the washing up bowl out of the sink and emptying the lot over Hannah.
‘Chris!’ she yells, sodden and dripping. ‘That’s disgusting food water. No fair’ she pouts.
‘I think we have other problems’ Chris says, taking in the state of the kitchen. Everything is pretty soaked and the floor has turned into one massive puddle.
‘Shit. We flooded the kitchen!’ Hannah yells.
‘Are you crazy?’ Chris hisses, slapping a hand over her mouth. ‘Mom’s only in there, so you want her to hear?’ The freeze and for one long minute it seems like they’ve got away with it.
But then they hear her in the hallway, coming closer, still talking on the phone.
‘And we'll hold the banging of heads together in reserve. Give them their time in LA. If they've not sorted themselves out by then we stage an intervention, deal?’
Karyn pauses to listen to the response and Chris frowns, wondering who she is talking about and who she’s talking to. Because surely he’s the only one she knows that spends a lot of time in LA. But whose head is she banging his against? He strains his ears to hear more but she’s wrapping up the conversation saying,
‘Oh god, I may need it!’ before ending the call. She’s right outside now and Chris finally has the foresight to turn off the still running tap. The door opens and he and Hannah draw together, pinning innocent expressions on their faces as if to say ‘it was like this when we got here!’
Karyn takes in the devastation with an expert mother’s eye and then turns to glare at her children.
‘Seriously? A water fight at your age? Chris you’ve only been back five minutes and you’re already....’
Chris tries to look contrite but he can feel Hannah’s shoulders shaking beside him as she tries to suppress her laughter and he is helpless to resist as his own laughter bubbles out of him until he and Hannah are both laughing and holding onto each other for support.
Karyn rolls her eyes fondly, not truly mad but trying to make a good show of it. ‘Mops. Both of you’ she says sternly, pointing in the direction. Her children comply, giggling and avoiding her gaze like naughty school kids.
Karyn supervises the cleaning of the kitchen with a task master's eye but Chris and Hannah don’t seem too worried about her idle threats if the glances they exchange followed by more giggling mean anything. Chris can feel his mother's gaze on him as he works and looks up to meet her gaze. She is staring at him thoughtfully. Not angry, more like... worried?
He wonders what it is he’s done now to concern her, but realises he pretty much just needs to exist for her to worry, she is his mother after all. But then he remembers her telephone conversation and wonders if there might not be more to it. But it’s not like she can know about him and Darren. Can she?
*
Jen's Part, not entirely a Darren POV this time