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[ This has been an odd week, to say the least. Matthew's not thinking about why it was weird, why he was seven, that Ronan might have died in some other universe or timeline or whatever--he's definitely not thinking about that.
(But he can't forget it either.)
What he is doing is getting back in the swing of being his actual self again, and checking to make sure everyone else is back to normal, too. There's plenty of warning that he's on his way to Noah's room now, his feet thumping on the stairs. ]
Hey, Noah, you down here?
(But he can't forget it either.)
What he is doing is getting back in the swing of being his actual self again, and checking to make sure everyone else is back to normal, too. There's plenty of warning that he's on his way to Noah's room now, his feet thumping on the stairs. ]
Hey, Noah, you down here?
[There's no reply, just a stormy heaviness to the air. Noah's door is open just a hair's breadth, and the light from inside looks strange, like it's coming from the wrong angle.
Then, almost too late - a muffled shudder of a breath.]
I'm here.
[It isn't the voice of the lively, loyal friend Matthew's come to know. It's too small, and strained through tears.]
Then, almost too late - a muffled shudder of a breath.]
I'm here.
[It isn't the voice of the lively, loyal friend Matthew's come to know. It's too small, and strained through tears.]
[ Matthew is not the most observant of people but he still manages to figure out that Something Is Wrong when he and Blue get back from shopping in De Chima. Ronan's gone, Noah's gone, Gansey's gone, and-- Matthew just doesn't like the way it feels.
He waits a while, does his chores, plays with Max, checks his phone, checks the house for his brother or his friend in case he missed them somehow. And then he doesn't feel like he can wait anymore. ]
hey noah
when are you coming home?
[ He doesn't even know where Noah is. Work, maybe? Out with friends? ]
He waits a while, does his chores, plays with Max, checks his phone, checks the house for his brother or his friend in case he missed them somehow. And then he doesn't feel like he can wait anymore. ]
hey noah
when are you coming home?
[ He doesn't even know where Noah is. Work, maybe? Out with friends? ]
[There's no reply for more than two hours - Noah's phone is off, cold and heavy in his back pocket. When he finally gets to De Chima and pulls it out, it takes him a good half hour to even type out a reply. Ronan would just freak even more if he knew.]
not for awhile
sorry
not for awhile
sorry
[ It's sometime after five when Ronan parks the car in the front yard, and Matthew feels the safety of being home fold around him like a warm blanket.
He's exhausted, and dirty. His clothes are ruined. He needs a shower, but he wants to see if Noah is awake first, to let him know they made it back. ]
He's exhausted, and dirty. His clothes are ruined. He needs a shower, but he wants to see if Noah is awake first, to let him know they made it back. ]
Matthew!
[Noah scrambles off the couch at the sound of the front door, knocking over a bag of potato chips in the process. His eyes are red and ringed with dark, exhausted circles, and he's still wearing yesterday's clothes - he hasn't left the couch in almost twelve hours, furiously keeping track of the events in Philadelphia. The TV is still on, flickering an infomercial about a blender through the dim house.
As soon as Matthew comes in range, Noah is there, hands and eyes seeking out injury, standing on his tiptoes to check his friend over.]
Are you alright? Are you hurt?
[Noah scrambles off the couch at the sound of the front door, knocking over a bag of potato chips in the process. His eyes are red and ringed with dark, exhausted circles, and he's still wearing yesterday's clothes - he hasn't left the couch in almost twelve hours, furiously keeping track of the events in Philadelphia. The TV is still on, flickering an infomercial about a blender through the dim house.
As soon as Matthew comes in range, Noah is there, hands and eyes seeking out injury, standing on his tiptoes to check his friend over.]
Are you alright? Are you hurt?
[Noah stifles laughter against Matthew's arm as he trips out the doorway, steadying himself with one hand latched into toga fabric. The thick air makes his legs itch, and the moon is a funny shape, and he needs to kiss Matthew again right now, because he feels like he's onto something, like he's at the edge of understanding a riddle, and the answer is somewhere between their palms.
Matthew's blond curls look like a halo in front of the porch lights, and Noah can't do anything but tug him back down into another kiss. It's like the one inside - lips pressing just harder, parted just wider, the gentlest question that he doesn't even know he's asking. He pushes closer, leaning up on his toes, and slides his hands into Matthew's hair.]
Matthew's blond curls look like a halo in front of the porch lights, and Noah can't do anything but tug him back down into another kiss. It's like the one inside - lips pressing just harder, parted just wider, the gentlest question that he doesn't even know he's asking. He pushes closer, leaning up on his toes, and slides his hands into Matthew's hair.]
[ Kissing Noah is an experience. Matthew was created to have fun, to be loved, and he's certainly never been deprived of either of those things but with Noah, when they're doing this, it's so different. He's always been someone's little brother, buddy, teammate, and he loves being those things, but he can hardly ignore the pure delight that comes with this mouths-together, hands-in-his-hair affection, too. Even if they aren't dating, even if it's just for fun.
So Matthew laughs against Noah's mouth, pleased by the eagerness even if he's not quite sure why; once again he just chalks it up to the alcohol Noah's been drinking and tucks an arm around his back, lifting his other hand to brush the backs of his fingers gently against Noah's cheek. Pleasantly unencumbered by any sense of urgency himself, Matthew parts his lips just that much more, experimentally, happy to see where things go but in no particular rush to get there. ]
So Matthew laughs against Noah's mouth, pleased by the eagerness even if he's not quite sure why; once again he just chalks it up to the alcohol Noah's been drinking and tucks an arm around his back, lifting his other hand to brush the backs of his fingers gently against Noah's cheek. Pleasantly unencumbered by any sense of urgency himself, Matthew parts his lips just that much more, experimentally, happy to see where things go but in no particular rush to get there. ]
[ They're hanging out in Noah's tiny, cozy room. Matthew's stretched across the bed on his stomach like he belongs nowhere else, with his socked feet kicking slow circles in the air. He's trying to study a couple brochures--one of them being the Heropa public transit schedule, which he knows he needs to figure out before school starts up--but it's hard to concentrate.
Noah's room makes him want to be lazy, to roll onto his back and stare at the ceiling and make up stupid stories. ]
Noah's room makes him want to be lazy, to roll onto his back and stare at the ceiling and make up stupid stories. ]
[Noah plucks at the edge of the pamphlet, looking aggressively disinterested.]
It's gonna be really stupid without you here all day.
[He's sprawled on his back, one shoulder pressed against Matthew's. Their casual closeness has gotten more frequent, but he never dare take it for granted. Even doing something so mundane - socked feet and boring brochures and a Thursday night sunset - he can feel his cheeks running warmer than usual.]
It's gonna be really stupid without you here all day.
[He's sprawled on his back, one shoulder pressed against Matthew's. Their casual closeness has gotten more frequent, but he never dare take it for granted. Even doing something so mundane - socked feet and boring brochures and a Thursday night sunset - he can feel his cheeks running warmer than usual.]
[ Matthew doesn't come find Noah right away; he waits until the next day, giving Ronan's instructions time to percolate through his porous little dream brain. It might have taken him a whole half hour longer than usual to fall asleep last night, due to all the percolating.
But he thinks he has all his thoughts lined up now, maybe, so he's ready when he and Noah meet each other in the hall the next morning, both presumably on their way about their regular routines. Matthew has a half-eaten poptart in his hand but quickly swallows the bite in his mouth and gently catches Noah's elbow, just long enough to get his attention. ]
Hey Noah, you got a minute?
But he thinks he has all his thoughts lined up now, maybe, so he's ready when he and Noah meet each other in the hall the next morning, both presumably on their way about their regular routines. Matthew has a half-eaten poptart in his hand but quickly swallows the bite in his mouth and gently catches Noah's elbow, just long enough to get his attention. ]
Hey Noah, you got a minute?
[Noah's sleepy face perks up at the touch, and he pauses. He's got a canvas sack thrown over one shoulder, and his T-shirt is splotched with colorful paint - he's going out to work on the barn mural some more.]
Yeah, what's up?
Yeah, what's up?
[Noah wondered when he'd get this update.]
yeah that would be cool
means you have to come visit more though
yeah that would be cool
means you have to come visit more though
yeah!
as long as she's not like an axe murderer or anything
as long as she's not like an axe murderer or anything
[It's quite late or very early, depending on perspective and Gansey is wide awake, laying on his bed, reading a history book from this time period. Ever since the Incident a couple days ago, his insomnia has been worse than normal. Now he doesn't even try to lay down with the intent of sleep.]
[Noah's head pokes above the loft stairs before he makes any noise, pale hair almost orange in the lamplight. There's a shirt of Ronan's hanging off of his tiny shoulders, and the rings below his eyes almost match the dark fabric. After several moments of standing there like a timid specter, he finally clears his throat.]
Gansey?
Gansey?
[Adam's curled up in one of the couches in the living room with an eye on the door, waiting for Noah to get home. He spent half the day with Ronan redoing Noah's room and Gansey's. He's pretty sure that Gansey and Ronan are off somewhere together, probably in Gansey's new room, but Adam begged off, wanting them to have some time together and wanting to make sure someone was waiting for Noah.
He wants to make sure that Noah's surprise is a gift and not something he stumbles into and thinks his room has been taken away.
When Noah comes through the door, Adam sits up, grinning with relief.]
Noah.
He wants to make sure that Noah's surprise is a gift and not something he stumbles into and thinks his room has been taken away.
When Noah comes through the door, Adam sits up, grinning with relief.]
Noah.
[Noah grins when he sees Adam, and reaches up to pop out one earbud. His canvas spray paint bag is looped around one shoulder - he's been down at the new church, adding to the raven mural.]
Hey! [Dropping his things in a pile by the door, Noah comes over to lean against the couch. He smells like paint.] Have a good nap-date?
Hey! [Dropping his things in a pile by the door, Noah comes over to lean against the couch. He smells like paint.] Have a good nap-date?
🎉 HEY 🎉
are u: 1) free on friday night
2) a fan of fun & free booze
bcuz if yes, then u should definitely come to our party
[ IMGATTACHMENT_INVITE.JPG. ]
starts at 6, stay til whenever
& hmu if u got any questions!
ps. tights ARE optional, tho definitely encouraged 👍💥
- r. mantle
[ He's forwarded this message to a few other (hand-selected!!) people, but he'll still respond if texted back. ]
are u: 1) free on friday night
2) a fan of fun & free booze
bcuz if yes, then u should definitely come to our party
[ IMGATTACHMENT_INVITE.JPG. ]
starts at 6, stay til whenever
& hmu if u got any questions!
ps. tights ARE optional, tho definitely encouraged 👍💥
- r. mantle
[ He's forwarded this message to a few other (hand-selected!!) people, but he'll still respond if texted back. ]
i was literally born for this mission
i won't let you down chief
i won't let you down chief
[Ronan blinks into existence less than a second after his fight with Adam, a flickering light hanging over Noah's shoulder, with the words they just exchanged still echoing in his thoughts. Though despair doesn't grip him quite as tightly when he's in this form, he's still agonizing over Adam's orders. It's endlessly unfair that everyone expects him to give up on Noah, as if fighting to save him is somehow the wrong thing.]
[One moment, Noah is pushing a buggy down the aisle of Party Town, tossing in a bag of discount candy. The next, Ronan is there, a sudden clap of thunder in his mind, desperate and pulsing and, most importantly, upset. He turns his head, eyes focusing on the ball of light.
Hey, what's wrong? Ronan's thoughts are a jumble, colliding with Noah's like electrons. They're hard to read, and Noah doesn't understand the bits he does manage to catch. What are you giving up on me for?
A concerned, bewildered tone, but not overly serious. He doesn't want to distress Ronan even more.]
Hey, what's wrong? Ronan's thoughts are a jumble, colliding with Noah's like electrons. They're hard to read, and Noah doesn't understand the bits he does manage to catch. What are you giving up on me for?
A concerned, bewildered tone, but not overly serious. He doesn't want to distress Ronan even more.]
[Noah finds them around noon, when he finally returns to his room for the first time since the fight. He immediately curls up in the pile, holding back tears, and stays there for several minutes. Then, once his heart stops clenching in his throat, he pulls out his phone and sends a short text through blurry eyes - ]
i love you
i love you
okay
does it matter if i never really went actual hiking before
does it matter if i never really went actual hiking before
is there gonna be
boos
[He looked the flyer but he isn't good at reading and honestly he just wanted to make that joke.]
boos
[He looked the flyer but he isn't good at reading and honestly he just wanted to make that joke.]
Edited 2017-10-11 03:57 (UTC)
so why aren't you in my room kissing me right this second, sir?
Hey I need to ask you something and I can't trust Magnus with it.
[ what?? WHAT??? trouble in paradise??
no, after a moment she sends a snap of herself in a dressing room mirror, mostly focused on her backside in a jean miniskirt. ]
You think my ass is too THERE in this skirt?
[ what?? WHAT??? trouble in paradise??
no, after a moment she sends a snap of herself in a dressing room mirror, mostly focused on her backside in a jean miniskirt. ]
You think my ass is too THERE in this skirt?
[Oh jesus fucking christ. His face is redder than he ever thought it could be.]
girl
one's ass can never be too there
it looks gr8
girl
one's ass can never be too there
it looks gr8
[ left in ravencru's mailbox are several envelopes addressed to the various inhabitants, each with a handpainted invitation inside: ]
[ written on the back of the invitation is a gps location in the shenandoah valley and a comment:
Most of you are already familiar with our place, but just in case.. You won't see the house at first since the wards are up and working properly. When you get close enough, you'll see the gate; the wards are set to let you through. ]
[ written on the back of the invitation is a gps location in the shenandoah valley and a comment:
Most of you are already familiar with our place, but just in case.. You won't see the house at first since the wards are up and working properly. When you get close enough, you'll see the gate; the wards are set to let you through. ]
Edited 2017-11-26 21:48 (UTC)
what isn't?
like, life in general?
or is this about sexting again?
like, life in general?
or is this about sexting again?
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