fic: fairytales of yesterday (part 7/?)

[dreams_and_oj]

title: fairytales of yesterday
pairing: colfer / criss
rating: nc-17 (for future parts)
word count: 3500 (this part)

summary: Darren's spent his whole life (literally) looking for the perfect fairytale, but will he miss out on what's been in front of him, all this time?

a/n: thanks to Angie for being a beautiful person and beta *____* song used 'no envy no fear', joshua radin.

PROLOGUE / PART 1 / PART 2 / PART 3 / PART 4 / PART 5 / PART 6



--

“Tell me about Dianna?” Magdalena found herself asking suddenly, propped up on her right elbow. Under the glow of the candlelight, Christopher looked more beautiful than ever, his eyes dark and slightly drowsy as he stared back at her.

“She’s very beautiful,” Christopher answered honestly. “Very bright, very loving, very loveable, very kind... when she laughs people say it sounds like sunshine.”

Magdalena felt her stomach twist. She sounded lovely - the very personification of the woman she had always dreamed of being.

“She’s a very good princess, and one day she will be a good queen,” Christopher continued bluntly, “she’s very happy but...”

A flicker of hope started in her chest at the very word.

“I don’t believe I can make her more so,” Christopher finished.

“You think that’s a reason not to marry someone?” Magdalena blurted out before she could stop herself, but Christopher didn’t look very surprised at the question, meeting her curious stare evenly.

“You don’t think that’s enough?” he retorted.

--

The show was an absolute hit.

Darren was wiping proud tears from his eyes as he stood tall amongst his friends on the stage, taking their final bows. He couldn’t help it. He was just so insanely proud of them all. They’d really made something special here. He was just so lucky to be a part of it all. This was where he belonged - on stage.

But not here.

Once they’d gone backstage and exchanged their hugs and congratulations and packed up and gotten undressed and taken off their makeup, Darren was deemed ready to see her. He found Charlene waiting for him out the front with his parents and since they were all there, he realised that it was the perfect time to tell them.

“Darren!” his mother exclaimed, seizing him in a tight hug. “You were so amazing, sweetie!”

“Your mother and I are very proud,” their father said earnestly.

“Thanks, Dad,” Darren beamed as his mother squeezed him tight.

“Good job, little bro,” Chuck enthused, reaching out and shaking his hand once his mother had let him breathe again. And then, he turned to Charlene who was smiling down at him, looking just as proud, if not more so, than his actual parents.

“You were amazing up there, Dare,” she gushed. “Everyone said so. You were really made for this.”

Darren blushed. “I don’t know... I think I’ve got a lot to learn and.... and that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” Charlene raised her eyebrows. “I’ve made up my mind... I’m going back to Clovis.”

--

The next day he was wondering whether or not he had really made the right decision after all.

Charlene had been sad at first but she had understood. Darren had convinced his parents to let him stay the night and they stayed up late watching movie after movie. They were both exhausted, but still didn’t want to sleep. Darren would miss her so much. His first best friend.

But not only - and that was one of the reasons he wanted to leave.

After all, look at all he had discovered the first time he left. It had been hard, so hard, but he had learnt so much about himself. Who ever thought he would be in an orchestra? Or go to football games and actually understand what was happening? Who would have thought he would write for a school magazine and help raise it from the dead?

He owed it to Clovis to go back. Maybe, he thought, if he left a little bit more of San Francisco behind, then he’d be able to find more of himself elsewhere. He was sure there were bits and pieces of him scattered all over the globe and maybe this was just one small phase of his life but he wanted to give it a chance. He still wanted to come back here for college... or maybe go somewhere else. After the performance he was sure he wanted to do theatre. But for now, he had to try to let life take him where it would.

He only wished he could explain that to Charlene.

They fell asleep, though, eventually, and then slept in late. She made them both pancakes and she promised that she would come up and visit him as soon as possible - and that she was still looking for his book. That surprised him more than anything. In the excitement of being here he had almost forgotten about it, but it didn’t leave his mind, even after he left Charlene’s.

There were still book stores in Clovis he had to search before he left for good.

It was his final day before they left tomorrow, so he decided to spend it down at the beach. He managed to convince not only Chuck, but his dad and his mom, too, to come down. It was sweet, hanging out, just the four of them as a family for the last time. It was what they had come to do after all.

The next day they were up early to finalise packing and were on the road by ten.

Darren pretended to sleep for most of the trip to hide the tears that pressed against his closed lids. Leaving was harder than he could ever admit.

--

It was almost strange coming back ‘home’. Darren wasn’t sure if he was entirely ready to call it that yet, but he was sure now that soon enough he would be able to.

Fittingly enough, Clovis was hit by a rainfall that night and Darren cuddled up in bed with his laptop, missing the beach already. He messaged both Chris and Maggie letting them know he was back, although he doubted they’d find anything to do before they went back to school on Monday. He felt awfully nervous about going back for his Junior year. At least he wasn’t going into his Senior year. He didn’t know how Chris and Maggie weren’t shitting themselves.

(Chris assured him that by the time he reached that age he would just be begging to be done with it already. At this point, Darren had no doubt that that was the case.)

He stayed up late that night skyping with the two of them and didn’t wake up till late next day. He managed to drag himself out of the house long enough to get all the things he still needed for school and successfully navigated his way through the mall without running into anyone he knew - a triumph, in their small town.

The rest of the day was uneventful, although he did help his mom with dinner. He tried to go to bed early but found himself restless in sleep, tossing and turning and turning and falling out of bed on more than once occasion. It was swelteringly hot - humid as the rainclouds regathered, getting ready for a storm, so he couldn’t keep his window open. He had his fan on max but it didn’t do much, just washing hot air back and forth across his body. He tried to sleep with no clothes on but felt too... well, naked.

Eventually, though, the night broke into day and it was time for him to face the morning.

He just hoped he wouldn’t fall asleep in his first period biology class.

--

Retrospectively, his first day of school could have gone worse, although at the time, it didn’t really feel that way.

He was exhausted from his restless night and fumbled around all morning trying to get his shit together. He barely had time to eat breakfast and nearly missed his bus running for it. But he made it - just.

Chris met him out the front as usual and once he saw him, Darren instantly felt his irritation ease away. God, he’d missed him. And he... wow, the summer had done nice things to him. His hair was sunkissed and freckles dotted his lovely cheeks, although Chris had claimed to try an avoid the sun, the sun clearly hadn’t kept its distance.

“Hey, you,” Chris grinned, pulling him into a tight hug. Darren hugged him back fiercely.

“I missed you,” he whispered.

“I missed you, too.”

“Hey, where’s Maggie?” Darren couldn’t help but ask as he pulled back, glancing around. Usually, since her mom drove her, she got there before Darren. But Chris’s face tightened slightly at the mention of her.

“With her boyfriend, I should think,” he answered, a little stiffly, folding his arms as they headed up to the school.

“Woah, hold up.” Darren was definitely missing something here. “Since when did she get a boyfriend?”

“They were texting over the summer, apparently,” Chris explained. “Apparently they met at the party after the big game before she threw a Linda Blair and they hit it off right away. She said he asked her last night while we were skyping. She told me this morning.”

“Well that’s...” he searched Chris’s expression with confusion, “...great?”

“Great,” Chris scoffed, shooting Darren a scowl. “Darren, he’s an asshole.”

Oh.

“Whoops,” Darren cringed. “Sorry.”

“He’s on the football team for one thing-”

“Grant’s on the football team,” Darren pointed out bitterly but Chris ignored him.

“-and his last girlfriend was a total blow queen on the opposing team’s cheer squad. Really, Darren, great?”

“Hey, I haven’t met him,” Darren said defensively, folding his arms. “He could be nice.”

Chris scoffed again. “That’s what Maggie said.”

“And it’s Maggie,” Darren reminded him. “She’s almost as judgemental as you are.”

“Shut up,” Chris said but he laughed a little so Darren figured he was okay. “I’m just... I’m worried about her.”

“I know you are,” Darren spoke, smiling softly, his arms falling to his sides in defeat. “But she’s a big girl, she can take care of herself, you know?”

Chris tensed his jaw.

“You underestimate the infatuation of a first crush, Dare.”

“Hey, Chris!” Darren resisted the urge to roll his eyes and groan as Grant’s voice called across the yard, making Chris’s face instantly light up as he waved back. Chris watched him walk away, a wistful smile spread across his lips as his figure retreated.

“Chris?” Darren prodded once he was gone. Chris snapped back with a quick hum and Darren bit his lip to stop himself from saying anything.

“Right,” Chris realised, blushing a little as he cleared his throat. “Well, as I was saying-”

But Chris didn’t get much further than that before the bell rang over the speakers, calling them to homeroom. Darren raised his eyebrows at Chris who sighed, slinging his bag back over his shoulder.

“This isn’t over!” he insisted, before they turned their separate ways, both bracing themselves for the day ahead.

--

Lunch was almost unbearable.

Maggie and Chris were bickering the whole time and Darren got so sick of it he actually excused himself to go to the library - his safe place. Honestly, he thought Chris was being ridiculous. It wasn’t his business who Maggie was dating. But Darren knew it wasn’t his place to say so and he’d do well to stay well out of it.

So he did.

After school Maggie met him at his locker, shoulders straight, looking awfully stubborn.

“What are your plans tonight?” she asked as he grabbed his books. Darren shrugged, letting his locker fall shut with a sharp metal clang.

“Hello to you too,” he muttered. Maggie sighed beside him, looking impatient. “Fine,” he said through his teeth, “I have none.”

“Excellent,” she said, instantly perking up. “Tonight we’re going to dinner - me, you, Ben and Chris.”

Darren raised his eyebrows and she chuckled, shaking her head.

“No, it’s not a double date,” she insisted. “Just dinner with... friends. Who want to get to know each other a little better.”

“Sounds like a double date to me,” Darren muttered under his breath. Maggie gave him a look that pointedly told him she had heard.

“Remember what I said about Chris, Darren,” Maggie warned. “You can’t fall for him.”

“I haven’t!” Darren insisted, maybe a little too loudly as some people turned to stare. He ignored them, quickening his pace, shaking his head at her. “Whatever,” he sighed. “I’ll be there.”

“Excellent,” Maggie chirped. “Dinner is at Dicicco’s at seven. Chris said he’ll pick you up so be ready a bit before that.”

“Yes, yes, whatever,” Darren agreed, just wanting to leave. She flung her arms around him, giving him a quick tight hug.

“Thank you, Dare,” she trilled. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“You’re welcome,” Darren said as she pulled back, petting his cheek with a fond smile before dancing off to find her mom. He watched her go with a smile.

He had to wonder, in the totally hypothetical situation that he finally found a partner he wanted to introduce his friends to, whether Chris would be this disagreeable with him - Maggie, too, for that matter.

(Not that that would ever happen, so there was nothing to worry about.)

--

Once home, he forced himself to try and get some homework done before he got ready for his not a date group outing with Chris, Maggie and this Ben guy. He showered meticulously before spending a good half an hour debating what to wear before finally giving up and shoving on the first pair of jeans that came to his hands and a graphic t-shirt Maggie had once coined groovy as motherfucking fuck after one too many beers.

Chris was blasting Florence and the Machine when he picked him up, his jaw tight, fingers tapping against the steering wheel impatiently. Darren felt his guards fly up as he climbed into the car, narrowing his eyes wearily.

“Please don’t tell me I’m going to have to just sit there while you have it out with this guy over the table?”

Chris’s lips curled up into a faint smirk. “Now wouldn’t that be a plot twist?” he mumbled. “If he was gay, I mean.”

“Chris,” Darren chided and Chris only smiled, pulling the car into gear.

“I’ll be on my best behaviour,” he vowed, shooting Darren a wink that did nothing for his nerves. “I promise.”

When they got to the restaurant Maggie was waiting with a tall boy outside for them. She was wearing a dress that, whilst being utterly lovely, didn’t suit her at all. Darren must have been too used to seeing her in graphic t-shirts and pleated skirts, her converse, groovy tights and bulky coat all out of sight. Darren loved the way she dressed - she was so cool, with her own style. But sadly, he saw none of that in her simple pink dress and yes, she looked very pretty with her hair all neatly brushed, lips pearled up and pink - it just wasn’t Maggie.

“Chris, Darren,” Maggie gushed, waving excitedly as she saw them. She tugged her boyfriend over to meet them. “This is Ben - Ben, these are my friends, Chris and Darren.”

“I know, babe,” Ben chuckled, “we go to school together.”

“I really don’t think we’ve ever spoken,” Darren noted as Ben shook Chris’s hand, Chris looking like he was at least attempting a smile although it turned out much more like a grimace.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to change that, eh, Jarren?” Ben said smoothly, reaching for Darren’s hand next. Darren tried not to wince under his tough grip.

“Uh... I generally prefer Darren, but Jarren’s cool, too.”

“Well, now that you’re all introduced let’s go in,” Maggie said hastily as Ben processed Darren’s comment with mild confusion. God, he really was playing this football guy stereotype up a lot. He was cute, yes, Darren could see that - tall, broad shoulders, blonde. Darren himself found that he generally preferred brunettes but he had nice eyes, Darren would give him that, and a nice smile.

They went in.

He tried not to grimace at the way Ben kept his hand at the small of Maggie’s back. He looked to Chris, but he wasn’t looking at him at all, simply glaring at the back of Ben’s head. Darren resisted the urge to hit him for it and was forced to just keep walking. He did, still, sometimes feel like the third wheel when it came to hanging out with Maggie and Chris but now it was worse.

He was the fourth wheel.

He shoved his hands into his pocket glumly, forcing a smile for their server as she helped them to their seats. Maggie kept up a free stream of conversation while they waited for their waiter and Ben nodded along like he was listening. Chris added in a few quips every now and again, but most of them were too catty, even for him, to be entirely pleasant.

And Darren just kept his thoughts to himself.

Thankfully the service was good and it wasn’t too busy so their food came pretty quickly. Darren busied himself with eating, thankful for the distraction from the increasingly tense conversation that was unfolding before him. He could see that Chris’s resolve to be nice was fast dissolving and yeah, he understood. It quickly became apparent that Ben was, to put it kindly, not the brightest star in the sky, with little if not any informed opinions on anything Chris cared so passionately about - something Darren knew annoyed him to no end.

Still, he was Maggie’s boyfriend, and there was no point being so rude.

And worse still, even if Chris couldn’t, Darren could see the clear hurt in Maggie’s eyes. As the minutes fell by the others pretty much abandoned their food as the conversation got more and more heated.

“You know,” Chris seethed after Ben made one too many misinformed comments, “you really shouldn’t insult something you don’t understand. It really makes you look stupid, not to be rude.”

“Chris,” Maggie snapped loudly, her voice scandalised. “Please... just stop. You’ve been rude all night, don’t pretend you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Wow, sorry for being honest, Maggie,” Chris rebutted sarcastically. “I’m sorry that I have opinions on things and won’t hold them back just for the sake of some guy-”

“He’s not just some guy,” Maggie retorted. “He’s my boyfriend and I’m asking you to stop being an asshole.”

“I was trying to make conversation,” Chris insisted, folding his arms.

“You were trying to start a fight!” Maggie said, louder still. “I can’t believe you would do this to me - why can’t you just be happy for me?!”

“Forgive me for caring about you, Maggie,” Chris fumed, throwing his hands up in mock defeat. “Forgive me for wanting you to date a guy who’s smart enough to hold a decent conversation - what happened to my best friend who thought un-intelligence was the most un-attractive thing in the world?”

“What would you know about it, Chris?” Maggie practically yelled, rising in her seat now. “Just because I’m not like you and I won’t spend years pining after my dream guy and go out and find someone who actually will care about me. Because Chris, guess what? Grant will never like you back - he’s fucking straight, Chris! You’re relatively attractive when you actually shut your mouth and let someone else speak and you could probably find a boyfriend if you just fucking got over him. Just because you’re jealous because I finally found somebody doesn’t mean you have any right to interfere with my relationship!”

By the end of her rant she was practically screaming and the whole restaurant was watching in stunned silence. Maggie gave Chris one final glare before reaching for Ben’s hand and practically dragging him out, nearly knocking over a stunned patron in her wake. Darren watched them go with shocked eyes, something in his throat catching when he realised the boy she nearly ran into was none other than Grant himself.

“Fucking stalker,” Darren muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He cast an eye to Chris who hadn’t moved a muscle since Maggie had started yelling but Darren noticed now his eyes were fixed on Grant who was watching him back with wide, startled eyes. Poor Chris, Darren thought, his stomach twisting up awfully. He tried to reach out for him but Chris shook his head before running off, Grant turning on his heel and running out after him, calling his name.

It seemed to all happen so fast and slowly, the restaurant regathered its composure like nothing had ever happened. Darren paid the bill, thinking grimly that the others better fucking pay him back for this.

He caught a bus home, his feet propped up on the seat in front of him with Joshua Radin playing in his ears, trying not to remember the look on Chris’s face as he sprinted from the restaurant.

(this is how we have to try... have no envy have no fear... so have no envy... and no fear)

--

part 8