Will You Be My (Anti) Valentine? 1/1
Title: Will You Be My (Anti) Valentine?
Author: Snarky
Pairing: Darren/Max
Rating: G
Spoiler: N/A
Words: 1,445
Summary: Just because you’re single when you start Valentine’s Day, doesn’t mean that’s how it has to end.
For preferthemoss , because we can't talk about anything lest it turn into fic. Happy Valentine's Day, bb.
“Valentine’s Day is the worst Hallmark holiday ever created. I mean, who wants to be reminded that there are thousands of happy couples out there when you’re sitting at home, wishing you were working?”
To his credit, Darren listened to his cast mate’s spiel without telling him he was being more melodramatic than Kurt Hummel.
“Max, we’ve been on set nearly every day for a month. I’m happy to have a day off, at least. I take it you have no plans?” He shot a good natured grin upwards at the larger man.
His only answer was an incredulous eyebrow raise, and damn if it wasn’t so out of place that it was sexy.
“Ok, ok, fine. How about you be my Anti-Valentine? We can go out and make fun of all the happy couples, see if we can get caught by the paps, have some dinner?”
Then Max was smiling at Darren, and Darren suddenly very much approved of Valentine’s Day.
“Hey, sure. That doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” Max was still smiling as they made their way to the parking lot and towards Max’s car (“No, man, you’re my fake date, I’ll drive.).
Before Darren could open the door, the taller man was there; he opened the door and held it, ushering Darren to get in. And he was grinning widely at Max as he slid in, and the door was closed gently behind him. This was going to be entirely too much fun if the other man was going to continue playing along with Darren’s silly games, and if Darren was enjoying it just a little bit too much… Well hey, he was only human.
The sound of the driver’s door opening and closing jarred Darren out of his reverie.
“Where to, m’lady?” Max’s broad, joking grin was catching; soon Darren was grinning widely back.
“Hey now, just because I’m petite doesn’t mean I’m the girl. Let’s go to the mall first.”
Max was chuckling quietly as they maneuvered out of the parking lot and toward the nearest shopping mall.
---
Obviously the mall was everyone else on Earth’s choice of place to hang out, as well. It was undecided whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, it was crowded enough that it would be hard for anyone to take the moment to notice them well enough to freak out. On the other, there were more people than usual to spot them.
They headed immediately toward the Hallmark store, but the crowds were pretty much ridiculous. Darren was frowning after losing Max for what was probably the ten millionth time, when the feeling of someone grabbing onto his hand made him jump. Oh shit, probably an insane fan… or the paparazzi.
A voice next to his ear had him nearly sailing through the crowd, before he realized who it was, ”Hey, Valentine. Miss me? Come on.”
Then Max was pulling him through the crowd toward the store, and Darren nearly giggled like a schoolgirl at the weird connection between this and a certain scene between Kurt and Blaine.
But he was decidedly less giddy when Max let go of his hand and they stepped into the ridiculously packed store. People were practically mauling each other over last minute stuffed animals and cards.
Darren wandered over to a display, picking up an extremely curly furred black puppy dog from the display. A large heart dangling from its mouth proudly proclaimed, “Be mine!” He promptly waved it frantically in Max’s face.
“It’s so cute!” He was petting its fur, fingers tangling in its curls before he set it back on the shelf.
“Just another symbol of creepy love…dom. Or something. Hey, go pick out a box of chocolates or something. I want chocolate, and I refuse to let Valentine’s Day symbolism ruin that for me,” Max was smiling again, which at least meant he was done being dramatically depressed over his single state.
Darren darted off to a display that was thoroughly picked over, heart shaped boxes scattered everywhere in a tragic disarray. He couldn’t decide on a type, frowning down at the boxes as he tossed them this way and that.
He finally found one of the good boxes stuffed behind a mountain of those tiny candy hearts. He may or may not have let out a whoop of joy as he went to the counter and paid; searching the crowds for Max’s broad form. When he finally laid eyes on him, he bounded over, taking note of the small bag in his hand.
“Hey, I’m starting to think you’re right about this whole thing… gross…,” Darren pointed next to the store where a pair of teens were trying to taste each other’s tonsils.
“Ah, puppy love. Uhm, here…” Max sheepishly handed over the small bag, “Since you’re my anti-Valentine and all…”
One eyebrow raised, Darren peeked into the bag. He laughed softly, and grinned when he pulled out the ridiculously curly puppy dog.
“Thank you…” He stood on tippy toe to plant a kiss on Max’s cheek. He idly thought of the paparazzi, but went for it anyway. After all, he was sure their fans would love some silly photos of them like this.
Max flushed, and smiled, pleased, “Ah, hey, how about dinner, hm?”
“Sure thing. There’s a little Italian place close to here. Dim lighting, private booths, easy to hide from unwanted company?” Max didn’t miss the way Darren’s fingers continuously smoothed over the plushie’s fur as he talked.
“Lead the way,” Max laughed as Darren practically skipped out of the crowded mall.
Once they’d made their way to the car, Darren picked at the wrapping of the chocolates as Max started the car. He picked up a pretty fancy looking one and bite it in half, chewing happily for a moment before looking completely panicked and flailing his hands in the air.
“Dude?! Are you dying or something?!” Max turned to him, alarm written on his face.
Darren swallowed and started laughing, looking at the other half of the offending chocolate, “Ugh, it was orange cream.”
Max looked unimpressed at his friend’s antics, “I love orange cream.”
With a grin, Darren held the other half of the chocolate in front of Max. Who looked mildly alarmed before reaching over to pluck the chocolate gingerly from his fingers with his teeth. He chewed and smiled and Darren, a small flush coloring his cheeks as he turned on the car and headed toward dinner.
---
The restaurant was suitably crowded for a holiday evening, but they were seated in a corner booth fairly quickly. The checkered table cloth was so cliché that Max couldn’t help but point it out with a grin. A single rose was in a tiny vase as a centerpiece, and candles were lit in alcoves.
All in all it was pretty romantic, and Darren wondered if Max was feeling at all uncomfortable with the setting. When Max just smiled charmingly at their waitress, and ordered, Darren figured it was safe to assume that everything was fine.
“So, I ordered the spaghetti so we could act out the epic kiss scene in Lady and the Tramp,” Darren’s wide grin was mischievous.
Max laughed, “I’m not entirely sure that we’d be able to explain that way to the paparazzi. “
“Ah, who needs explanations. Are you at least not contemplating suicide by way of cheesy love songs now?”
“Actually, I’m enjoying myself a lot,” Max admitted abashedly, smiling slightly.
“Glad my plot worked.” Darren rubbed his hands together dramatically, eyebrow raised.
---
When Max pulled up in front of Darren’s hotel (“Yes, dude, I’ll be here first thing tomorrow to take you to get your car.”), he let the car idle at the curb.
“Thank you for being my Anti-Valentine,” Max smiled.
“Hey, thanks for being mine. And for Francois here!” Darren waved the stuffed puppy in the air.
Max laughed, “You named him?!”
“Yup. You love it, you know it,” Darren grinned, leaning slightly into Max’s space to bump shoulders.
“Yeah… Well… I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”
Darren leaned over to kiss Max’s cheek again, but apparently Max was turning to address Darren at the same time. Their lips touched briefly before Darren jerked back, “Oh crap! Sorry! Was just going for a friendly cheek kiss.”
Max laughed, leaning over, and pressing his lips to Darren’s briefly, “Hey, no big deal. You’re my Valentine after all.”
“You know… It’s early still, and we don’t work tomorrow. You wanna come up and watch cheesy chick flicks or something?”
Max’s answer was a laugh as he shut off the car.