Cultured Spirit

A/N: I am awful! Awful… and exhausted. Sorry this took forever! Enjoy the read though and I’ll work on being consistent.

* * *

you Ian rolled down his car window with a puzzled expression, eyes wandering over Daniel’s grimace to his green toque, brown fringe peeking out from underneath.

“Can I help you?”

Daniel rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms over a grey sweater, grimace turning into a tiny scowl. He drummed a gloved finger against the door, nose growing red from the frosty air. “It’d be wonderful if you’d unlock the door,” he replied dryly.

Grinning, Ian complied and pushed the door open. Daniel shoved himself inside quickly and rolled up the window instantly after he was seated in the warmth of the car.

“All right, what’s up? Why are you hitching a ride with me?”

“Adeline’s not coming. Now hurry or we’ll be late.”

“Hold it,” Ian pressed a palm against the side of Daniel’s head to push him away as the boy tried to turn off his
Muse CD and switch it to the radio. “What do you mean she isn’t coming? I was under the impression she was looking forward to today.”

“Oh, she is. She’s still getting ready.” Daniel had maneuvered himself around Ian’s arm and finally pressed the radio button, switching it onto the traffic slash weather report. Ian frowned, switching it back.

“That doesn’t explain why you’re here hating on my music.” Ian put his favourite track on and turned it up as if emphasizing his point.

Pulling off his toque and threading fingers through his dark hair, Daniel sighed. “She needs to take the car because she’s going to school late, and I definitely am not. So I’m getting a ride with you and we’ll meet her at lunch.”

Ian craned his neck to try and peer through one of the windows as if he would be able to capture a glance of his girlfriend, but he had no luck. “We’re going to be late anyway,” he finally said, smiling at the disbelief across Daniel’s face. “I’m in the mood for coffee.”

Daniel had managed to complain for the entire fifteen minute ride to the closest coffee shop, though Ian laughed as he finally relented and ordered a hot chocolate and gingerbread cookie.

“I had no clue you were so festive,” Ian remarked, stirring his own coffee after having finally convinced the other boy to skive off his first class and enjoy a relaxed breakfast inside the café.

“I’m not. I’m hungry.” That wasn’t to say he totally appreciated the idea. As he sulked, he broke off a piece of his cookie and dipped it into his hot chocolate, light brown gaze drifting from his soggy cookie to Ian’s disgusted expression.

“Don’t tell me you’re not totally psyched for this carnival thing tonight.” Ian shook his head as Daniel offered the brutal remnants of his cookie, choosing instead to dig into his syrup-less pancakes. His own voice didn’t sound too enthused as he mentioned it himself.

Daniel wiped his sticky hands on a twisted napkin, looking at Ian with a raised brow. “I’m not going,” his lips turned up in a small smile. “Don’t tell me you actually thought I was going.”
Ian hid his dismay by taking a sip of his coffee, consequently burning his tongue. “No way, man. If I have to go, you’re definitely going.”

Laughing, the shorter boy ripped open a sugar packet and dumped it into his already sickeningly sweet drink. “What would I do? Go on the rides by myself? That night’s always been about couples – bit disgusting really.”

“Speaking of disgusting…” Ian snatched away the packet of sugar before it was emptied and tossed it onto his tray. Daniel huffed to himself, but didn’t seem to mind too much. “And anyway, I could set you up if you’re that worried about it.”

The café was growing empty, and the sun was finally fully exposed signaling that they were definitely not going to make it to their first class even if they tried. Daniel tapped his mug restlessly, looking a bit worried, but shrugged it off. “Who said I was worried? I don’t want to go – I’ll end up eating too much cotton candy and puking my guts out. I don’t have a very high tolerance for … well anything, really.”

Ian’s mouth grew rigid. He definitely knew that much. “You’re not ditching me with Adeline. I mean, she’s great and all, but dude… I can only handle so much romance.”

Daniel laughed slightly, chewing his cookie and his eyes brightening. “Have fun, Ian.”

“I could hook you up with Jenny Simmons,” Ian tried, mentioning the most intelligent girl he knew. “She’s a junior too. One year younger than us, she’ll be all over you.”

“No.” Daniel smiled a bit cruelly, and as if defying Ian further, grabbed the half used sugar packet.

“Amy Venner.”

“Nope.”

“Jessica Louis.”

Daniel suddenly lost his smug look, and a light blush fell over his cheeks. Ian raised a brow, drumming his fingers on the table top. “Jessica Louis?” He repeated, his lips curving up in an impish smile.

“No!” Daniel shoved away his cookie and grabbed his toque as if to make a quick get away. His face only grew redder, causing Ian to laugh at his expense.

“Oh, come on, she’s really nice actually.” Ian seemed to remember something, smirk broadening as he reached over to halt Daniel’s hurried escape. “And that’s right – good at physics, too.”

“No, she isn’t nice,” Daniel’s voice took on a sour note, and Ian’s smile faded. “And I tutored her in physics – I didn’t get paid enough trying to force information into her thick skull.”

“Hey, now. She passed with a higher grade than I did… I take offense!”

Daniel was already half way to the door and pulling on his gloves by the time Ian finished his indignant comment. He placed a quick tip on the table, grabbed his coat and caught up to Daniel rather fast. Grabbing his arm, he halted him from walking out the door and rolled his eyes. “Drama queen.”

The other boy blushed and dropped his arm, wrinkling his nose. 26783 “Just don’t ask her, okay?” His voice was harsh as if the hot chocolate hadn’t sweetened it at all.

Raising his arms in surrender, Ian followed his companion out the door. “Okay, okay. I give up, you can go home and play your video games tonight.”

Reaching Ian’s car, Daniel managed to put on an irritated expression combined with a downcast gaze. “I was planning on going,” he said, pulling the locked handle open as if it would make Ian hurry in opening.

“Going?” Ian said distractedly, slipping through the door and landing on his seats with a sigh.
“To the carnival.”

Curiosity grabbed at Ian, but he held it at bay. “Really? What changed.” He turned to look at Daniel while starting up his car’s engine, watching as the other boy chewed on his lip nervously.

“I asked Jessica to go with me.” Ian arched a brow, an intangible feeling reaching his chest that he suppressed quite easily. He knew it would be even more embarrassing for Daniel to go on, but couldn’t help but pry a bit further. “She said no – obviously.”

“Hold it,” Ian finally got the car to start and was cruising on the frosty roads and he tried his best to look at Daniel and the road at the same time. “What do you mean obviously?”

Daniel snorted after a wince at Ian’s driving skills. “I mean, she said, ‘Daniel, I thought you knew we were just friends,” even added a nice, ‘Not that we were even that much,’ right at the end.” His lips turned upwards bitterly yet comically, which freaked Ian out slightly.

“There’s still Amy,” He said half-heartedly, pausing at a red light and studying Daniel’s somber face. The boy was staring intently out his passenger’s window, playing with the car locks.

“I don’t even want to go, really.” Daniel finally lost the sour twist to his voice and gave Ian a genuine smile.

Minutes later, Ian exhaled slowly, leaning back in his seat and entering the school’s parking lot. Daniel’s expression was stoic as it had been since the conversation of his rejection had ended which managed to worry Ian to the point of him thinking over ways to console the other boy. When they finally did find a parking spot and the engine died, there was a sort of awkward silence that enveloped them and it resulted in Ian smirking while nudging Daniel playfully.

“Usually at this point, Addy and I would be making out.”

Daniel’s face crumpled and Ian could have sworn he’d never seen anyone unhook a seatbelt that fast in his life. “Gross! You’re unbelievable – gross!”

Letting out a laugh, Ian sent his gaze Daniel’s way as the boy stretched his arm to get a hold of his bag still muttering to himself. “You’re coming tonight, no questions about it.”

Ian smiled slightly as Daniel paused in his haste to get out of the car and focused intently on the zipper of his bag. “I’ll come.” He finally said in a resigned voice.

The bell rang and Daniel’s soft features distorted back into frenzied anxiousness. Ian tucked his keys into his jeans pocket, taking his time as Daniel finally stumbled out of the car, forgetting his toque inside.

“Hey, Drama Queen, you forgot this!” Ian grabbed the hat and tossed it over to Daniel who, unsurprisingly, didn’t manage to catch it.

“Whatever.” Daniel muttered his favourite phrase, throwing the snowy hat messily onto his head and running toward the school doors, his cheeks growing red. It seemed he didn’t have a tolerance for cold weather, among many other things.

* * *

“You’re late.”

Ian smiled apologetically to Adeline, kissing her softly on the nose. “I’m late.” He agreed sheepishly, adjusting her yellow knit hat fondly. “But still early enough to miss the crowded lines.”

Adeline smiled a little, taking hold of Ian’s hand and swinging it along their sides. Ian could already guess most of the night would consist of her acting completely smitten, and though he felt awful about it, he was looking forward to the end of the night when they’d go their separate ways.

“True enough.” It was hardly after six in the evening, but the sky was steadily growing black. Ian would have been leading them around in circles if it hadn’t been for the numerous lights dotting the carnival, and the glowing letters signaling game stands. “But I get first pick of where we get to go.” Adeline grinned and pulled Ian’s hand over to the Ferris Wheel.

“Aw, come on,” Ian knew neither Daniel nor Ryan would be able to find them if they were high up in the air – alone. “Something less cliché?”

Adeline smiled while shaking her head. “Look at how long the line-up is, we’ll be stuck in it forever if we don’t start it now.”

The line was indeed growing steadily longer, and Ian figured they might as well get it over with. He was ready to spend the next hour with Adeline alone – a prospect he felt he should’ve been happy about – when he caught sight of a familiar green toque a few heads in front of them. Daniel would never have gone on the Ferris Wheel alone and that piqued Ian’s interests of who he had decided to bring along.

“Look, we can cut,” Adeline seemed to notice Daniel as well and nodded enthusiastically, though seemed to feel bad as she past a few of her friends.

“I had no idea he was coming – and looks like he’s brought a… date?” Adeline’s bright voice dimmed into a questioning frown as she caught sight of Warren, his glasses off for the occasion leaving blue eyes to stare into Ian without barriers.

Ian had to admit that the navy blue sweater and braided winter hat made him look less lanky than before and almost like someone Ian would catch himself hanging out with. The blond cocked his head to one side, before smiling elusively and holding out a hand.

“Never met properly, did we?”

Daniel stared at the two nervously, cluing Ian in on the fact that when the other boy needed to rant about Ian, Warren was who he went to.

“Let’s keep it that way.” He said stonily, his grip on Adeline’s waist securing itself. He could sense she felt the same uncomfortable tension.

“I didn’t know you went to our school,” she ventured, eyes flickering to Daniel accusingly.

Warren smiled innocently. “No, I don’t. Daniel invited me earlier – said he was being forced into a school occasion and that he didn’t want to be alone with all the bogus, superficial – ”

Daniel sent Warren a surprised look which soon crafted itself into anger. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

Ian narrowed his eyes and tried to lead Adeline away. “How about I just win you a teddybear – we can ride the Wheel later.”

“Wait, wait.” Warren looked a bit ashamed and fingered the choppy bits of hair settled near his ears. “Sorry, sorry. I’m not always a bastard, I swear.” The smile on his face seemed authentic, though Ian didn’t really seem to care how nice of a guy Warren was and so Adeline accepted the apology for both of them.

Instead, he grumbled to himself a bit only simmering down the slightest bit when Adeline kissed his cheek in an attempt to return his good mood.

“How high do you think it goes?” She asked in a sweet voice, hooking her fingers into Ian’s.

Ian, who was still busy staring at Warren and Daniel talking amongst themselves, both with secretive smiles on their faces, gave a noncommittal response.

“Look, I know how protective you are over him, but Warren hasn’t done anything yet. And look, he’s being the perfect gentleman – you on the other hand…” Her lips formed into a pout and Ian had the grace to look guilty.

“I just get an odd feeling about him.” He reasoned, after kissing the corner of Adeline’s mouth tenderly in an attempt at an apology.

Adeline seemed to smile, voicing something about irony. “That’s exactly how dad felt about you, and look how wrong he was.”

Ian grimaced. He remembered his thoughts about not wanting Adeline to bug him about teddy-bears and how much it bothered him when she’d stand snug next to him as they watched the Ferris Wheel. He forced a smile. “I suppose you’re right.”

The rest of the line up had been uneventful, Ian only speaking with Daniel once when the shorter boy accidentally stepped on his foot. Adeline constantly whispered in his ear or made an excited comment about how close they were getting to the end of the line and Ian was ready to go home forty minutes into the night.

A sickening feeling continued to rise in his chest, as if his morning coffee refused to stay down where it belonged, when he caught sight of Warren leaning into Daniel to share some private joke. In fact, Ian and Daniel hardly glanced at each other until Daniel boarded the ride before him. They managed to lock gazes before the caramel coloured eyes focused their attention on Warren again.

“This is going to be amazing,” Adeline smiled, pulling off her winter hat and setting it in her lap when she finally stepped inside the cart. “The view is so pretty from up here.”

Ian smiled gently at her, took her hand and silently apologized.

* * *
Ryan and Melissa met up with them as soon as they finished the Ferris Wheel ride. Adeline seemed to be high on adrenaline, standing on her toes and showering Ian’s lips with chaste kisses although some of them lingered too long to be called brief. When Melissa commented on how cute her grey boots were, Ian was free from her suffocating embrace as she got caught in an accessory induced conversation.

“Melissa’s totally jealous,” Ryan commented with a smirk. “She says you two make a better couple than us.” His fingerless gloves were non-existent, replaced with black gloves that were for warmth rather than show. Ian smiled uncertainly and led their group to one of the candy stands.

“You’re not into it?” He guessed, ordering a blue cotton candy.

Ian sighed exasperatedly, running the hand not holding an overpriced bag of popcorn through his messy hair. “I am.” He held the bag over to Ryan who stole a few handfuls. “I think.”

Ryan, who Ian had come to learn was incredibly pensive, nodded. “It happens.”

Somehow, the conversation had led Ian to go into, first, a brief session of relief which was then suffocated by denial which had him hugging Adeline close.

It would have stayed that way if Daniel hadn’t sought out for them, something akin to happiness on his face. Ian wished he’d never “forced” Daniel to come.

“Where’s… Warren?” Ian tried to say the name civilly and even attempted a smile that didn’t resemble a grimace – not that he succeeded.

“Getting us something to eat, I’m starving.” Daniel walked beside them slowly, reassuring the four of them that he had already told Warren where to meet him and that he wasn’t ditching his friend. “I just wanted to thank you for convincing me to come – I never knew the carnivals were this cool.”

Ian’s grimace wiped off his face and was replaced with a look of inquiry. “You’ve never come to one?”

Adeline smiled from his side, bright eyes focused on the distant fireworks. “He always stays home. Luckily he didn’t miss his last chance.”

Daniel grinned, agreeing with his sister. Ian smiled a bit too, but probably only because Daniel looked less rigid than he had in the months Ian knew him. Probably his entire life, really.

“Ian, look!” Turning at Melissa’s voice, Ian noticed the horse sleigh trotting around them a couple looking cozy in the carriage. Adeline’s eyes all but begged him.

Daniel got the hint and awkwardly touched Ian’s arm. “I’ll see you later.”

“See ya,” he grinned, poking the teddy-bear in Daniel’s arms between the eyes. “Won that with your game skillz?”

Daniel rolled his eyes, lips curling up into a smirk. “Your sleigh is waiting.”

Adeline tugged his arm and he finally followed her, realizing that all of the games required coordination – something Daniel was seriously lacking. Warren had obviously won the stuffed toy for him and something about that stirred unnatural feelings of anger within Ian.

The feelings didn’t simmer even as Adeline wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him more passionately than she ever had before. He responded robotically, fists trying not to clench.

The night had obviously come to an end, the last fireworks blasting off and Adeline slumping tiredly next to him. He was exhausted himself and didn’t think he’d join Ryan and Melissa in the last hour the park was open, instead offering Adeline a ride home.

She chewed her lip, looking guilty. “Dad’s coming to pick me up. I’m sorry – he insisted.”

Ian felt relief at not having her sidled up next to him in his car but tried to hide his own guilt with a swift kiss, hugging her tight. “It’s no problem. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The moment she was gone, Ian wandered over to the public parking lot mentally cursing the insane price. He stopped just short of reaching his car when he caught messy brown hair shoved under a twig just visible by a near lamplight, and the tall figure of what could only be Warren. Growing instantly brazen, Ian walked over with what he hoped was a friendly look on his face.

“You guys are leaving too?”

“He has to, has a pretty uncomfortable drive ahead of him.” Daniel gestured to Warren without really looking at him, eyes trained on Ian.

Warren smiled and waved to Ian slightly, though there was a reproachful look in his eyes. Ian ignored it. “So you’re taking the Volvo?”

Daniel laughed, shaking his head. “Dad would never let me at this time of night, especially in winter. I’m catching a ride with…” he trailed off distractedly, as if Ian could guess the rest of the sentence himself.

“Dude, don’t bother,” Ian peered into the window and at the driver’s seat. “I’ll take him home, it’ll be less of a hassle for you.”

Daniel arched a brow at Warren. “That’s not a bad idea – I mean, if you’re not planning on staying or anything.”

“Nah, Addy’s gone. I’m done for the night.”

Warren looked a bit skeptical, but his engine started nonetheless. “If you’re sure.”

“Positive.” Daniel smiled, scratching the back of his neck almost embarrassedly and the skeptical look transferred itself onto Ian’s face.

It didn’t take long for Warren to drive away and Daniel and Ian to begin their walk to Ian’s parked car. There was a comfortable silence, though as it usually happened, Ian broke it.

“Want to go on the sleigh ride?” He asked a bit self-consciously, though a teasing lilt entered his voice. “I noticed you never got the chance.”

Daniel looked surprised, but didn’t disagree. And so, minutes later, they were climbing up onto the carriage, Ian holding the reigns clumsily.

“I am so fucking exhausted,” Ian said finally, after he’d managed to set a good pace.

Daniel rolled his eyes, “Then why are we here instead of driving back to our respective homes?”

“To talk,” Ian answered immediately, sending a side-long glance Daniel’s way.

“To talk?” Daniel leaned back, staring up at the stars with drooping eyelids. “About what?”

Not sure how to answer that, and not too great with subtlety – he was catching that from Daniel, he was sure – Ian answered briskly. “Warren.”

Daniel winced. “I’m sorry he was a bit rude earlier. I didn’t exactly praise your existence after you ditched me when you finally got Adeline, and he was the first o know. He’s just protective.”

That bothered Ian more than anything else had that night. “I didn’t ditch you because of Adeline,” he muttered stubbornly. Their kiss was resurfacing and Ian shoved it away to the deepest crevices of his mind. “Stop saying that I did. Maybe I just was embarrassed about working on a play, you know? Everyone on the team’s always making fun of me for it.”

Daniel smiled to himself. “Whatever you say, Hadley.”

Ian noticed the content look on Daniel’s face as he continued to stare up in the sky, and his expression grew serious beneath accusatory. “You’re acting lovesick.” He knew the feeling of infatuation well enough, having experienced it for months with Adeline.

Daniel blushed, sitting upright and his honeyed eyes readily set for denial. “Lovesick? With Jessica?”

The horses stopped because Ian no longer bothered to tug on the reins. He was sure no one else was still there, and if they were, they were finishing up the last of their coffee dregs – there was no need to rush their ride. “As if. I mean with,” Ian’s face distorted into a grimace, and he just barely caught the sinking look in Daniel’s eyes. “With… him.”

Daniel’s eyes widened and his skin grew blotchy red. “Warren? No, not Warren. He’s just a friend – he’s a boy,” Daniel added as an afterthought, fingers locking together leaving Ian with assumptions guessed correctly.

“Doesn’t seem like just a friend,” Ian wasn’t sure what made him bring up the conversation in the first place. He was expecting himself to feel repulsed by even mentioning the prospect of the two of them together, but instead he was feeling confused and angry. There was also a bit of resentment toward Adeline that he was trying to suppress.

There was a long silence, one Ian wasn’t intent on breaking, and Daniel stared stubbornly at his hands. Then, timidly, as if he was rehearsing what he was going to say in his head, Daniel finally spoke. “Would it be bad?” He asked quietly. “If he and I – I mean me and him,” Daniel breathed out slowly. “Would it be bad?” He asked again, settling on the simple phrase.

“It would be bad.” Ian clenched his teeth, not knowing what part of it he found bad. The fact that Daniel was gay? The fact that Ian was almost relieved to hear of it? Or the fact that Daniel was admitting he had feelings for Warren.

Daniel’s eyes grew a bit brighter as his lips fell into a grim line. “It would be bad,” he agreed. Ian saw the telltale signs of holding back a good cry and sighed out loud exasperatedly.

“It could be just a phase, I mean, as long as you don’t act on your feelings nothing has to happen.” Ian kept the hopeful tone from his voice as best as he could.

Daniel looked to be thinking of it seriously, obviously not realizing Ian had said it for his own selfish reasons – which wasn’t a surprise, seeing as Ian hadn’t realised it yet himself. “I can’t now. We’ve already… you know,” Daniel blushed scarlet.

Any thoughts of Daniel being innocent escaped Ian’s mind and he scowled. “That’s sick. Already? And with HIM?”

Daniel rolled his eyes, burying his embarrassed face into his hands. “Idiot. I meant kiss. Just today… on the Ferris Wheel.” He seemed to be in thought. “I didn’t even think of Warren that way, but I guess a first kiss always gets you a bit besotted, right?” He asked hopefully.

First kiss? Ian let out a long breath, his hands tightening on the reins and growing tense. He wondered if Daniel would always think that Warren was his first kiss. The thought made him angry, and he dropped the reins again, turning to face Daniel head on. “Obviously not, or you’d be “besotted” with me.”

Daniel looked incredibly confused, his sleepy eyes awakening with the conversation. “What are you – ”

Having enough of everything, Ian jumped off the carriage, not particularly caring for his bad manners of leaving the horses stranded and walked to his car leaving Daniel without a ride for the second time.

Daniel winced, stumbling off his side of the carriage and pulling out a couple of quarters to use on the payphone. Petting one of the horse’s mane dejectedly, he called his sister with a wary note to his voice, asking for a ride home.