- Will have spoilers for books 1-3 (I'm only halfway through Blue Lily, Lily Blue)

- Title/Story was inspired by Novels - Rust Clanton

- ROADTRIP STORY

The Novels In Our Heads

Although the thunderstorm outside caused an uproar on Ronan's windows, he was still able to hear Gansey pacing. It was all the restless Aglionby boy seemed to do recently. It wasn't that Ronan was oblivious to Gansey's insomnia, it was that he chose to ignore it. The others believed that Ronan didn't care, about anyone, or anything. It was only Ronan and Noah who knew how wrong they were. Ronan knew that if he started to care too much, then they would expect from him, and Ronan never wanted to have that responsibility.

Ronan rolled uncomfortably around on his bed, knowing that Gansey was having another one of his breakdowns. It wasn't surprising to him, but Ronan allowed himself to worry about his friend. What was he doing this time? Was he panicking about Adam, about Blue? Or was it his career, his family? Ronan pushed out the bed, pulling on a plain white tee before he made his way downstairs, interrupting Gansey's paces.

"Is he going to be like this all the damn time, Lynch?" Gansey almost hissed at him when he noticed his presence. Ronan was taken aback a little, looking his friend over, trying to find the cause of his distress.

"Who are you blabbering about?" He asked, wandering into the kitchen, Gansey following. Ronan made himself a glass of water, trying to cover how anxious he was.

"Noah," Gansey frowned. "I want him back, he doesn't deserve this," Gansey mumbled, leaning against the doorframe, closing his eyes briefly, trying to block out the amount of hate he felt.

"We all want him back," Ronan tried. "But he's here still-"

"It's not enough," the other piped in, looking Ronan over. Ronan watched him back sadly, not knowing what to do when Gansey was like this.

Blue would know what to do. But Blue wasn't here, and Ronan was alone. When Ronan took a step closer, Gansey only shook his head and walked into his room, curling into a ball on his bed, almost childlike.

Ronan wished Adam was there.

"Can we, can we go somewhere, do you think?" Gansey mumbled into his pillow. Ronan barely heard him, but he understood easily. Ronan nodded slowly and jumped up onto his bed smoothly, pulling Gansey's hands away from his face, smiling a little.

"Of course we can. We'll leave in the morning," he reassured before he returned to his bedroom, noting how Gansey's light was still on when he curled up in his own bed. Ronan lay awake, watching Chainsaw from across the room as she chewed through one of Noah's shirts.

When morning came, the rain hadn't stopped, but that wasn't going to halt Gansey. Blue and Adam arrived just before nine, with bags filled with clothes. Ronan raised a brow at the bags, eyeing Adam too wryly.

"You're not moving in are you?" He asked Blue who rolled her eyes.

"We're camping, idiot," Adam smirked and walked past Ronan and onto Gansey's bed, helping Gansey pack a few of his things, reassuring Gansey that it would be okay. Ronan wished sometimes that he was more like Adam, less defensive and more protective.

"Please tell me we're not taking the Pig?" Blue smirked, sitting on her bag, her dark green woollen socks reaching just above her knees. No one answered, they just made their way out into Gansey's bright orange Camaro and climbed in. Ronan called shotgun, which left Adam and Blue in the back. Noah squeezed his ghostly body in between them, proud of himself.

Rain splattered across the windshield as Gansey sped out of Henrietta. There was one thing that Richard Gansey III never did, and that was run away. But today, or for the next few days, he was giving himself a free pass. Gansey needed space. And he needed space with his friends. He was tired of being tired, and of playing with his thoughts.

Ronan looked across at Gansey and saw the darkness leave his eyes. As Gansey's hand worked its way up through the gears, Ronan gazed at him, willing him to feel better. Ronan noted how his jaw was tense, his eyes narrowed as he watched the road before him, almost expecting an accident. Ronan shifted his eyes away for a moment, only to begin staring at him again, the music quietly simmering in his ears, making his mind wander.

Gansey would feel better after this. And Ronan would help him. Ronan lied and told himself that it would be him that would make Gansey feel safe again, not Blue, not Adam, not Noah, but Ronan, only Ronan.