Cultured Spirit

A/N: I was psyched to see I got a few more of the same reviewers as I had the last few chapters. I love consistent readers – I love all readers, actually – and am really glad that this story is blowing over so well. Thanks much!

McAbacus: Did you totally notice I put disposable thumbs instead of opposable thumbs? If you didn’t, pretend I never said that ^, but if you did, laugh with me. I’m so glad the last chapter was tasty and that you didn’t have to DISPOSE of it (ha-ha… ha) and I’m hoping the remaining chapters are equally as good. Or at least edible. (There should really be a limit to how many bad jokes I can make in one review response) And, I do really love writing and developing these characters, I’m glad you can see that!

BennyPeace: I’m going to be honest – I’m so relieved you were enticed by the ending of that chapter. I always feel I end them too abruptly… so it’s great to hear that! I’m also thinking of revising the summary (when I’m less lazy… it takes me forever to think up those things) so thank you for that as well.

bambi4real: Jealousy blow ups are fun (insert evil laugh here?). You’re going to notice something about dreams in this chapter… I added it for you, keep an eye out. :)

sstt: I’m glad you’re not as much of an idiot as Ian! I was hoping to sort of get the fact Adeline was into Ian across without making it too obvious so that was a bit challenging. Warren is a mystery to us all… I’m sure I’ll make his AOL username (if it ever comes up) something like Enigma2007. Hmm. What a pointless addition to the story that would be… I’ll have to try and figure out a way to add it in now. Just for kicks… hah!

Alania Black: I’m really ecstatic that you love this! Ecstatic and thankful that you took the time to let me know. It is hard to convey such feelings of confusion without making it seem too orthodox and if you’re enjoying the story, I must be doing something right. That makes me happy :)

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- Chapter Eight -

It was immature, but Ian tore down the colourful poster advertising the school play that was taped securely onto the locker a few down from his own. Ryan gave him a curious look as his eyes followed the flimsy paper fall to the floor, but was pretty quick to peg it on feelings for Adeline. Ian was starting to find Ryan redundant and he scowled.

“…Can’t still be hooked on her, E. She’s with Riley –”

Ian slammed his locker shut and his face was pulled into an irritated glare, which he aimed at the vandalized metal door. “She’s not. She’s with me.”

He started walking then. To first period? He wasn’t sure. Away from Ryan and his obliviousness, away from school and its poor budget and away from the subject of –

“Adeline?”

Adeline looked just as surprised but the look morphed into a dreamy sort of happiness quite readily. “Ian!”

Ian felt his heart race as the congested panic swallowed him again. He quirked a smile anyway and felt Ryan approach them from behind. The blond’s entire aurora seemed to radiate how agitated he was with Ian’s bizarre behavior, but it disappeared quickly when he saw the bright and feminine face in front of him.

“Adeline,” Ian repeated, sending Ryan a smug look – he was still a guy after all. “Can I walk you to class?”

She beamed. Ryan grimaced, but his eyes sparkled with an amused sort of pride. “Way to be subtle, man,” he raised his palms in surrender and walked backwards a few steps, before turning around and heading down the hall.

Ian almost called him back but refrained and took Adeline’s silky palm in his own. He had to remind himself to breath several times. The spark between them would come back; he’d grow fond of Adeline again. When their fingers intertwined, Adeline stood on her toes – she was very nearly as short as Daniel – and kissed him tenderly on his cheek.

A few people turned their heads in curiosity. Ian Hadley was in a steady relationship, and that was enough to interest the general population. He was looking forward to walking past Kirk’s locker, if anything, and when he did was sorely disappointed. Riley only waved to Adeline. Waved! Ian felt his spirits sinking, and rapidly.

When they reached the Physics classroom, Ian very nearly swore out loud. He had forgotten Daniel shared first period with his… girlfriend. The boy was heading for the door, his caramel gaze downcast, when his footsteps decidedly stopped. Ian paused for a moment as well, but Adeline tugging his fingers brought him back to a slow pace.

When round eyes met his own, Ian swallowed thickly. The gaze was melancholic but also betrayed and Ian looked away at once, to Adeline, and cut the boy from his vision. By the time Adeline was in her classroom and Ian looked back, Daniel was gone.

* * *

The wind was growing stronger with each passing day and Ian suspected there would be snow soon. Their school’s Students Union group was eagerly planning the annual winter carnival that took place after the first snowfall, but Ian himself was dreading it with his entire being. Adeline had already hinted she wanted them to go, and the relationship was becoming too homely too fast. Was this what a returned crush always felt like?

Ian was beginning to think he was the kind of person who liked the chase of a new love interest but didn’t like the end result. He had purposely left English early with a lame excuse so he didn’t have to give her a ride home. – That she didn’t need in the first place. Instead, he was standing outside that same diner he had met Daniel in a few weeks back and he wasn’t completely sure why.

After a minute of contemplation, he shoved off the hood of his sweater and stepped inside the building. A sudden rush of artificial warmth brushed against him, along with a rush of disappointment. It wasn’t because Daniel was absent from his usual place by the window, folding his dirty as hell napkin; no. It was because that waitress wasn’t working and he wasn’t going to be receiving any free cake tonight.

Of course, it wasn’t like he was going to order cake anyway. In fact, he seemed to have a craving for strawberry milkshakes that didn’t seem to want to go away.

After gulping down his treat, Ian left the diner instantly. Frost settled on the windshield of his car and as he waited for it to thaw, he turned up the radio. Snow was predicted for either Thursday or Friday. He had only two days tops to prepare himself for the carnival and he was feeling suddenly angry. He hated those things. He had a feeling he’d hate them even more with Adeline pressing him to win her a teddy bear.

His car had been frost free for at least ten minutes before he finally pulled out of the driveway and onto the icy road. It took him twice as long to return home and his mother hesitantly informed him of the three messages left for him on the answering machine. She wasn’t blind and could sense his mood as soon as he stepped inside.

Ian didn’t thank her, but did turn up the volume of the T.V. His mother pursed her lips but wasn’t one to give up so easily. She settled herself next to him and turned the power off which earned a loud protest from her son.

“One of the messages is from Noah.” She said, a bit coolly.

Hazel eyes perked up slightly and Ian managed to smile weakly at his mom. “Okay, okay.” He stood up and pressed an oval button on the machine. Noah’s voice seemed to snap him back to reality – he was way too hung up over one tiny mistake. One tiny mistake…

“…and Ian, tell mum that I don’t like pineapple anymore,” his little brother went on to say, as if announcing the most important information in the world.

“Mom, Noah doesn’t like pineapple,” he said with a small, amused, smile as the message ended. His mom went on to grumble about how their father spoiled him with fast food when the next message followed. Ian didn’t bother turning it off, but as soon as a tentative voice seeped through the speaker, he wished he had.

“Hi, uh, Miss. Hadley… Ian…” The voice paused as if in thought, before starting off just as hesitantly. “Um, there are tryouts for the improved play tomorrow – Wednesday – and I need some help putting…” Another pause. “Things together.” Ian couldn’t help but catch how desperate Daniel’s voice sounded. He felt his teenage angst die in his gut as he knocked his head back into the sofa with a groan.

His mother began to talk to him as the message beeped to its end and the next one started. It was a random call from Beaver, a member of the swim team, reminding him of a rescheduled practice that he ignored with ease.

“It’ll be nice to see Noah after all this time – I just hope his father hasn’t gotten him that bike he wanted. We decided that would be my gift this year.” She paused in arranging the pillows around Ian’s feet. “You should invite Daniel over for Christmas this year.”

Ian hadn’t told his mother about Adeline, and he figured this was a sign that he should. “That’d be weird,” he said indifferently. “Since I’m dating his sister and she’s going to be over for Christmas if anyone.”

“That makes it all the better!” His mother exclaimed just as her watch buzzed insistently. “Honey, I’ve got to get to work. There’s a baked potato in the oven and some meatballs from yesterday if you’re hungry – Oh! And, do feel better.” She kissed him quickly on the forehead before grabbing her keys off the coffee table.

Ian’s mind still lingered on the image of him and Adeline sitting at his dinner table on Christmas Eve while Daniel sat snug next to his mother across from them. He grimaced at the very thought of being host to both of them at the same time – in fact, at being host to Daniel ever again – and rolled over onto his stomach.

The answering machine was staring back at him as soon as he changed position. With a confused grumble he reached with his pinky to hit play and listened to the three messages again.

Because of Noah’s, he convinced himself.

* * *
Daniel stared at him with an expression that managed to combine bewildered, relieved and fearful all at the same time. Ian looked around the theatre hall indifferently while trying his best to avoid the boring stare of the boy in front of him.

“Where is everyone?”

Daniel couldn’t find his voice for a few minutes but when he did, it sounded hoarse and accusing. “You’re early.”

This made Ian’s calm composure crack and he grimaced. “Oh.”

“By an hour.” Daniel added.

Ian waved it off and moved to take a seat on the neatly lined rows. Daniel followed him purposefully, with a look in his eyes that made Ian nervous.

“So, when you finally get Adeline, you drop me like it’s nothing, huh?”

Ian’s eyes widened. “What?”

Daniel settled down in the seat next to him, looking suddenly too composed to be having the discussion he seemed to be having. “I thought you were upset because I ruined your party experience, but now I know the true reason.” He continued, ignoring Ian’s stunned expression. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like it hasn’t happened before so it’s not like I particularly care... But if you think you’re getting off the hook of helping out with the production you’re deeply mistaken.”

“Play…” Ian managed, unable to find his voice. Was it possible – could it be possible – that Daniel didn’t remember that night?

“That’s right. I already let you get too involved and if you ditch now, it’s going to fall apart. So tough luck, you’re stuck with me.” Unlike in the past, it was Daniel’s voice that was sharp in comparison to his appearance that looked meek and exhausted.

There was something too close to hurt in Daniel’s eyes, something Ian didn’t want to take the time to decipher. If the kiss was nonexistent to the other boy, Ian was certain he was feeling confused and used, and there was no way he was reminding Daniel of what event took place in Jay’s bathroom.

So he smiled. It was a huge, broad, smile that made Daniel uncomfortable. He was sure he looked near insane.

Nudging Daniel in the shoulder with his elbow, he leaned his head comfortably against the soft seat behind him. “Yeah, yeah, I get it. Don’t go all intense on me.” Ian pulled his feet up and smirked. “…Save that for the dragon’s lair.”

Daniel looked more confused than ever, but he responded with a roll of his eyes. Ian could hide the kiss from Daniel and restore normalcy between them with the added bonus of a girlfriend. Things were looking up for not only his life, but the play as well. Hannah managed to hit the lead role’s part – a woman with dementia – dead on and Ian found that strangely symbolic.

Daniel found it unbelievable and made her audition three more times.

But soon, the casting was almost complete and the amateur actors left into the dark night. Days were getting shorter and Daniel was looking more and more excited with each passing morning. It was strange on Thursday to see Ryan and Adeline talking over their lunch while Ian and Daniel huddled over a large expanse of poster paper, outlining the y seating chart for the auditorium next to them. In fact, it was strange to see Daniel interacting in the cafeteria at all rather than helping Cowen out in the Bio lab.

When Daniel finally left Ian and Adeline alone, which wasn’t until the school day had ended, the couple walked bundled in scarves and sweaters down the parking lot. He hadn’t made up an excuse to not give her a ride home that day, and Ian figured his reluctance to go out with Adeline had been caused by his guilty conscience of how he had behaved to Daniel all along. Before they stepped inside his Honda, she reached over and kissed him sweetly, entwining her gloved fingers with his.

Ian’s eyes slipped open mid-kiss, and as his hands squeezed gently at Adeline’s side, his gaze fixed on Daniel’s clumsy form clambering into the driver seat of his car.

Later that evening, Ian finally pegged Adeline’s good mood on the weather. She was bubblier than usual, gripping Ian’s hand and showering him with tender kisses and Ian tried to return them while driving. He had learned to ignore the annoying feeling of anxiousness and suppress the coiled longing in his stomach that seemed to surface whenever he kissed her. In fact, it seemed like he had learned to ignore all his feelings in general when he kissed her. He didn’t seem to want to linger on the unhealthiness of that, however.

It was snowing. The implications of snow didn’t hit him until he was home that night in the warmth of his comforter.

Damn that school carnival!

The worst part was class wasn’t even canceled. It was held in the evening when the sky was dark and the frost was biting. The type of weather that made girlfriends wrap themselves around their boyfriends to share their heavy jacket.

Ian sighed, his eyes open wide as if mesmerized by the bright glow in the dark stars still decorating his bedroom ceiling. He wondered who Daniel would bring… but only because he didn’t want the twerp to be hanging around him and Adeline who’d be in need of his warmth and his lips and his hands.

He thought then, that Daniel wouldn’t be able to provide warmth to anyone, not with how thin and fragile he was. That train of thought brought on the worry that maybe Daniel wouldn’t have a date and wouldn’t come at all, which contradicted whatever he’d tried to convince himself of not five minutes ago. He figured Daniel was a teddybear sort of guy underneath that hard, dragon assassin exterior and thought it was unfair that he’d have no one to win him one.

There was no way Daniel had enough coordination to score a basket on one of those stupid, over priced, carnival games. Maybe Adeline would share hers, he thought sleepily, turning onto his side finally. He was going to win Daniel more than the boy could hold anyway –

Ian’s eyes snapped open. He was going to win Adeline more than she could hold, he corrected mentally. Adeline.

Unfortunately, Ian’s dreams consisted of giant stuffed bears following him into a room full of funny mirrors that distorted his appearance to look like Warren. He hated those subconscious induced dreams.

Not that he’d remember it the next morning when he drove off to pick up Adeline, getting there early enough to catch Daniel before the other boy left.

* * *