As a White Knight on His Steed (CrissColfer)

Ride 'Em Cowboy Ranch Camp

Summary – This story takes place in an AU in which Darren Criss and Chris Colfer meet for the first time as kids at a horse camp.  It follows their relationship over the course of ten summers.

Story Notes – For the purposes of this fiction, Chris was born on May 27, 1990 (his actual birthday) and Darren was born on February 5 of that same year, making him three months older than Chris rather than three years older.

Chapter 1 - Ride ‘Em Cowboy Ranch Camp

July 1998

“Wake up, Chris, we’re almost there.”

Chris blinked his eyes open and looked out the window of the car as his dad turned onto a dirt road.  A large wooden sign read “Welcome to Ride ‘Em Cowboy Ranch Camp.”  Underneath it were several smaller signs – “Private Drive” “Speed Limit 10” “Caution – Horses Crossing”. 

Gazing up at the towering redwoods that lined the road, Chris felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation about what the next two weeks would bring.  Would he miss his family?  Would he make friends?  Would he fall off his horse?

Years later, when Chris looked back on his 8-year-old self, that first week at camp all seemed like a blur.  Yes, he had missed his family, but not too badly.  Yes, he had made friends, but no one who he thought about much once the week was over.  And no, he hadn’t fallen off his horse, though he’d come pretty close a couple of times.

It wasn’t until his second week at Ride ‘Em Cowboy Ranch Camp that Chris’s life changed forever.

Since he was the only one from Shetland Cabin who was staying on for another week, Chris had spent the weekend with the handful of older boys who had remained at camp.  They had been friendly enough, but Chris didn’t feel like he really fit in.  As Sunday afternoon approached, he was looking forward to meeting the other boys his age who would be moving into his cabin.

Chris was sitting on his lower bunk when a little boy with curly hair and a big smile burst through the door and bounded over to him.  “Hi!  Can I have the top bunk?” the boy asked.

“Um, sure,” Chris said.

“Darren, honey, it’s polite to introduce yourself first,” said a woman’s voice.  Chris looked behind the new boy and saw a man and a woman whom he assumed to be the boy’s parents.

“Oh, sorry,” said the boy, holding out his hand.  “I’m Darren.  What’s your name?”

“Chris.”

Darren grabbed Chris’s hand and shook it solemnly, looking back at his parents for approval.  Then he grinned at Chris and said, “Hey, is your last name Darren?”

Chris shook his head in bewilderment.

“Too bad,” Darren said.  “Cause my last name’s Criss.  That would have been totally awesome if your name was Chris Darren, since my name’s Darren Criss.  We’d be like name brothers.  But we can still be bunk brothers, since you’re gonna let me share your bunk, right?”