In a world without superheroes, where Hollis Mason never became young Dan Dreiburg's idol and then his mentor, the young Jewish boy has a few moments to himself and he is wandering the shelves of the library. It is his first week and everything is still bright and new, but he is intimidated by his fellow students and their extroversion. He retreats to the library and lurks the comfortable shadows between the shelves as if they were a sheltering cave, eyes wide, head swiveling as he searches out the ornithology section. The library is almost empty so early in the semester, and high up on the third floor there is nothing but the books and the silence.
Eyes trained on the numbers on the spines of the books, he does not notice the other boy until they've collided as he rounds a corner. Both start, Daniel steps back and finds himself looking up slightly at a blond boy in a sweater-vest and collared shirt. His hair is impeccable, and Daniel can't help but feel mousy by comparison.
"Oh, hello," says the blond, and the words Aryan posterboy flit across Dan's thoughts. "Are you looking for something?"
"A book," Daniel says a bit stupidly. The blond arches an eyebrow. He looks older than the other students, perhaps a teacher or a graduate student. "Umm, this one," he adds and shows the scrap of paper where he had scribbled the call number of the compendium he was looking for. The blond glanced at it.
"That would be in the quarto section, near the stairs," he says.
"Ah, thank you," Dan says, ducking his head as he feels his ears begin to heat. He steps past the other man, eyes wandering to the title of the thick novel clutched in his hand. Fires from Heaven, a novel of Alexander the Great. The blond's thumb obscures the author's name. Dan looks up, sees the blond is still looking at him. "Dan Dreiburg," he says, holding out a hand. The other man smiles.
"Adrian Veidt," he says, and accepts the handshake. It is firm, and the hand is cool and dry, self assured. A businessman's handshake.
"You're a Classics student?" says Dan, then realizes how nosy he must sound.
"Amongst other things," Adrian replies, the smile resting easily on his lips. "You're a freshmen, I assume?"
"Yes," says Dan, shifting from foot to foot. The encounter was already going on longer than he would have liked.
"I thought so, otherwise I would have recognized you. You're interested in ornithology?"
"Err, yeah, how did you know?"
"The call number. I spent a week reading through that section sophomore year."
"Oh," said Daniel, his heart sinking a little. "Is it not a very big section?"
"On the contrary, we have seven hundred forty three books, though some are redundant and pedestrian."
"But you said…"
"At times I have trouble sleeping, and knowledge is always worth pursuing." The man, Adrian, pauses as if surprised that he has said so much. "It was nice meeting you, Daniel," he says and turns to leave.
Daniel stutters a farewell. He feels awkward, clumsy, and cold, as if someone had walked over his grave. He rubs a hand over his arm to warm himself, the vent of the air conditioner reminds him of the Arctic. He does not know why his mind jumps to that comparison. He does not think to wonder how Adrian guessed his full name.
Author Note: I hope you enjoyed this little drabble. If so, please consider leaving a comment!