Adam & Ronan

'So, what did you forget?' Ronan's voice asked; simple 'Hello' wasn't an option.

'Conditioner, sunglasses and my Latin dictionary.' said Adam, holding the phone by his shoulder, while he was taking empty boxes downstairs to the garbage bin.

'That may or may not be my doing.'

'Ronan! I'm going to need this dictionary!'

'No, what you going to need is a way to translate shit. I'm your way.' Ronan simply said. Adam tossed the boxes into the container and grabbed the phone in his one hand, using the other to cover his eyes from the light of the setting sun. The campus looked amazing and peaceful; Adam insisted on coming here couple days earlier than everybody else would, so he could get to know the place. His dorm room was in a low, three condition building, one of many on both sides of wide sidewalk filled with trees and benches. Adam decided it was warm enough for him to take a walk around.

'I can't call you in the middle of the night while I'm doing my homework, because I forgot what consuetudine means.'

'Well, I'm not stopping you. Also, my seventeen century friend, we have internet now. You can just check it on Google.'

'So, your thievery was completely unnecessary?'

'I didn't say that you are going to use Google. It's just for emergencies, when I'm not picking the phone. But you shouldn't count on that. I am picking the phone.' Adam could not supress the smile hearing determination in Ronan's voice.

The one problem with him arriving here earlier was that he cut three days out of his time with Ronan. Three days of what was an idyllic summer at the Barns, filled with calm, restful nights and long, pleasant days. Four words he never fought he would be using to describe his life. Well, it was also satisfying (another new word). Especially after he get his acceptance letter from Cardanial University and they both, Ronan and he, started to feel that their time together has sort of an end date. Adam moved to Ronan, because there was no point in keeping his old place, and quitted all his jobs but one. Ronan kept telling him to abandoned it all, but Adam didn't want to; he didn't want to lose the appreciation of hard-worked money. So, three times a week he drove to the old Church, where he was tasked with renovating benches, confessionals and other wooden elements that needed polishing and impregnation. Then in the evening Ronan would show and they both would go and meet Gansey and Blue at the bar or, if the couple was on the road, sometimes to 300 Fox Way. The psychics there were not at all confused or surprised by their relationship, what Ronan found upsetting. Not that he wanted or expected homophobia or anything like that, but the whole thing was for him too close to fate and destiny and souls being bond to be with each other bullshit. Either way, they popped at 300 Fox Way now and then, where Adam would get some more lessons on card reading and Ronan would get into disputes with Orla and Jimi. It really was an idyllic summer.

'So, what are you up to now?' Ronan asked.

'Not much. I'm walking through campus.'

'Something interesting?'

'Nothing. All of it. I don't know. It feels like home, you know? Lawns, big trees, statues… It feels good.'

Maybe it wasn't the best thing, telling Ronan that he feels great here, without him, but that was the truth. Well, not the part where they are separated, but Adam felt… welcomed. This new-old place felt like he belonged there, with sandy buildings, open spaces, bronze figures and big library in the centre. Of course, it all hasn't even started yet, but it was looking good as far as he could tell.

'I'm glad. But I hope it doesn't mean that we could be having fucking awesome outdoors sex right now and I could drop you there on Sunday.'

Adam laughed, shaking his head. He knew Ronan good enough to know that he's masking some other feelings with this pretentious statement. Not that it wasn't true; Adam wouldn't be mad if some fucking awesome outdoors sex with Ronan was happening right now.

'You know that I have a job interview tomorrow morning, I need to be here.'

'You're already hired! They even have your measurements for some stupid uniform.'

'It's not uniform, it's just an apron.'

'They don't need to standardize you for you to operate a coffee machine' Ronan snorted.

'No, but that's how you make a brand. And it's also because of some sanitary requirements. Don't be an ass.'

'I can't, that's my factory setting. Anyway, have you seen the place already?'

'No, the café is on the other side, couple buildings behind the library. I don't feel like going there today.'

'And what do you feel like?'

'Honestly?'

'No, lie to me.'

'Shut up, asshole' another little outburst of Adam's laughing. 'I feel like you should be next to me.'

Although Adam did feel welcome here, it was strange to not be with Ronan now. Since their first night at the Barns, before the whole Glendower escapade ended, they weren't without one another for more than twelve hours and they always knew that they are going to see each other the same day or night. Their relationship was addicting. But it wasn't like with Blue or in all those movies. They weren't holding hands in public, practising PDA or talking about it with other people or even with themselves. They weren't for show-off. Yet at the same time it was so intense, so consuming, so overwhelming. When they were alone they were all hands and mouths and butterfly touches followed by hard grips and being out of breath and lying awake in the middle of the night, skin to skin. Nothing Adam ever felt, even Cabeswather, nothing could compare to being with Ronan.

Now, he was going to spend so much time without him. Right, the Barns were only like four hours' drive, three if you let Ronan go his normal speed, it wasn't another country or continent or even opposite side of the States, but still. He came here to do his own things, the ones he always worked so hard for. It wasn't Ronan's world, even if Adam pitched the idea to him a couple of times.

'You know, you can always quit. I'll be right back in a split second and we'll pack you ever faster.'

'Ronan…'

'I know. I'm just kidding. Well, maybe a little not. But I miss you, too. Already.'

'We'll call each other every evening. Of course, if you'll learn how to answer the phone.'

'I know how to answer the phone, jackass. I just don't care about it. But I care about you. Who knows, maybe I'll even text you sometimes.'

'No way!'

'Yeah. What about some steamy fantasies in the middle of a class? That should be fun.'

'Yes, especially when I'll be going to the blackboard with a boner. Maybe I'll just power off my phone for the classes.'

'Don't you even dare.'

Adam felt a shiver come down his spine. Even though they never used the word 'love', they both had their own ways of saying it. Ronan's was words mixed with anger, possessiveness, dependence and neediness. Adam's was touches, filled with the same emotions. They both knew how it works; neither of them needed long, sappy declaration. Well, maybe until now, who knows.

Back in his dorm, Adam took it all in once again. His room was small, contained a single bed, a desk and a closet. There were three rooms like that in what constituted as a flat, plus a bathroom and akitchen connected with a living area made of two sofas and a table. The whole place being three times smaller than Monmouth Manufacturing.

He knew a little about his future roommates. Luke, a history enthusiast from North Carolina was going to take religious and ancient societies courses, and Santiago, an Argentinian, doing both art and economy for 'being more of a true Renaissance man', as he wrote in his note. Sending final papers students were all required to deliver some sort of information about themselves, so the others get to know them a bit. Adam thought that nobody was taking it seriously, yet he hesitated if he should write about him being gay. But, since didn't feel that he is, still liking girls, although nobody new came after Blue, the decided not toinclude it. Like Ronan said, it's 20-fucking-16, nobody will care. And if they will, I'll fight them, he added.