"Please! Stop!" Matthew begged.

They didn't stop. Ronan threw a punch that landed squarely on Declan's right eye. In return, Declan grabbed Ronan by the back of the neck and slammed his fist into Ronan's face twice. The fabric of Ronan's shirt rubbed searing pain into the back of his neck where the tattoo reached up. His mouth filled with blood. He spit on the ground and hooked his leg around Declan's ankle and brought him down to the ground. He put one foot on either side of Declan's legs, planning to straddle and beat the ever loving shit out him, but then he was hit by a very something very solid that pushed him away from the motherfucker.

"Get off me, Gansey!" Ronan growled. Declan sat up and wiped under his nose, pulling it back to look at the blood gathered on it.

"Stop! We're out of here. Get in the car," he ordered. Ronan shoved away from him and went to sit in the BMW. He threw himself in and slammed the door, crossing his arms like a petulant child. He glared out the window to where Gansey was helping Declan up off the ground. Declan brushed himself off and proceeded to yell at Gansey for several minutes, alternating waving his arms around and pointing at the car Ronan was in. Gansey nodded through the whole thing until Matthew finally pulled Declan inside to clean him up.

Gansey knocked on the driver's side window. Ronan rolled down the window without moving his eyes from where they stared, straight ahead.

Gansey leaned down so his head was next to Ronan's ear. "So."

"So," Ronan mimicked.

"Ronan." Gansey sighed. "At least wait so Matthew can say goodbye."

"Fine."

Ronan got out and leaned against the side of the car while Gansey went to go get Matthew. He just wanted to get out of here. He gently touched the back of his neck, where the tattoo still burned. There was blood on his hand when he pulled it back.

"Fuck," he murmured. Matthew came bounding out of the house.

"Ronan," he said, his eyes already wet.

"Don't, kid."

"No, I'm just going to miss you so much!" He threw himself into Ronan's arms. Ronan patted him on the back gently.

"I'll be back. And you can visit me at college," Ronan promised.

Matthew let go of him. "You'll be here for Thanksgiving right? And Christmas?"

"Of course. It's only a couple hours away."

"Okay," Matthew sniffled, backing away. "Okay. I'll see you soon, right?" Ronan nodded. "I've gotta help Declan. Have fun at college!" He ran off back into the house. Gansey came out a minute later.

"Ready to get the fuck out of here?" Ronan asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Gansey said, pulling out the keys to the Pig. They both got in their cars, which were both packed to bursting with all of Ronan's belongings. Gansey left first and Ronan followed behind in case the Pig broke down again.

They arrived at William and Mary close to two hours later. They parked as close to the dorm rooms as they could. Moving all of Ronan's things took about another hour with the walking they had to do and the elevator they had to take up to their floor.

Gansey sighed when they were finally done. "Ready to unpack?"

"Fuck no. I actually have to head to Cabeswater again," Ronan replied, walking around Gansey.

"Again? You might want to try not being so obvious," Gansey said.

"You're one to talk," Ronan shot back. "But I actually have to go in this time. I need Adam to check if there was any damage to the tattoo in the fight. There was blood, I think Declan ripped the scabs off when he grabbed at my neck." Ronan was also a little worried about the tongue ring having been ripped a little with all the blood in his mouth, but he could always let it heal and get it re-pierced. The tattoo was more permanent.

"Turn," Gansey commanded. Ronan obeyed and let Gansey pull down his shirt collar from the back. "Oh damn. You really should have him look at it, actually."

"Fuck. I knew it. That worthless jackoff wrecked my tattoo." Ronan was livid.

"You don't know that yet," Gansey said firmly. "Just go get it checked out."

"You coming?" Ronan asked.

Gansey beamed. "Yes."

They made the quick trip to the tattoo shop, choosing to drive this time to get there faster, as though it might help save Ronan's tattoo.

The bell chimed as they walked in. Blue smiled when she saw them, then dropped it when she actually took them in. She straightened up from where she had been leaning against the wall near Noah's station. Adam stood up from his station and came to join the group when he saw Ronan's face, his own filled with worry. Ronan could fly away at the idea that Adam Parrish, the most beautiful boy Ronan had ever seen, was worried about him.

"Another question for Adam?" Noah asked suggestively, not looking up from his sketchbook. When he did he gasped. Apparently Declan had left a mark.

"Yeah, and one for you too, Blue," Ronan inclined his head toward her.

Her eyebrows pulled down. "What's up?"

"I need you to check my piercing."

"Why? What happened to you?" she asked.

"I got in a fight. My mouth bled and I want to be sure it wasn't from the piercing. I'm not sure if maybe it ripped a little.

Blue's face immediately became serious. "Open up." Ronan stuck his tongue out for her to look. She pulled him down to her level by his shoulders. "Whoever you fought really did a number on your mouth," she said, inspecting him. "But it doesn't look like there was any serious damage to the piercing. It is red and angry so you definitely pulled it a little bit but I don't see any reason it shouldn't heal right. If it migrates, let me know and we can take it out and let it heal then pierce it again."

Ronan straightened up. "That's good. I think the tattoo might've gotten messed up though."

"What?" Adam strode over to Ronan in two long steps and turned him around. He pulled the collar of Ronan's shirt down like Gansey had earlier. "Oh," he breathed.

"Is it bad?" Ronan asked, expecting the worst.

"All the scabs ripped off the top, but I think we can save it. I'll bandage it again and you'll have to go back to the Aquafor for a couple days. Once the shading and everything is done, it shouldn't be noticeable even if there are some wonky lines," Adam said, letting the shirt go. "Come back to my station and take your shirt off."

Ronan stripped it off. Adam pulled on some gloves and started getting out the bandage and surgical tape. Ronan waited in front of the large mirror on the wall, trying to get a good look at his back. What he could see was as angry and red as it had been the day it was done. Ronan sighed.

"I really think it'll be fine, some people pick at the scabs and it doesn't mess up the lines too bad," Gansey said next to Ronan.

"Most people pick them, not violently rip them off with cotton fabric," Ronan said angrily.

"So who did you pick a fight with?" Blue asked.

"Why are you so sure it was me that picked the fight?" Ronan raised his eyebrows.

"Just the vibe I get from you," she chuckled.

"Well you'd be wrong," Ronan said. "It was my brother this time."

"The dickhead?" Adam asked, returning with his arms full of the supplies he needed. "What'd he do now?"

"He was being a condescending fucker about my tattoo and piercing. I told him he was a disappointment to our father. He hit me. So it goes."

"It sounds like your thing was a little worse than his thing," Adam said mildly, putting Aquafor on Ronan's back. Ronan fought back a groan that threatened to escape as Adam rubbed his back gently.

"Maybe. But I'm just paraphrasing. He still deserved it." Gansey looked like he wanted to argue but he bit his tongue for Ronan's sake.

Adam laughed and taped the bandage on Ronan's back. "I imagine so. All dickheads do."

"What about your dickhead? Ever fight with him?" Ronan asked.

Blue's face screwed up in a cringe and Noah looked paler than he normally did. The both looked at Adam.

But Adam just shrugged. "Something like that."

"What do you mean some- oh. Oh." Ronan internally cringed. "Shit, Parrish."

Adam shrugged again. "It's over now." He pulled the gloves off and tossed them in the trash. "You're done, but you can hang around the shop for an hour so I can check it when it's time to take the bandage off if you want."

"Yeah, I've got time," Ronan answered. "Gansey can get that matching tongue ring you were talking about."

Gansey chuckled nervously. "I don't think so."

As Blue and Noah attempted to sway Gansey into getting any kind of piercing, Ronan walked over to Adam's station, where Adam was putting away the after care supplies.

"Hey, about earlier-" Ronan started.

"Don't worry about it," Adam cut him off. "It was a long time ago."

"Do you ever talk to him?"

Adam seemed surprised by Ronan's genuine interest. "No, I don't. I haven't spoken since I moved out my senior year of high school. I ended up in the hospital once and after that I never went back."

"Jesus, the hospital?"

"Yeah, I had some bruised and broken ribs."

Ronan swore. "What a bastard."

"Yeah, but I moved out, saved enough money from tattooing and mechanic work to open my own shop." Ronan paused to admire Adam's work ethic. Beautiful boy and a hard worker to boot. And he knew about cars. Adam was exactly Ronan's type, if he had one at all.

"I'm surprised you don't have any tattoos, owning a shop and all," Ronan said, trying to subtly probe for more information from Adam.

It worked. "I have tattoos, you just can't see them." Fuck. He shouldn't have asked. Ronan was going to go crazy imagining all the designs Adam could have hidden underneath his clothes. "Your eye is looking real bad," Adam said, taking the attention off himself.

Ronan reached up and touched his left eye, feeling for swelling. It was a little, but not enough to really impair his vision. "It's fine. My dad definitely taught us how to leave a mark though."

"I can see that." Adam looked over Ronan's shoulder. "Also I think the wolves have descended upon Gansey.

Ronan looked over at the other three. "I better help him."

Ronan shooed Blue and Noah away from Gansey. They spent the rest of the hour comparing the flash tattoos that were hanging around the shop. There weren't the usual dragons and tribal and barbed wire that usually littered the walls of tattoo parlors. Instead there were ponds with lily pads and and tiny stick and poke ideas and fairies caring for flowers. Slightly more detail and much more original.

"Ronan," Adam called from his station, where he had been engrossed in his sketchbook. Ronan savored the way his name sounded in Adam's mouth.

"Been an hour?" Ronan asked.

"Yup, time to take the bandage off." Ronan walked over and took his shirt off again, giving Adam access to his back. "It looks better already. It looks like scabs are reforming. I think you'll actually be okay."

"Perfect. How many days of Aquafor?

"I think you'll be fine with two. We'll keep the appointment next Saturday and check how it's healing, but hopefully this won't mess with our time line. Try not to get into any more fights," Adam joked.

"I'll try but I'm not going to promise anything," Ronan laughed.

"The best I can hope for I suppose."

They stood there awkwardly for a minute.

"Well," Ronan cleared his throat, "we better get going, I have to unpack all my shit."

"Sounds good, I'll see you that Saturday." Adam said.

"I'll be there." Ronan looked back to Gansey, who was leaning back against the wall with Blue. "Gansey," he called.

"Okay, I guess we have to go." Gansey bumped his shoulder against Blue, meaning he nearly hit her in head since she was so much shorter than him.

"Saturday," both Gansey and Ronan said as they exited the shop.

The Pig broke down half way back to campus and they had to walk all the way back to get Ronan's BMW to jump start it, but even that combined with the fight couldn't bring Ronan down now.

He was walking on air.