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Adam enters the kitchen of the Barns on a Saturday morning in early June, bleary eyed and still half asleep in his threadbare t-shirt and boxers but being slowly woken up by the heavenly scent of breakfast. He isn’t expecting to see a large feast on the kitchen table, but that’s apparently what Ronan has prepared: waffles and pancakes and omelettes and hashbrowns and probably every breakfast food that exists in the universe.
Adam comes up behind Ronan where he’s sitting on the kitchen table and staring at a plateful of waffles. Adam bends down and kisses the top of his head in lieu of good morning.
“Jesus,” Adam says. “Are there a dozen other people joining us for breakfast or something?”
Ronan looks up and his aggressive glare shocks Adam. “No, Parrish,” Ronan spits. “Just you.”
Adam studies Ronan, trying to figure out what’s bothering him this time and coming up empty. The anger is very clearly directed at him, which is what is baffling. They hadn’t fought the last time they saw each other two nights ago. Last night, Adam hadn’t reached the Barns from his garage shift until after midnight and Ronan was already asleep, but he didn’t see what could’ve happened between now and then to upset him.
“Lynch, it’s nine am,” Adam says flatly as he sits down perpendicular to him on the small square table. “What could I have possibly done already to piss you off?”
Ronan scowls, crossing his arms. “Got something to tell me, Parrish?”
Adam stares at him, bewildered. “Um, not that I know of?”
“You sure about that?”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Adam says, annoyed. “Just spit it out. What the hell’s crawled up your ass this morning?”
Ronan stabs a fork into his waffle. “You were chosen as valedictorian.”
“Yeah,” Adam says, impatient. “So?”
Ronan looks positively livid. “Seriously, Parrish? You didn’t think that was something you should tell me?”
Adam gapes at him for a long moment, then starts laughing.
Ronan is glaring at him, but Adam has a hard time taking it seriously. “Really?” Adam asks, the amusement clear in his tone. “That’s what you’re upset about?”
Ronan narrows his eyes at him. “Why the fuck wouldn’t I be? Gansey mentioned it last night when I was at Monmouth, and it was clear that Cheng and Sargent knew too. Gansey said they’ve all known for over a week. And he was fucking shocked that I didn’t.”
Adam blinks. “I—oh. I mean, yeah, Gansey and Henry found out when they announced it at school. They told Blue afterwards and she asked me about it one time.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why does it matter so much? It’s not like I was hiding it from you or anything. It just didn’t come up. And we haven’t even seen each other much since I found out.”
“You should have told me,” Ronan says again, and Adam still doesn’t understand why Ronan is so worked up.
“Ronan, calm down. It just… didn’t occur to me to tell you. I guess I didn’t really think that you’d care.”
That is evidently the wrong thing to say, because Ronan’s expression turns from angry to hurt. “You didn’t think I’d care,” Ronan says tightly.
Adam stares at him, trying to figure out what’s going on. “I—I mean,” Adam stammers. “It’s just Aglionby stuff. You’re don’t—you’re not even coming to graduation.”
“Well I am now,” Ronan growls.
“You don’t have to just because—It’s really not that big of a deal.”
Ronan scowls. “My boyfriend’s fucking valedictorian. Of course I have to go. Just because I don’t give a crap about Aglionby doesn’t mean—this matters to you and you should tell me this stuff. I mean, Christ, Parrish, I don’t care about college either and I was still happy for you when you got into fucking Harvard.”
Adam thinks he understands, then. “Oh,” Adam says, a little stunned that he didn’t get it sooner.
There was pride in Ronan’s voice.
Then, “Wait. Is that why you made all this?” Adam asks, pointing to the obscene amounts of food in front of him.
Ronan’s cheeks turn pink. “Well, I would’ve made it a week earlier if I’d known.”
“That’s—“ Adam doesn’t have the words to describe what that is. Instead, he says, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“Yeah, well,” Ronan grumbles as he pours some coffee into a mug and aggressively shoves it towards Adam. “Congratulations and shit.”
Adam smiles, ridiculously endeared. “Thanks.” He leans across the table to kiss Ronan quickly. When he looks down at his mug, he lets out an amused snort. “’World’s Greatest Smarty Pants’? Really?”
Ronan smirks. “Got it from the dollar store last night.”
“God,” Adam says, laughing. “You’re such a loser.”
“Whatever, Smarty Pants,” Ronan replies, but looks pleased when Adam leans over again to kiss his cheek.
After a moment, Adam admits, “Honestly, I’m not as thrilled about it as I thought I’d be. I’m happy I was chosen for the position and it’ll look really good on my resume, but…” Adam sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t want to write some stupid speech and recite it in front of a hundred Aglionby douchebags.”
“Well, just think about how pissed off those Aglionby douchebags will be. I heard twenty other students applied for it.” Ronan grins, all snake. “Including Gansey.”
Adam shrugs, sheepish. “Well, to be fair, Gansey didn’t try too hard. He only applied because his parents forced him.”
“Gansey said you beat out Carruthers too and the guy almost cried when they announced it.”
Adam bites down a smile. “Yeah, that was pretty satisfying.”
“See? You’ll blow the fucking roof off. Make the whole population of Aglionby shitheads be jealous of how brilliant and amazing you are. Et cetera.”
Ronan says it in a nonchalant way, his mouth full of eggs, but the words still make Adam’s cheeks feel warm. All of him feels warm, actually. Ronan doesn’t throw compliments like that out often, even after all these months, so to hear him be so open about it is a lot.
Before Adam can think of what to say, Ronan snaps, “Now eat the damn food, Parrish. It’s getting cold.”
Adam rolls his eyes and eats the damn food.
“God,” Adam says with a slightly obscene moan, his mouth full of banana and chocolate chip pancakes. “This is amazing.”
“Christ, Parrish, slow down,” Ronan says, amused at the rate Adam is inhaling the food. “You’re going to choke if you keep stuffing your mouth like that.”
Adam swallows down his mouthful and asks, “How long have you been up? Making all this must’ve taken a while.”
Ronan just shrugs, all casual, which Adam knows that he spent an embarrassing number of hours preparing for this. Adam can’t keep the delighted grin off his face, and Ronan makes a face and kicks him under the table. Adam keeps grinning.
A few minutes later, Opal comes skittering into the room, her face lighting up in a large smile when she spots Adam.
“Adam!” She walks over to the table and kisses Adam’s cheek.
“Morning, Opal,” Adam says, looking at the hooved girl with poorly disguised affection.
“Congratulate him, brat,” Ronan barks immediately. “Adam’s fucking valedictorian.”
Opal furrows her eyebrows. “What’s vale—valedict—“
“Valedictorian,” Adam tells her gently. “It’s really not a big—“
“It means he’s a goddamn genius,” Ronan interrupts. “And better than everyone at his school.”
Opal frowns. “But we already knew that.”
“Yeah, but now everyone at school knows it too,” Ronan explains. “It’s all official and shit. He’s giving an important speech and they’ll give him a large ass award—“
“There’s no award,” Adam says, rolling his eyes.
“Whatever,” Ronan says with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Point is, you have to congratulate Adam. And be extra nice to him for at least a day.”
“I’m always nice to him,” Opal says with a scoff. “You’re mean to him.”
“Shut up, squirt. I’m never mean to him. I’m always a fucking angel. Isn’t that right, Parrish?”
“Jesus,” Adam mutters, shaking his head and not bothering to acknowledge Ronan’s comment. “Opal, you don’t have to do anything different. Lynch, you’re going a little overboard. It really isn’t—”
“A big deal, I know, I know, whatever you say.”
“Congratulations, Adam,” Opal says. “I’ll bring you some nice rocks as a present.”
Adam smiles at her fondly. “Thank you, Opal. That’s very nice.”
With a kiss to Adam’s arm and a scowl at Ronan, Opal makes her way out into the fields.
Having finished his food, Adam gets up and starts washing the dishes.
“Leave that, Parrish,” Ronan mutters, coming up behind him.
“I can help,” Adam says as Ronan takes a plate from him.
Ronan scowls. “You’re not supposed to. You can help clean up after dinner if you’re so desperate.”
“So dinner won’t be a seven course thing, then?”
“It’ll be frozen pizza, if you’re lucky.”
“Sound great. Now come here,” Adam says, pulling at Ronan’s wrist as he cleans a large bowl.
“I’m busy, Parrish.”
“Clean up later. Come with me.”
Ronan makes an annoyed sound but complies as Adam drags him towards the living room sofa. Ronan’s eyes widen when Adam pushes him down so he’s flat on his back and climbs over him. There’s a muffled the fuck when Adam crashes his lips against Ronan’s, kissing him senseless. Ronan responds enthusiastically, and after two minutes of ceaseless slow, deep, lingering kisses that make both of them shudder, Adam finally pulls away. They’re both flushed and breathless, and there’s a lazy smile on Ronan’s face that Adam is sure is mirrored on his own.
“So, is this why you took me away from my very important domestic duties?” Ronan says, his thumb running back and forth on Adam’s cheekbone.
“Yeah, that. And… this,” Adam murmurs while trailing feather light kisses along Ronan’s jaw. “This, too.” A kiss below Ronan’s ear, then downwards towards his neck.
Ronan lets out a sigh, his hands snaking under Adam’s t-shirt and softly moving up his back.
“Parrish, I should really—“
“Later,” Adam insists as he leaves a final, prolonged kiss on Ronan’s lips and then lays his head on the other boy’s chest.
“Fine, you clingy asshole,” Ronan mutters, not sounding too upset and brushing his lips lightly over Adam’s hair.
After a few moments of comfortable silence, Adam says quietly, “Thanks for the breakfast. It was sweet.”
Ronan grunts noncommittally, not seeming too thrilled with being called sweet. Adam doesn’t have to lift his head to know that his cheeks are probably a little pink.
“I mean it,” Adam murmurs, absently trailing his fingers up and down Ronan’s chest.
“Yeah, well, you deserve it.”
“I still don’t want to write the actual speech, though,” Adam admits. “And I definitely don’t want to give it in front of the whole school. God.”
A knot forms in his stomach at the thought. He isn’t good with public speaking. He’d spent most of his life being quiet, trying to blend into the background and make himself small. He’d always try to avoid any school projects that would require him to speak in front of a large group of people. He doesn’t know how he’ll manage this.
His breathing must have betrayed him, because then Ronan is holding him tighter and saying, “Hey, relax. You’ll do great. I know you will.”
“Easy for you to say,” Adam manages through his panic.
“It’s easy because it’s true. You’ll be fine, Parrish. Just… imagine the audience in their underwear.”
Adam groans. “Thanks for the stellar advice.”
“Okay, imagine me in my underwear. Or your underwear. Or without underwear.”
“Oh my god,” Adam says, laughing. “You asshole.”
“Hey, it might work. Look, pretend you’re just talking to me.”
“While you’re naked? I don’t think we’d be doing much talking in that case. And there’s no way I’ll be able to focus on giving a good speech if I’m thinking about having sex with you, Lynch.”
“Adam. You’ll be perfect,” Ronan says, serious again.
Adam lets out a breath. “You really think so?”
“I don’t lie.”
Adam feels himself break into a grin. “Okay, so… remind me again, you think I’ll be perfect and that all the Aglionby assholes will be jealous of me because I’m brilliant and amazing, right?”
Ronan squirms beneath him. “Shut up, Parrish.”
Adam lifts his head and looks down at Ronan’s flushed face. “You think I’m amazing. And brilliant. And perfect.”
“Christ. Are you fucking twelve? I don’t know if you realize this, Parrish, but we’re dating. It’s implied I think those things.”
Adam grins wider. Sounding positively giddy, he drawls, “You think I’m amazing.” He drags out the word amazing unnecessarily, indeed sounding like a twelve-year-old.
Ronan rolls his eyes. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”
“I’m ridiculous,” Adam agrees. “And amazing and brilliant and perf—“
Ronan cuts him off with a kiss, and Adam doesn’t resist. They kiss for a while longer, and then Ronan’s lips trail up to his right ear, where he whispers, “I’m proud of you, shithead.”
Despite his teasing before, Adam feels himself flush at the words. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, smarty pants.”
Adam huffs out a laugh. “World’s greatest smarty pants.”
“Mmm,” Ronan agrees, nipping at his ear. “Can’t argue with that.”
Adam sighs, dropping his head again. “Just one more week.”
“And then you never have to think about that shithole again.”
“And then we’ll have the whole summer together,” Adam adds softly.
Ronan had asked Adam to move in with him after graduation, since the lease at St. Agnes was up soon anyways, and Adam had agreed. A whole summer wrapped up in each other. Adam felt a little lightheaded just thinking about it.
“Damn. A whole summer. Hope I don’t get sick of you.” But Adam can hear the emotion in Ronan’s voice.
He scoffs, and before he can think about it, replies drily, “Well, lucky for you I’ll be gone soon after.”
Ronan goes rigid, and Adam curses at himself. He immediately kisses Ronan, a little roughly.
“Hey,” Adam says gently when he pulls away, heart breaking a little at Ronan’s expression. “I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s fine,” Ronan says, voice tight.
Adam sighs. “I’m sorry.” He kisses the corner of Ronan’s mouth. “Hey. Look at me. I love you, idiot. It doesn’t matter how long I’m gone for, okay? I’ll always come back. And when I'm there, we'll deal with it. We'll be okay.”
Ronan exhales raggedly, cups Adam’s cheek with his palm. “Okay.” Then he smiles sharply. “Take the World’s Greatest Smarty Pants mug with you to school. Those losers at Harvard need to know who they’re dealing with.”
Adam rolls his eyes, but he’s grinning. “Sure, Lynch.”
“And when something important happens to you while you’re there, you better fucking tell me. Even if you think I won’t care. I’ll care because it’s you.”
“Jesus, Ronan—“
“I’m serious. Even if it’s boring shit about your day or something about a school project or—whatever. I just… I want to know. Okay?”
Adam presses his lips to Ronan’s forehead. “Okay, Ronan.”
Ronan looks satisfied, and there’s a slight smirk on his lips again. “Good. Now the get the fuck off me, Parrish. I really need to clean up the kitchen.”
Adam grabs Ronan’s wrists when he tries to get up. “No.”
Ronan stares at him. “What do you mean no? I have shit to do.”
Adam burrows his face into Ronan’s neck aggressively, tangling their legs tighter together. “A little longer.”
“Parrish—“
“A little longer,” Adam repeats, stubborn.
Ronan lets out a long sigh and wraps his arms around Adam. “Whatever you want, Adam.”