Title: A prune for your thoughts
Author: LucridLucifel
Genre: One shot, humor.
Fandom: Freaks and Geeks
Rating: PG
Summary: It's hard to believe Daniel actually likes D&D. Lindsay asks why. Slight LindsayxDaniel.
Disclaimer: I don't own or make a profit from this work of fiction. Dreamworks owns the rights to Freaks and Geeks.
A prune for your thoughts
"Disco sucks!"
-Ken Miller from Freaks and Geeks.
Daniel Desario has been dating Kim Kelly since the dawn of time. No matter how many times they break-up and get back together.
Since becoming friends with the crowd of kids known as the "burnouts", Lindsay Weir can say a break-up between Daniel and Kim at least twice a week is regularly scheduled. It wouldn't be a normal week if they didn't.
After everything in the past year and the coming new school term, it was brought to Lindsay Weir's attention the attraction to Daniel Desario hasn't faded.
She wouldn't dare tell Kim, of course.
Despite hormones and studly smiles powerful enough to melt a heart and make Lindsay's cheeks flush, she appreciates her friendship with Kim. Truthful, without a shadow of a doubt, Kim Kelly has become one of Lindsay's closest and truest friends.
Risking a friendship over a boy isn't on the agenda. And the prospect of having Kim beat her up didn't sit well with her either.
Who wants a black eye and a busted lip? Not Lindsay.
Since her non-academic trip—which to this day she swears her parents haven't the faintest clue of—with Kim and the two other kids she made friends with through a new music interest, Laurie and Victor, followed the Grateful Dead's tour the whole summer.
They all bonded. Specially Kim and her. It was a blast.
By the time she returned back home, Lindsay was very much surprised to see Daniel hanging around the house more often.
What made this all the more hair-raising and comical is seeing with her own set of eyes her friend, the coolest dude out of her group of friends, hanging out and playing a game of Dungeons and Dragons.
He was laughing and enjoying himself with Neil Schweiber, Bill Haverchuck, Gordon Crisp, Harris Trinsky and her little brother, Sam.
'How long was I gone?' She wondered.
Lindsay observed them from her spot in the kitchen. This was kind of funny. She never pictured Daniel playing a game geeks and nerdy kids enjoy to spend most of their time on.
Does Kim even know about this?
As the months went on jump-starting to her senior year of high school, she noticed a small change in Daniel. A positive one, she could admit.
For instance, Daniel's grades were improving. He was actually passing his tests and doing his homework without cheating. He went to class more regularly and smoked less.
He still was the same old Daniel that fights and break-up then get's back together with Kim. The same Daniel that played guitar in Nick's basement. The same Daniel that occasionally cut class with Ken Miller and smoked the rare joint with.
Ken Miller was Ken Miller. He never changes. He spends a lot of his time with his girlfriend, Amy Andrews. Amy is the one that keeps Ken from failing his classes and afloat.
Daniel didn't even deny his association to Sam and his friends. He continued being a part of the AV Club even after Mr. Russo's ended Daniel's sentence at the AV Club.
People do change. Lindsay is aware of that.
She just didn't think Daniel would be one of those people that 360-ed before her very eyes.
It was nice to see, she admit.
One Tuesday night at the Weirs', Lindsay decided to, as she would call it, "poke and prod" Daniel to sate the burning curiosity that has been running through her thoughts the last few months.
Daniel lounged on the couch alongside Bill. Neil and Sam lay belly down on the rug near the TV, all watching a movie.
From the window of the kitchen Lindsay asked casually, "Daniel, you think you can help me with this—err—um, this jar?" She randomly picked a jar from the grocery bag that was left on the counter. "I'm going to make a sandwich."
Daniel glanced over his shoulder and gave her a weird look, his nose wrinkling up slightly with disgust. "A prune sandwich?"
"A prune sandwi—oh. Um, yeah. I guess," she giggled to play it off. She didn't bother to look or think before grabbing the random jar.
"Ew," Sam intoned.
"Now that's nasty," added Bill. Blinking a few times.
"Hey, she can do whatever she wants!" said Neil, defensively.
"You're just saying that because you like her," Sam said, poking his shoulder.
"Sam!"
At this point Daniel stood up from the couch and made his way over to the kitchen. A languid smile tugs the corners of his lips and the amused twinkle in his eyes made the whole prune sandwich idea more embarrassing. His hand outstretched, waiting for the jar that needed opening, Lindsay handed him the jar.
One twist here and there an audible "pop" the top was off. "Here you go. While you're at it, make me one too, hold the prunes."
Lindsay flushed. He wasn't going to let this go. "Right, coming up."
She went to the fridge and pulled out some bread, mayonnaise, cheese, ham and tomatoes. She set it out on the kitchen counter, preparing a round of sandwiches. She might as well make the boys some as well while she's at it.
The silence sat there and didn't want to leave.
Lindsay wasn't sure how to start the conversation off. She didn't want to come off nosy and Daniel sitting there without a word to offer didn't help matters.
After another long stretch of silence, she started off, "I notice that you been hanging out here with my brother a lot. When did this happen?"
Damn. If that wasn't blunt enough, she didn't know what else would be.
So much for smooth and sly.
"I'm just passing the time," he said. He leaned against the doorway. "Why ask?"
"Oh, it's nothing. I was just wondering. You do spend a lot of time here with them."
"Yeah. I guess. We just hang. You know." He left it at that.
This whole thing was like pulling teeth.
She smiled awkwardly. "Yeah. I guess."
Another low-key smile crossed his face. He slowly came behind her and her breath almost left her body.
She stiffened. Swallowing the lump in her throat. 'Oh.'
"Don't be jealous, Lins. I come to see you, too," he said close to her ear enough to send chills down her spine. Daniel plucked the plate out of her hands and returned to his spot on the couch.
Lindsay was left in the kitchen with a mountain of sandwiches and confused more than ever.
The End.