Ronan grins when he sees Bruce at the temple, approaching with a little jog in his step. Chainsaw is flying overhead and finds her perch at the roof of the temple while he approaches Bruce, a hand out for one of those weird sideways hi five/handshake things that young men seem to do for some strange reason.
"Bruce- holy shit, it's really you."
And he's grown- oh, maybe a year or so, but when you're on the cusp of nineteen/twenty, a year can be a lot. The hair is still shaved, but he's bulked out a bit, grown into himself a little more.
He says, and jogs down the last few steps and reaches out- he knows Ronan is prickly, but he doesn't care, not right now, not for today. He reaches out and does the officious parental thing and steals a hug.
"My God, you're a foot taller, look at you."
And, taking him by the shoulders, to do just that.
But he lets the hug happen, returns it after a moment because he did miss him, just a little. Ronan clings tightly before pulling back and glancing away at the comment at his height, the tips of his ears turning pink.
"Oh, you know- same shit," he mumbles, shrugging awkwardly and trying to think of how long it's been since he last saw Bruce.
"Parrish is still here. He's the only one though, but at this point, I think the Door or whatever sees us as a package deal." Ronan says it offhandedly, like it's no big deal but it's... for the best, really, as it's a coin flip as to whether he would either drink himself into a coma or tear a hole in the fabric of reality if Adam ever left.
"We're- you know. Us. Chainsaw, annoying dog, a fucking garden, boarded up windows. It's domestic."
And he loves it- wholly, completely, if he loves nothing else in the city, then he loves his little home and his little garden and his little pets that he feeds and waters every morning. It probably shows in how he can't quite make his tone sound like sarcasm.
"Good." He says, and draws him in again, because that means another hug. It makes his chest ache in a serious way, the fact that he is now this serious young man. "I'm terribly proud of you."
"Oh my god," he scoffs, but he presses his face into Bruce's shoulder all the same. Part of it brings up painful-warm memories of the last time his father hugged him, the last time Niall said he was proud- but Ronan pushes that away as they part, staring awkwardly at the ground as if he isn't flushing high in his cheeks at this point.
"What, of my place? I stopped working for the clinic, so most of my dream shit winds up in there, so it's... kind of a mad house."
"Most of it is either wrecked or we gave up on it. There's the garden, but... beyond that, there hasn't been much. Parrish still works for the clinic, and I- you know, I keep myself busy."
If Ronan has ever realized how useful he was, he's never shown it, nor has he offered much to help out others unless it's a vital need. For being likely one of the people with the most power to change the lifestyle around here, Ronan- makes a spike collar for their dog. Brings back little flowers for Adam, sometimes. Invents a mug that whistles like a teapot when the liquid inside of it is too hot.
"Shit, me too. I'd probably have killed a dude by now."
It's kind of a joke, to cover the flush in his face.
"He's- I don't know. I know we won't remember this if we ever go home, but... you know, we ended up together there too? Just that it's... it's a lot earlier."
"There you go, then. It does something fucky to your head."
Is his reasoning.
"It's like- it takes you from where you are, and then erases everything you do here when it sends you back. But it does send you back, because you remember shit you did here if you ever get picked up again."
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2018-05-16 04:09 am (UTC)He stands, when he sees Ronan coming down the street.
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Date: 2018-05-16 04:37 am (UTC)"Bruce- holy shit, it's really you."
And he's grown- oh, maybe a year or so, but when you're on the cusp of nineteen/twenty, a year can be a lot. The hair is still shaved, but he's bulked out a bit, grown into himself a little more.
no subject
Date: 2018-05-16 04:56 am (UTC)He says, and jogs down the last few steps and reaches out- he knows Ronan is prickly, but he doesn't care, not right now, not for today. He reaches out and does the officious parental thing and steals a hug.
"My God, you're a foot taller, look at you."
And, taking him by the shoulders, to do just that.
no subject
Date: 2018-05-16 06:41 am (UTC)But he lets the hug happen, returns it after a moment because he did miss him, just a little. Ronan clings tightly before pulling back and glancing away at the comment at his height, the tips of his ears turning pink.
"And you're even grayer than I remember."
no subject
Date: 2018-05-16 08:58 am (UTC)He points out; he always was.
"Older. It's been a few years for me. How long- and what's all happened here? With you."
Not the Nulls, not Delight, just Ronan's little life in this place.
no subject
Date: 2018-05-17 06:10 am (UTC)"Parrish is still here. He's the only one though, but at this point, I think the Door or whatever sees us as a package deal." Ronan says it offhandedly, like it's no big deal but it's... for the best, really, as it's a coin flip as to whether he would either drink himself into a coma or tear a hole in the fabric of reality if Adam ever left.
"We're- you know. Us. Chainsaw, annoying dog, a fucking garden, boarded up windows. It's domestic."
And he loves it- wholly, completely, if he loves nothing else in the city, then he loves his little home and his little garden and his little pets that he feeds and waters every morning. It probably shows in how he can't quite make his tone sound like sarcasm.
no subject
Date: 2018-05-17 08:14 am (UTC)Sorry. So, letting him go again, he decides;
"Can I get the tour?"
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Date: 2018-05-18 05:42 am (UTC)"What, of my place? I stopped working for the clinic, so most of my dream shit winds up in there, so it's... kind of a mad house."
All the more reason?
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Date: 2018-05-18 06:29 am (UTC)"I've visited the clinic. It looks like they're doing really well. I need a different lost cause to get involved with."
He'll always think fondly of the place, but he's has no intention of going back.
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Date: 2018-05-19 05:13 am (UTC)He shrugs, trailing back toward their home.
"Most of it is either wrecked or we gave up on it. There's the garden, but... beyond that, there hasn't been much. Parrish still works for the clinic, and I- you know, I keep myself busy."
If Ronan has ever realized how useful he was, he's never shown it, nor has he offered much to help out others unless it's a vital need. For being likely one of the people with the most power to change the lifestyle around here, Ronan- makes a spike collar for their dog. Brings back little flowers for Adam, sometimes. Invents a mug that whistles like a teapot when the liquid inside of it is too hot.
no subject
Date: 2018-05-19 07:18 am (UTC)Says Bruce, determindly, following along after him.
"I remember going absolutely out of my mind from boredom, between the terror."
He needs to get a hobby this time.
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Date: 2018-05-22 02:48 am (UTC)He suggests, teasing.
"Boyfriend. Whatever. Keeps me occupied."
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Date: 2018-05-22 03:32 am (UTC)And that boyfriend he'd just been making when they spoke last.
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Date: 2018-05-22 03:37 am (UTC)"You really care about my love life, man?"
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Date: 2018-05-22 03:46 am (UTC)Of course he does. He cares about him.
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Date: 2018-05-22 03:54 am (UTC)"That's Parrish- Adam, whatever. He's... you know, he's good. We're good. Fine, I guess? He's- "
God he's so bad at talking about this.
"Whatever, it's stupid. It's going fine."
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Date: 2018-05-22 03:58 am (UTC)He says, doing a little mental math, smiling just a little bit more.
"I'm glad you're not here alone."
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Date: 2018-05-22 04:43 am (UTC)It's kind of a joke, to cover the flush in his face.
"He's- I don't know. I know we won't remember this if we ever go home, but... you know, we ended up together there too? Just that it's... it's a lot earlier."
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Date: 2018-05-22 05:12 am (UTC)He asks, eyebrows lifting. This part is new to him. Is it something like his own trip home he's just been on?
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Date: 2018-05-22 05:58 am (UTC)Reasonably.
"When we went home for a few months. I even got fuckin' younger. I mean, did you remember this place?"
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Date: 2018-05-22 06:30 am (UTC)Wrinkling his nose.
"Not until I got back here this time. It hit me while I was prying my way past the flying monkeys."
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Date: 2018-06-01 05:59 am (UTC)Is his reasoning.
"It's like- it takes you from where you are, and then erases everything you do here when it sends you back. But it does send you back, because you remember shit you did here if you ever get picked up again."
no subject
Date: 2018-06-01 07:14 am (UTC)He admits, eyebrows lifting slightly.
"It's- so far out of our control I don't even know necessarily how to react to it."