four

                                    

                                          
"Just yesterday you threatened to kill me, and today you laugh at all my jokes and try to kiss me?" Noah was grinning while Ian contemplated whether he should choke him to death or simply rip his head off. "Honestly, it's insulting you underestimate me so much." 
                          
Ian let out a sigh and moved away, bringing some distance between the two. "Well, it was worth a shot." He glanced at Noah. "There was something there." 
                          
"There was," Noah agreed. "But I won't fall for your games." 
                          
Ian got up and stretched, avoiding his gaze. "I'm gonna leave. Hope you trip and break your leg." 
                          
Noah just shot him another grin. "There's the Ian I'm used to." 
                          
The blonde just flipped him off before stepping out of his room and walking towards his own. Finn was still sleeping when he arrived at their shared room, so Ian quietly shrugged out of his clothes and laid down as well, sleep soon draping over him like a comfortable blanket. 
                          
*****
                          
Ian had avoided Noah for the rest of the weekend, so the next time they saw each other was during lunch on Monday. Ian and Finn had arrived early at the table for once, so Noah and Tegan were the last ones to arrive. 
                          
"Why do we have no girls at our table?" Zack asked, causing a majority of the guys to glance at him. 
                          
"Because you're an unlikable prick," Hasan retorted. 
                          
Imran added, "A horny bastard." 
                          
"You reduce every female to objects," Noah said, and Zack couldn't decide who to glare at first. 
                          
"I hate y'all. I'm gonna find a new table." 
                          
Imran cracked a grin. "Feel free to leave. The sissies over there have a free seat left." 
                          
They turned towards the table Imran had talked about and glanced at the few guys sitting there. Once they tore their gazes away, Finn was shaking his head. 
                          
"Just let them live." 
                          
They dropped the topic and while Zack continued moping about needing better company, preferably consisting of a few girls, Ian noticed Noah eyeing him. 
                          
He had never been one to mince his words, so he asked frankly, "What you looking at, loser?" 
                          
Noah seemed unimpressed. "A twink." 
                          
Ian froze in his seat while Finn chuckled, earning a glare from his best friend. Tegan joined in and apologetically pat Ian's shoulder. 
                          
"You can take it. Twinks can usually take a lot." 
                          
Ian reached out to punch his arm, wearing a crimson blush as he scowled at Noah. "Didn't stop your mom last night." 
                          
Noah tilted his head. "You've seen my mom? Next time, give her my number, I'd like to meet her too." 
                          
"You don't know your mom?" Finn asked, already over their stupid argument. Noah shook his head. 
                          
"I'm adopted." 
                          
Ian snorted. "Can't blame them, I wouldn't want a kid like you either." 
                          
"At least my foster parents taught me how to be a decent person." 
                          
"My dad did, too." 
                          
Noah raised a brow. "Your mom didn't?" He wanted to know more about Ian and masked it with their stupid bickering, and Ian was so riled up he didn't even notice that he was being interrogated. 
                          
"She left after I was born," Ian stated, unfazed. Finn glanced at him. 
                          
"Good riddance to her." Finn could never understand how a parent could just leave their child like that. He was sure if Ian's mom ever returned, she'd regret her decision.