Fic: Such a Cheater
Chris slid the key into the lock and let himself back into the house. He paused in the entryway and listened for signs of life. The house was perfectly still; everyone was still asleep.
He had just settled himself onto the stool at the kitchen counter when he heard stirring in the living room.
“Coffee?” The confusion was thick on Darren’s voice. “I smell coffee.”
“Mmmm, coffee.” Chris couldn’t tell if it was Mark or Chord’s sleep-thick voice. He snickered and reached for his cup, then stood and walked to the living room where the guys were sprawled over couches. Darren sat up and rubbed his eyes, startling a bit when he noticed Chris.
“What the hell?”
“Good morning to you too, Darren.” He crossed and sank to the couch beside him.
“Where’d you get coffee?” He reached for the cup and sipped, suddenly thankful that their coffee preference was yet another thing they had in common.
“That little place on the corner.”
“Oh,” Darren nodded, then frowned. “But wait. How’d you get coffee?”
“I stole your keys,” Chris smirked at him. “And your wallet. You bought me a muffin too. Blueberry. Thanks.”
“What?” Darren shook his head a bit, as if clearing away the last clouds of sleep. He looked Chris up and down, frowning. “You changed clothes. And your hair is fixed.”
Chris nodded. “I went home and showered. Then I stopped for coffee. Want one of your own?” he asked, eyeing his own cup as Darren took another slow sip.
Darren’s eyes brightened and he stood to follow Chris into the kitchen.
“Coffee…” he sighed happily. He eased the lid off the cup Chris handed him and inhaled deeply, then froze a moment before turning his full attention to Chris and quirking an eyebrow. “You went home and showered? You are such a cheater.”
Chris grinned at him. “Yes, but I’m a clean cheater. A nice-smelling cheater. A perfectly coiffed cheater,” he finished, his voice a perfect balance of smugness and affection. He reached out to tousle Darren’s messy curls.
“I am none of those things,” he muttered, hanging his head. “But I have coffee.” He sipped, closing his eyes to savor the taste. “Coffee makes everything okay. Even the fact that you are a giant cheating cheater.”
Chris huffed a laugh. “You have muffins, too.”
“Muffins?”
Chris nodded, pointing. “In the bag.”
Darren noticed the white bag, then. He reached for it and peered inside.
Chris let out a startled laugh when Darren threw his arms around his body and squeezed.
“You are the best cheater ever.”
“It’s just a muffin, you lunatic.” Chris patted at his back. “I’m suddenly very glad I didn’t stop at the place by my house for the fresh croissants. I can only imagine what you’d have done to me over those.”
“Fresh croissants? Probably kissed you like a wild man.” Darren winked at him.
Chris rolled his eyes, then grazed a finger down Darren’s cheek. “With that scruff, my face would never be the same. The makeup team would have your head on a platter.”
Darren shuddered. “I honestly think I fear their wrath more than yours. And that’s really saying something.”
Chris shoved at his shoulder, then motioned toward the muffin bag. “C’mon, wild man. Let’s eat before the bottomless pits wake up and inhale our breakfast.”
He had just settled himself onto the stool at the kitchen counter when he heard stirring in the living room.
“Coffee?” The confusion was thick on Darren’s voice. “I smell coffee.”
“Mmmm, coffee.” Chris couldn’t tell if it was Mark or Chord’s sleep-thick voice. He snickered and reached for his cup, then stood and walked to the living room where the guys were sprawled over couches. Darren sat up and rubbed his eyes, startling a bit when he noticed Chris.
“What the hell?”
“Good morning to you too, Darren.” He crossed and sank to the couch beside him.
“Where’d you get coffee?” He reached for the cup and sipped, suddenly thankful that their coffee preference was yet another thing they had in common.
“That little place on the corner.”
“Oh,” Darren nodded, then frowned. “But wait. How’d you get coffee?”
“I stole your keys,” Chris smirked at him. “And your wallet. You bought me a muffin too. Blueberry. Thanks.”
“What?” Darren shook his head a bit, as if clearing away the last clouds of sleep. He looked Chris up and down, frowning. “You changed clothes. And your hair is fixed.”
Chris nodded. “I went home and showered. Then I stopped for coffee. Want one of your own?” he asked, eyeing his own cup as Darren took another slow sip.
Darren’s eyes brightened and he stood to follow Chris into the kitchen.
“Coffee…” he sighed happily. He eased the lid off the cup Chris handed him and inhaled deeply, then froze a moment before turning his full attention to Chris and quirking an eyebrow. “You went home and showered? You are such a cheater.”
Chris grinned at him. “Yes, but I’m a clean cheater. A nice-smelling cheater. A perfectly coiffed cheater,” he finished, his voice a perfect balance of smugness and affection. He reached out to tousle Darren’s messy curls.
“I am none of those things,” he muttered, hanging his head. “But I have coffee.” He sipped, closing his eyes to savor the taste. “Coffee makes everything okay. Even the fact that you are a giant cheating cheater.”
Chris huffed a laugh. “You have muffins, too.”
“Muffins?”
Chris nodded, pointing. “In the bag.”
Darren noticed the white bag, then. He reached for it and peered inside.
Chris let out a startled laugh when Darren threw his arms around his body and squeezed.
“You are the best cheater ever.”
“It’s just a muffin, you lunatic.” Chris patted at his back. “I’m suddenly very glad I didn’t stop at the place by my house for the fresh croissants. I can only imagine what you’d have done to me over those.”
“Fresh croissants? Probably kissed you like a wild man.” Darren winked at him.
Chris rolled his eyes, then grazed a finger down Darren’s cheek. “With that scruff, my face would never be the same. The makeup team would have your head on a platter.”
Darren shuddered. “I honestly think I fear their wrath more than yours. And that’s really saying something.”
Chris shoved at his shoulder, then motioned toward the muffin bag. “C’mon, wild man. Let’s eat before the bottomless pits wake up and inhale our breakfast.”