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Crisscolfer Winter Gift Exchange 2017
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2017-12-26
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Til My Days Are Through

Summary:

It was a secret he planned to keep. But with a slip of his tongue to his best friend when he was drunk, Chris finds himself face to face with his soulmate. And it's turns it to be the best mistake he ever makes.

Notes:

@InvisibleRaven I hope you enjoy this.

Work Text:

"Chris?"

"Over here!"  Chris replies to his best friend, Kinsley, who sounds frantic.  He smiles at her when she turns into the aisle that he is down.

"Oh!  There you are."  She rushes over and takes the stack of books in his arms and drops them to the ground with a loud thunk.

"Kins, what the hell!"  He bends down to grab the books Kinsley just took away from him, but finds his movements stopped when she grabs his wrist and yanks him back up.

"You need to come downstairs."

"I can't.  I need to finish shelving these books.  Can this wait until after I’m done working?”

"No.  The books can wait.  All of this can wait."  Kinsley begins to walk pulling Chris behind her.  "You need to come downstairs right now."

It's the conviction and determination in her voice that has Chris reluctantly following her.  Whatever her reason for pretty much dragging him away from work better be a good one.  It's only then that he starts to get concerned over something horrible having possibly happened.

"What's going on, Kins?  Is everything okay?"

Kinsley turns to him with a sly smile.  "It will be."

That brings Chris both relief and frustration.  He wishes Kinsley would just tell him what's going on and quit being so secretive all of sudden.  Wishes she would tell him so he can go back to work.  And he knows there's no point in trying to get an answer out of her about whatever it is she wants him to see.  Even if he did, she would be vague as hell.

At the bottom of the stairs, Kinsley turns to him and begins to fix his hair.  He tries to push her hands away to no avail.  "Why are you doing that?  My hair is fine."

"Just trust me."

“Why?”

“Because you’ll regret it later if I don’t,” she replies while running her fingers through his hair.

Chris huffs and stops trying to fight her.  It’s easier that way.

"Alright.  You look good.  You can thank me later," she says as she gives a final ruffle of his hair.  “Now, go to the biography section.”

“What’s there?”

Kinsley gives him a look that says “Do you really expect me to answer that?”

“Fine,” he huffs in slight annoyance.

Chris has so many questions running through his head as he walks to the back of the store.  And every single one is answered when he sees who's waiting in the biography section of the store Kinsley sent him to.

It was a secret he kept from everybody.  Nobody knew who his soulmate was.  It's not that he didn't tell anyone out of embarrassment or shame of the name marked on his skin.  But out of privacy.  Where everyone freely shared the name they had, he kept his hidden to protect himself and his soulmate.  Because the last thing he needed added to his already hectic life was the eyes of the world on him invading every aspect of his life.

That's what he would have invited into his life if he had revealed Darren Criss was his soulmate.  And having the name of one of the biggest singers in the world marked on your body is a direct invitation to a loss of the quiet life he has.  That's not to say he wouldn't endure anything to be with Darren.  It's just that he would like to finish school in peace and not worry about his personal life being splattered all over every news site and in every magazine.

The only reason Kinsley found out Darren was his soulmate was because he was out of his mind drunk when he let it slip a couple of months ago.  They were discussing soulmates, and when Kinsley asked about his, the usual filter between his brain and mouth that stopped him from revealing who his was wasn't there.  Darren's name fell from his lips with a delightful giggle.  Of course, he didn't stop there.  He went and showed off Darren's name that went down the left side of his ribcage.

When he remembered what he had done the next day, he begged Kinsley not to say anything.  To “Please, keep it a secret.” until he said something first.  She promised.  It was a promise he thought she kept until he stands there with Darren less than five feet away from him.

But he can't be too mad at her.  Because having his soulmate, having Darren, in front of him makes him happier than he's ever known.

Darren removes his sunglasses and smiles.  Chris is pretty sure it's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.  Even if it is a nervous one.  It even stops his heart for a second and makes his breath come up short.

None of the pictures he's seen of him in magazines and online do Darren any kind of justice for just how handsome he is in person.  And Chris knows it has nothing to do with soulmate bias he's heard about.  There are millions of other people who would, and do, agree with him.

Darren fidgets with his sunglasses and chews his lower lip.  "Hi."

Chris stares for a few heartbeats until he realizes he should probably say something instead of just standing there like an idiot.  "H-Hi."

"I'm Darren."

"I know.”  Chris lets out a small laugh.  “I'm Chris."  He mentally smacks himself after he says that, because he is positive Darren knows who he is.

Darren's smile grows bigger.  "I know."

Every instinct Chris has is telling him to go over to Darren and kiss him until he can't breathe.  To press close to him and feel his body up against his.  But he ignores them for the time being.  Because the last thing he wants to look like is desperate.  To scare Darren in any way.

"How...How did you know I was here?"  If he wasn't so caught off guard and surprised to see Darren in front of him, he could easily put two and two together about Kinsley and Darren suddenly showing up where he works.

"Your friend," Darren replies.  He chuckles.  Chris feels a warmth spread through him at the sound.  And he wants to spend the rest of his life hearing that every day; making him laugh like that.  "She, uh…”  He rubs the back of his neck.  “She contacted me on every social media site I have.  Multiple times,” he adds with a short laugh.  “She was kind of persistent about making sure I knew about you."

Chris isn't surprised to hear that.  Persistent is the perfect word to describe Kinsley.  Once she has her mind set on something, she will stop at nothing to get what she wants.  Even if it is getting Darren Criss to this bookstore in this small town.

"Sorry about that.  She can be...determined."

"Don't be.  I'm glad she was as determined as she was," Darren says with a pleased grin.

Chris bites his lower lip and notices Darren's eyes zeroing in on it when he releases it.  He does it again and sees the hitch in his breath.  It makes him preen to know he can affect Darren in that way.  "Since you're here, is there something you want?  Can...Can I help you find something?"

"No."  Darren erases any space between them in a few steps.  Chris grabs at his hips to steady himself when he presses their bodies flush together.  "I just found what I was looking for."

Up close, Chris can make out the flecks of green and yellow in Darren's eyes.  They're eyes he's loved for years.  And seeing them in person almost makes him want to cry.  Because this is real.  Darren is actually here.  He has his soulmate, and nothing else matters in his life as much as that does.  Not even what he will have to sacrifice to have that.

"Can I kiss you?"  Darren asks as he strokes a thumb over the apple of Chris' cheek.

The touch creates heat and desire.  It spreads through him like an uncontrollable wildfire.

Chris breathes out a soft, breathy yes.  His voice carrying his want he does nothing to hide.

To say he didn't imagine his first kiss with Darren would be a huge understatement.  He thought and dreamed about it so much he was scared the real thing would never live up to what his mind imagined up.

But he was wrong.  So, so fucking wrong.  Because this kiss is so much more than he could have ever imagined.  From the way Darren holds him to the way he gentle nibbles on his lower lip and teases his tongue into his mouth after he parts his lips for him.  

Teeth tenderly bite down on his lower lip before Darren sucks on it.  Chris moans as a shudder wracks his body at the way Darren tentatively licks into his mouth; at the way he slips his hand to the back of his head and deepens the kiss.  Fingers curl into warm skin at where he grips Darren's hips to keep from falling over or floating away when the kiss becomes fiercier, and filled with more need.

The need he feels is so strong it seems to consume him.  He heard of this happening when soulmates meet for the first time.  The sudden appearance of feelings so great it's almost too much to deal with.  That it almost knocks people over with how intense they are.  And that's what he's experiencing.  Because along with his need, there's a blossoming of something that feels a lot like love.  Even though that should scare him, he is far from scared or terrified.  Immediate love is normal between soulmates.

Chris comes up breathless and giddy when Darren finally pulls away a few moments later.  His lips tingle as there's a flutter of excitement in his chest and stomach.  "Wow!" he softly whispers.

As first kisses go, he’s sure that one just blew away the competition.

Darren chuckles.  "I agree to that."

"I want to do that again."

Darren strokes a thumb over Chris' lower lip.  "We will most definitely be doing that again."

Chris lets out a short giggle.  He almost wants to pinch himself to make sure this isn’t some wonderful dream he is currently having.  This moment is so amazing it almost seems unreal.

“I look forward to it,” he tells Darren with giddiness in his voice.

“Is that…”

“I think it is,” a voice with excitement replies to the unfinished question.

It’s only when he hears quieted whispers nearby does Chris take notice of the fact that people are starting to realize Darren is in the store.  Darren must notice it too by the way he holds him tighter against his body.

"Want to get out of here with me?”  Darren softly whispers to him.

The last thing they need is fans invading and ruining a personal, important moment like this.

Chris gives a minute nod of his head.  “Okay,” he replies in a small voice.

Even though he’s known Darren all of ten minutes, he feels he trusts him enough to go anywhere with him.

Darren smiles.  "Let's go."

Chris feels his heart jump when Darren takes one of his hands in his. He smiles at the way their hands perfectly fit together, just like the way their bodies did a moment ago when they were kissing.  It's another sign, outside of their markings, that shows they were actually made for each other.

As they walk out, Chris notices Kinsley off to the side in an aisle bouncing on her toes with a huge, happy smile on her face.  "Give me a second," he tells Darren before letting his hand go.  It feels wrong when he does.  Feels cold and empty.

"I'll be right here."

The way Darren says that, like there's nowhere else he would rather be, creates a warmth that starts in Chris' chest and spreads through his entire body.

"Okay."  He walks over to Kinsley, who seems close to bursting with excitement and curiosity.

"Oh, my God!  Chris!"  She grabs his arms and squeezes a little too hard.  "How are you doing?"

Chris doesn't have to give any thought to that question.  "I'm great.  I...I don't know.  I didn't think it would feel like this.  Like I'm finally complete."  That’s what best describes what he is feeling now that he has Darren.  He feels complete after living the last twenty-one years of his life with a part of himself missing.

"I'm so happy for you," Kinsley excitedly says.  "But I have to ask, are you mad at me?"  She gets a look of worry in her eyes.

"Mad?"  Chris says, confused.

"For contacting Darren and telling him about you?"  Kinsley clarifies.

"Oh."  Chris understands then.  "No, Kins, I'm not mad.  I'm grateful.  It was stupid of me to deny myself this for so long when I had any chance to have it.  Fact is, I wish I had told you sooner."

Kinsley laughs.

Chris hugs her.  "Thanks, Kins," he tells her.  "For everything."

"You're welcome."

"Hey, can you cover for me?" he asks after pulling away.  "I'm gonna go with Darren."  A blush stains his cheeks after he admits that.

"Sure.  Go have fun."

Chris lets out a short laugh when Kinsley gives him a grin and wiggles her eyebrows.  He would like to tell her he won't be sleeping with Darren. But he isn't so sure that won't be the case.

"Bye, Kins.  I'll see you later."

"Bye."

Chris walks back over to Darren and slips his hand into his, feeling a calm wash over him.

"Ready?"

"Yeah."

In Darren's rented car a few minutes later, Chris starts to feel butterflies in his belly as it begins to hit him that he's with his soulmate. That he's with Darren Criss.  The latter probably making him more nervous than the former.

"So, how long did it take you to believe Kinsley?" he asks when Darren stops at a red light.  Because there is no way Darren immediately believed some girl who probably sounded like an obsessed fan.

"How long ago did you tell her?"  Darren answers in reply.

Two months.  Chris doesn't fault Darren for that.  He probably gets thousands of fans that say they are his soulmate, or know who his soulmate is and where to find him.

"What finally convinced you?"

Darren looks at him curiously before driving when the light turns green.  "You don't know?"

That confuses Chris.  "I didn’t know you were coming today.  So, no, I don’t know.  Know what, exactly?"  He begins to worry about to what extent Kinsley went to make Darren believe her.

Darren seems hesitant to answer at first.  But then he takes a deep breath and replies.  "She sent me a picture of you."

"A picture?"

“Yeah.”

That only confuses Chris further.  "I don't understand.  How did a picture of me convince you?"

"It was a picture of your marking of my name," Darren replies, still sounding hesitant to tell Chris what Kinsley did.

"What made you believe her?  Why did you know it was real?"

"Because markings are distinct between soulmates.  Like fingerprints only two people share.  Right?"

"Right," Chris agrees.

"Yours was written like mine and it was in the same spot," Darren explains.  "I knew then it couldn't be fake since I knew every person who knew where and what my marking looked like.  And you most definitely were not one of them.”

"Oh."  Chris thinks for a second.  "Something still doesn't make sense, though.  Why didn't you believe her from the beginning when she mentioned my name?  That should have been a big clue that she was telling the truth?"

Darren not revealing who the name of his soulmate is one of the biggest kept secrets in Hollywood.  Every news site and magazine itches to be the first one to reveal the name of the person lucky enough to be marked on Darren's body.  But it's a secret he's managed to keep under wraps for years.

"Because there have been a few people who have somehow managed to find out that your name is marked on my body and use that to get to me.  So, I was hesitant to trust another person who said they knew my soulmate."

"That's understandable."  Chris slips his hand into Darren's when he rest it on the center console.  Having Darren's hand in his feels as natural as breathing.  "But she finally convinced you."

"Yeah.  She was-"

"Persistent," Chris says at the same time as Darren.

Darren laughs.  "Yeah."

"How did you keep them quiet?  The people who found out?"

"Lot of money and made them sign NDAs," Darren replies.

That makes sense to Chris.

"This picture of me that she sent?" he questions a moment later.  "What exactly is it a picture of me doing?"

Darren lets out a laugh.  "It's nothing bad.  You're actually sleeping.  It looks like she hiked up your shirt to reveal your marking."

Chris shakes his head and snorts.

"You're not upset by that?"

"No.  Not if it brought me you."

Darren grins and lifts their joined hands to press a kiss to the back of Chris' hand.

Chris smiles at the heat that sparks in him at the innocent kiss.

"You hungry?"

"Not particularly."

"Do you want to..."

"Do I want to what?"

"Do you want to go back to my hotel?"  There's a hint of trepidation in Darren's voice when he asks that, as if he's unsure if it's too soon to extend that kind of invitation.

"Absolutely," Chris confidently answers, knowing fully well what he's agreeing to by saying yes.

In the elevator of Darren's hotel fifteen minutes later, Chris lets Darren press him up against a wall and kiss him like there's no tomorrow.  He won’t complain, though.  Instead, he returns the kiss with as much passion and vigor that Darren pours into it.

"Are you feeling this, too?"  Darren breathes out.

"Yes," Chris softly pants.

Relief flows through him to know that Darren is experiencing the same thing as him.

He barely has time to take in Darren’s hotel room when they step inside before he finds himself pulled to Darren’s body and fiercely kissed.  Hands slipping under his shirt and sliding up his body has him shuddering as desire hotly twists in his belly.

When Darren thrusts his hips against his, Chris moans and pushes back for more.  “Yes,” he whispers, knowing what Darren is asking without saying a word.

"We don't have to," Darren assures him.

"I know."  Chris nuzzles his nose against Darren’s cheek.  "But I want to."  He doesn't mention he needs this more than he needs his next breath.

Chris lifts his arms above his head to show Darren that he wants this.  Darren slowly pulls his shirt off and drops it to the floor.  A tremble wracks his body when Darren skims his fingers down along his left side where his marking is.  They leave a trail of fire in their wake.  The happiness he sees in Darren's eyes as he touches his fingers to his marking has Chris appreciating Kinsley more in that moment.  Because of her, he was able to put that look in his eyes.  To make him that happy.

Darren looks to him like he can't believe he is real.  "Mine."

Chris smiles.  "Yours."

He gasps into the desperate kiss Darren pulls him into.  He scrambles to remove Darren's clothes.  And when he yanks his shirt off, everything seems to stop when he sees his name marked on Darren's left side.  He reaches out to touch; to feel.  He needs to know this is real.  That Darren is real and actually has his name on him.  Fingers touching warm skin and dragging down create a relief and happiness in him nothing else could give him.

He looks to Darren and tells him what he just said.  "Mine."

Darren smiles.  "Yours."

After that there is little talk as they hurry to finish undressing and fall into bed.  Any other time and Chris would take his time exploring Darren's body.  Would kiss and trace every inch of him with his mouth and tongue and hands.  But right now, he's too desperate for him to do any of that.

"Are you sure?"  Darren asks as he lies between his legs after stretching him open.

Chris is positive he hasn't been more sure of anything in his life.  "Yes."

An hour later, curled into Darren's side after he cleaned them up, he has never felt more content in his life.  Pleasure still deliciously thrums through his body after experiencing the most intense orgasm he’s ever felt.  Fingers stroke over his back.  "That was incredible.”  He presses his face in the curve of Darren’s neck.  “Thank you,” he whispers against his hot skin.

"You don't need to thank me."  Darren chuckles.

Chris feels the laughter vibrate through his body.

"What am I supposed to say after you just gave me the best orgasm I've ever had?  Do that again?" he says with a hint of sarcasm.

Chris lets out a playful scream when Darren turns him to his back and weighs him down by lying on top of him.

"Do that again, hmm?"  Darren skims his nose along the curve of Chris' neck.  "I wouldn't have minded hearing that instead."

Chris snorts.  "Of course you wouldn't have."  He moans when Darren starts to kiss and suck and bite at the soft skin beneath his ear.

"Mine," Darren whispers as he flicks his tongue over the red, abused skin of Chris' neck.

"Yours," Chris softly sighs.  He turns his head and captures Darren's mouth in a sweet, tender kiss.

Darren pulls back and stares into his eyes.  “I can’t believe I finally have you.”

Chris lifts his head and brushes a kiss to Darren’s lips.  He goes with him when he shifts to his back.  Head resting on his shoulder and legs tangled together.

“Can I ask something?”

“Sure.”  Somehow, Chris knows what Darren is about to ask.

Darren takes a breath before asking.  “Why didn’t you try to get in touch with me and tell me who you were?  Why keep that big of a secret?”

It’s the question he expected.  The one he has been prepared to answer for when he finally met Darren.  He sits up and pulls his knees to his chest.  “Because…”  He swallows.  “I did.  Trust me, I did.  The moment I found out about you, I wanted nothing else than to find you and tell you who I was.  But then everything happened with you, and it happened so fast.  One moment you’re this up and coming singer and the next you are everywhere.  And I knew if I found you and told you who I was that I would lose my privacy.  That’s something I didn’t want.  I wanted to finish school in peace.”

Darren sits up and rests his chin on Chris’ shoulder.  “I understand,” he says as he rubs a hand up and down Chris’ back.  “And we can keep this a secret until you graduate.  Or for however long you need.  No one that doesn’t need to know has to know.”

Chris looks to Darren.  “Really?”

“Yeah.  I know it’s not easy to have every aspect of your private life invaded.  We’ll be careful.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

When he goes with Darren as he lies back on the bed, Chris finds himself happier than ever and looking forward to a future with his soulmate.  No matter what should occur.

It's then he is grateful for that unfortunate slip of his tongue two months before.