Every Boy's Dream

March 1st, 2024: The Road Ahead

Christian was nervous.

He was, and couldn't quite help but think he was diving into the deep end here, and had no idea what to expect with Darren. He still hadn't budged on where the hell he was driving them to, and how the hell he had convinced Caleb they didn't need to bring people with them either?

Obviously, he was a magician.

It was very nice though, to be just...in the vehicle with him if not in the situation he was finding himself in.

At least, his black Jeep Sahara was off-the-charts nice. It looked like it should have been a tactical vehicle for the military, was upgraded to hell and back, and while not the most expensive vehicle the Walkers owned, it was a nice ride. Really, Chris didn't even drive, let alone notate the exact specs of cars around him, but if he had to be stuck in a vehicle for hours upon hours, at least the Jeep was spacious, roomy, and had seat warmers.

He also hadn't said a damn thing about that one and only conversation in text about certain purchases to be made before their trip. Christian didn't have any clue what Darren wanted to do with any of it, if anything at all, because frankly, Christain was certain Darren got off on just pressing his buttons a bit.

All Darren had told him was to pack warmer clothes for winter weather, and stuff he wanted to wear out and in shots, and just...he was floundering. Chris had already been squirming when they had left the city limits, and four hours later outside of Roster he was a wreck already, could barely sit still, let alone relax.

Darren was literally torturing him now, just by being very neutral, mild, and completely unassuming, driving in his modern little fuck boy gear of the Gen Z era, and being Darren.

"This is really triggering some shit right now, Darren." He finally just said it after they hit a long stretch of Highway 285 that looked like it was going to go on for eons ahead of them.

Darren's lips quirked, and really, he looked a little too good right then for Christian to handle in this state. He had never thought in his life that that poppy, jocky, ear-pierced, chain-wearing look would turn his crank this hard. It had to have just been Darren himself because Jesus God above, but that puffy coat in dark gray, and the slightly baggy jeans with his hips hanging out usually made Chris roll his eyes, but then again he was coming straight out of an era where guys had worn either emo dirt-bag chic or looked like JB, so...he supposed he didn't know shit.

Even his watch was glittering, and really, the man was too flashy for anyone's peace of mind. Darren just worked it well and he was helping to at least visually give Christian some eye candy to distract himself from this new, growing paranoia and blooming sense of anxiety.

God damn it, but he was losing it on all sides today. It might have had something to do with the fact that Caleb had been unavailable to satiate his intense need to bleed out this morning, or that he hadn't been with Darren intimately since that first day/night combo, but whatever it was, he was definitely having a moment. The whole thing was making him nervous, out of sorts, anxious, and like he had just made some kind of grievous error.

Regret; that was the word. Christian regretted agreeing to leave his safe little bubble behind, and it was making his mind spin off in about nine million directions.

"You need me to pull over?" He asked it with that lofty-ass, wicked grin, and he was just doing shit now, Chris was sure, to drive him over some ledge.

"No, I need you to stop sitting there like a fucking snack, is what I need." He pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed it.

Darren laughed brightly and was so pleased that he couldn't even contain it. Christian frowned when Darren just glanced at him with those sly, beautiful, stupid little eyeballs. "Christian. Are you nervous or something?" He bit his lip on a laugh when Chris just looked at him like he was the crazy one.