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1.
They were all repairing the ley line together. Blue was there because she was interested in seeing how Adam did it. Gansey was there because Blue was. Noah was there for kicks. And Ronan...well Ronan was there for him.
"What does it want now?" Blue asked gently. The BMW, Ronan had driven because they were far out and the beloved Camaro's engine was particularly temperamental in the winter, was parked at the side of the road. The cold wind nipped at his skin through his thin jacket. He extended a hand and Gansey gave him his tarot cards.
He shuffled the cards and drew one, there was a ringing in his deaf ear.
"Branches, I've gotta clear away some of those branches," he gestured to the onslaught of sticks knocked down during last night's storm. Blue nodded, and the four of them joined her in lifting them from the line.
"Better, Parrish?" Ronan asked, once the way was cleared. Adam could feel his eyes on him, inquisitive and intense. The dreamer looking to the magician.
Adam paused, the buzzing had stopped, and a pleasant murmur hummed through him. "Yes, that's the last one. Thanks guys."
Ronan dropped him off last. The inky blackness of night had settled in over them, and Adam was having trouble keeping his eyes open by the time they pulled up to St. Agnes. He'd had a late shift, midnight to 4 a.m, at a new 7-11 that'd opened up. Three hours of sleep before school, class, homework, then off to the factory at 5. His hands had taken to cramping up, his head pounded, and his vision was swimming. It hadn't helped that he was nearly through his food budget for the week, and couldn't afford to buy any coffee.
"We're here Parrish. You gonna make it up alright?" Ronan asked. "You look a little dead."
"'M fine," he muttered, voice thick with sleep, accent slipping mercilessly. "Y'all worry about me too much. Anyway...thanks hun."
"What did you just call me?"
Adam jolted awake. God dammit why did he have to say the most embarrassing, most hick thing he could possibly say to Ronan Lynch of all people?
"I um...didn't mean to. Sorry." He added lamely. Ronan flushed, and looked down.
"You need sleep. See you tomorrow."
2.
When Adam opened the door he didn't have a shirt on. This wasn't altogether surprising considering it was 3 a.m. on a Thursday, but was a little more than Ronan had expected to take in when he knocked on the door of his St. Agnes apartment.
"Ronan," Adam rubbed his eye absently and yawned. "Couldn't sleep?"
Ronan was a little too distracted to answer. Adam had always been too skinny, but long hours and hard work had toned what little he had. Sharp shoulder and collar bones caught his eyes and he forgot Adam had asked him anything for a moment.
"What're you staring at Mr. I never have a shirt on," Adam muttered, flushing a bit.
"I'm uh, couldn't sleep. Can I stay here?"
"Sure thing Ronan," Adam smirked, and he could swear he let his voice twang more than usual just to drive him crazy.
Adam threw him a blanket and pillow and climbed back in his own bed. They'd done this a few times before. It was quieter at Adam's, safer, so he was less likely to dream up a monster to kill them both. And of course Ronan wished he could be sleeping over at Adam's for other reason's, but they didn't talk about that.
He grinned as he pulled his shirt over his head. So Adam had noticed his penchant for shedding his clothing whenever he was in close proximity.
"There you go again," Adam said under his breath.
Ronan laughed, and curled up on Adam's hard wooden floor. Adam switched his desk lamp off and closed his history book. Dammit Parrish was he up studying this late? He got in his bed, and Ronan could see the flutter of his eyelashes in the faint moonlight bleeding through the thin curtains.
"Goodnight Parrish."
"Goodnight Ronan."
3.
Adam didn't drink because of his father and because of principle. But it had been an awful, really shitty day, and Ronan was offering. They'd cut wages at the shop, now he was just at minimum wage. And the church had shut off his heat because he couldn't pay. Not to mention Gansey, and his impending death Adam wasn't supposed to know about but did because he was perceptive and Blue couldn't lie with her wide eyes and expressive face that showed all her love.
"What's with you Parrish?" Ronan asked, handing him another beer. This stuff was nicer than the shit his dad kept around. Of course that was to be expected with Ronan Lynch.
"Shitty day," he muttered, taking a swig. "I need to get out of my head for a little while."
Ronan bobbed his head like he understood. He sipped his drink slowly. He was only on his first bottle. Adam was finishing off his third.
Things got hazy around his 4th, or maybe it was 5th. He quickly lost count, focusing more of his energy on not getting lost in Ronan's dark eyes, and trying to stay steady on his chair.
Ronan told a joke, something Adam forgot immediately after he said it, and Adam laughed in a breathy hysteric fashion despite himself, laughing so hard he got the hiccups.
"Parrish, you're drunk. I'm cutting you off," Ronan looked at him, bemused. It occurred to Adam that Ronan had never heard him laugh, not like that anyway.
The world was spinning and Adam could feel his blood pounding. "I'm not that drunk," he slurred, leaning in so his face was up in Ronan's face.
"Yes," he laughed. "You are. I'll drive you home."
"Naw Ronan, not yet," Adam drawled. He leaned closer. "You look pretty. You always look pretty Ronan."
"Parrish," he muttered nervously. "Don't do anything stupid. You know I'm going to have to tell you about everything you do tomorrow.
"Quit it," he felt light and giddy and drunk as hell. He pressed a kiss to Ronan's neck, then a longer deeper one. Ronan tensed.
"Adam seriously." This wasn't something they did.
He kissed his jaw. "C'mon babe, I know what I'm doing." He most certainly didn't, but before Ronan could fully register what he'd said Adam was kissing his lips, long and slow, and Ronan was trying his best not to reciprocate, but he softened a bit under Adam's touch.
"Fuck Adam, why'd you have to go and do that?" Ronan breathed. He glowered at him, despite the flush that was rising to his cheeks. "And babe? Seriously?" He sighed. "I'm taking you home now."
Adam nodded mildly, something in his chest telling him that this would be a much bigger deal come morning.
He didn't remember much else of that evening. Ronan drove him, speedy and smooth in the BMW. And he helped him up the stairs, his body warm and safe at every point of contact.
The next morning came too soon.
"Is Ronan here?" Adam pounded on the door of Monmouth Manufacturing as soon as he could get there. He was still in his pajamas, that he's put on backwards in his intoxicated state the night before.
Gansey answered, looking him over in confusion. "Are you okay Adam?"
"Is he here?" He said sharply.
"No, he's at the Barns. Do you want me to call him?"
"No, no, I'll go out there. Thanks."
"You're okay though?"
"I don't know," he replied. "We'll see I guess."
The door was open when he got there. That was typical Ronan, reckless, unconcerned about his property when he had the money to replace any of it at the drop of a hat. Adam went in; the walls were covered in pictures, he hadn't ever really looked before. Ronan as a kid, arm slung over Declan's shoulder, Matthew looking up at them both admiringly.
Ronan looked effortlessly happy, bright eyed with long hair that fell into his eyes. It was strange, like looking at a different person.
He found Ronan in the living room, sitting in a big leather chair, knees tucked to his chest, feet bare. He was facing away from him, looking out the big window at the morning sky. It was quiet, and he hadn't noticed Adam.
"Hey," he muttered. Ronan jumped, and his face morphed into something panicked as he turned to look at him.
"What are you doing here?" He asked curtly. "Parrish are those your pajamas?"
"I need to talk to you."
"We don't have to," Ronan growled, blushing furiously. "Talk about last night. You were really drunk."
"I'm sorry. That was stupid of me. I didn't want to do it like that," he stuttered, thinking about his lips on Ronan's about how he'd very blatantly sucked on his neck the night before.
"Like that?" He looked vaguely horrified.
"Well I know you like me," that wasn't hard, Adam saw the way Ronan looked at him, he wasn't blind. "And I like you..."
"You do?" Ronan asked. "Don't fuck with me Parrish."
"Of course I like you Ronan. I just wanted to kiss you when I was sober."
"You can quit it now Parrish," he said dejectedly. "I don't expect you to want me sober."
"I want you all the time," Adam shot back, before turning beet red. "You infuriating insecure asshole."
"So last night I'm your fucking babe and now I'm an infuriating insecure asshole?"
Ronan stood to met him, Adam saw his eyes flit to his lips. Adam nodded. This time Ronan kissed him, hesitantly, cautiously like he could wake up any moment. Adam felt warm all over. Ronan's fingers were in his hair and his tongue was in his mouth. Adam could feel Cabeswater stirring in his bad ear, odd energy pulsing through him.
Ronan broke away a moment later, breathless and grinning like the old Ronan in the photo. "Where'd you learn to kiss like that Parrish?"
Adam shrugged. "I'm a natural I guess."
4.
It was one of those lazy days when they took the Camaro out for long drives to go exploring or take picnics to the mountains. They were on the open road, windows down, sunlight making everything from Gansey's teal polo to Adam's messy hair glow.
Ronan was tangled with Adam in the back seat, Noah smirking beside them. Blue was shotgun, her hand over Gansey's less conspicuously than Ronan thought she'd intended. Though it was hard to tell with them. It wasn't as if anything about the connection between them was a secret.
"We should stop for gas," Gansey said, squinting in the light.
"And snacks," Blue added, voice chipper.
They pulled in to a station a few minutes later. Blue scooped some change out of her wallet and carefully counted her quarters before getting out.
"Do you want anything Adam?" Ronan asked. He was better about letting people buy him things now, less stubborn about favors and gifts (especially if they came from Ronan.)
Adam nodded. "Thanks darlin'," he grinned, clearly forgetting himself because they hadn't told anyone they were dating, or that Adam liked pet names. Gansey looked back at him with wide eyes, and Blue stifled a snicker. Noah punched Ronan's shoulder playfully and Adam looked like he was going to curl into himself.
"No problem Adam," Ronan replied nonchalantly.
"So what's the deal Lynch?" Blue asked them as she tried to decide which snack cake she wanted.
"I don't follow Maggot."
She rolled her eyes. "Are you and Adam together yet? You realize he just called you his darlin'," she drawled the last word thicker than she usually did.
"I'd say that's none of your business Sargent. Are you and Dick "Heart Eyes" Gansey together yet. That was some pretty blatant handholding."
She flushed. "I'd say that's none of your business either.
5.
"I don't wanna get up," Adam groaned, limbs splayed out across his thin mattress. He curled his arms around Ronan's chest and tucked his head into the crook of his neck. "Can we just lay here all day?" He hummed.
Lazing around in bed all day seemed distinctly not Adam, with his tired grease covered hands and early morning flash cards.
Ronan kissed him. "You've got to be getting hungry though. You want me to go grab us some breakfast?"
Adam bobbed his head, shock of dust colored hair flopping into his eyes.
Ronan grinned. "I'll be back soon."
There was a bagel shop a couple blocks away. It was crowded, and the scent of sesame seeds and coffee beans flooded his sleep numbed senses.
"What can I get you?" the dark eyed, tattooed cashier asked him. Ronan could feel his eyes sizing him up.
"Two everyseed bagels and two large coffees," he said, pulling out his wallet.
"Would you like cream cheese," he asked. "Or my number?"
"I'm sure my boyfriend wants cream cheese. But I'll pass on your number," he smirked. The guy shrugged and handed him his change.
"Lucky man I'm sure," he said.
Boyfriend, the word still felt new and electrifying on his tongue. Adam Parrish was his boyfriend. That gorgeous, quick witted, excellent kisser's heart belonged to Ronan Lynch.
He picked up the food and took a sip of his coffee. His cell phone rang as he came out the door. He fumbled for the hands to pick up. "Hello?"
"Ronan, you must've left before I woke up," Ronan had managed to strategically stay the night at Adam's without Gansey knowing. "Where are you?"
"I'm uh...well I'm picking up breakfast for my boyfriend," Ronan blurted out before he realized what he was saying.
"Your...I didn't know you had a boyfriend Ronan," Gansey said after a stunned moment of silence. "You never told me," he finished in his typical concerned dad voice.
"Well I do," Ronan mumbled. "See you later."
"Wait a minute, who is...?"
Ronan hung up before he could finish. Shit. He hadn't even outright told Gansey he was gay, though he hadn't seemed too surprised on that front. Adam hadn't said anything about telling Gansey, but he'd assumed they'd do it together...after some discussion, and maybe some practice scenarios acted out with Noah.
"So I fucked up," Adam poked his head up from the mattress and frowned.
"How so?" Ronan handed him his bagel and coffee and sat down beside him.
"Gansey called. And I um...told him I was getting breakfast for my boyfriend."
Adam nearly choked on his coffee. "For your boyfriend? You called me your boyfriend? You are referring to me, right Lynch?"
"Yes you Parrish."
"Then why didn't you say Adam? Why'd you have to go and call me your..." He stopped, inhibited by his own grin. "You haven't said it before. Say it again."
"My boyfriend," Ronan finished. "My boyfriend Adam Parrish."
"So I guess we have to tell him," Adam said. "Unless you want to make up a fake boyfriend to stall."
"I'm sorry," Ronan hoped this didn't change anything, that they could be just as good out in the open as they were hidden.
His phone rang. It was Gansey. "Don't be sorry. It's time we told him," Adam said. He kissed him.
"Hey Gansey."
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just want to know when you'll be home."
"Adam's my boyfriend."
"Adam as in Adam Adam? Our Adam?"
"I'm dating Parrish, that's right." Adam had leaned in so he could hear and he laughed at how matter of fact Ronan had sounded.
"Well, good for you two," proud dad Richard Gansey III exclaimed. "You seem like you'd be good together."
"We are. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."
"I had my suspicions. But thanks, for telling me."
"Thanks for not freaking out. I'll be home soon."
"Bye Ronan."
"Bye Gansey.
"Well that went well," Adam said through a mouth full of bagel. "You don't think he's going to want us to double date with him and Blue do you?"
"I'm sure Sargent will veto that."