Chapter Text
The night sky was overcast, with thousands of tiny bright stars pulsing their heartbeats. The night was chilled, and Adam had wanted a place to think, a place to drink a hot beverage and study his notes before he failed the big test. Ronan tagged along. The patrons that came on week nights were a different crowd than the weekenders. More subdued, the smell of coffee tickling your nose, and elderly couples smiling at each other from across the booth. Then there was Adam, whose faithful companion was having cabin fever.
Ronan ordered the coffee, and Adam sat down in the corner booth away from people. Ronan slammed the coffees down on the table with more force than was needed. That was Ronan though. He never did anything half. It was all the way, loud and balls to the wall or not at all. Where Adam was warring with himself, quiet mostly and assured, Ronan was loud, brass and warred with everyone. The two of them as friends made quite the pair.
Adam reached towards the table, his notebook in hand blocking his view. He felt around for a coffee cup, grabbing the one nearest to him. He took a swig making a face as he did. It was bitter.
“That coffee tastes like crap” Ronan grinned at him, all teeth and eyes that could cut.
“Black. Like my soul.” He grabbed his coffee back from Adam, his finger lingering a bit longer than it needed to against Adams. Adam only shook his head, grabbing the right coffee and taking a big gulp.
“You’re impossible.” He murmured, eyes back on his notes. He needed to pass this class, Politics and Gender, but it was proving to be a lot harder than he originally thought. Ronan leaned back in his seat, causing the two front legs to come up off the floor before slamming them down. He repeated the process a few times before Adam stared at him over his notes.
“You can go back home it you’d like.” Ronan frowned.
“And you can stop being a shit head.” Adam considered ignoring him, but it would only cause Ronan to instigate further. Sighing he placed his notes down on the small table in the corner of Ninos. It was only Adam and Ronan today. Noah was off wherever he goes when he wasn’t with the family, and Gansey had something to do. Research. Ronan’s eyes pierced Adam’s holding them hostage. Studies proved that staring for more than three seconds either meant the person staring was head over heels in love with you, or wanted to murder you. With Ronan, it could possibly be both or neither. Ronan’s moods changed as easy as one breath to the next.
“You wouldn’t know what to do if I stopped being an asshole. You’d lose your mind.” Ronan said quietly.
“You’d find it.” Adam said so softly that Ronan thought he was hearing things. It wasn’t out of the realm of possibilities. He was always seeing or hearing things that never added up, or that other people couldn’t or wouldn’t see. Ronan saw all. Heard all.
“Why do you care about that stupid school anyways? That stupid test.” Ronan leaned forward, and Adam leaned in, knowing that if it was Ronan asking, it was important.
“I want to graduate. I want the opportunities it can give me. A career.”
Ronan hit the table with his fist glaring. Adam knew it was his default, and not Adam himself that was receiving the look of Ronan, guns cocked, eyes alive with the fire that was Ronan.
“We are full of possibilities. Especially you, cor meum, my magician. We don’t need a stupid piece of paper to tell us that. Together we can create anything we want.”
“What about after? When all of that fades away? It’s easy to dream, but we need to change the world for the better, and support ourselves while we do it. We need money.”
“Sure we can.” Ronan said, his voice rising in anger. “We can change the future, all of us. But not without you. Don’t you trust me?” Ronan said, a bit of pleading in his voice. Adam and Ronan were leaning so far over the table they were inches away from each other.
“I trust you, somnium” Adam said, leaning the last little bit in, pecking Ronan’s nose. Ronan leaned back glaring daggers, but his lips quirked up all the same.
“Fine, you win me magum. Study your notes. Then I’ll walk you home.” Adam grinned, which only made Ronan look more disgruntled. A fine pair they made.
Fire and Ice. Adam wouldn’t have it any other way.