adam gets shuffled into a botany class in his third year of college because he just needs one more distribution credit and every single plant reaches for him like he's the sun, the ferns uncurl and the dried moss samples start dripping water, seeds are sprouting in their plastic bags, every dendrocore he works on softens and grows again, every oak he touches stops dying, every field assignment he's on is a miraculous perfect day; the bio department 100% believes he is their good luck charm, everyone wants to take him kayaking for samples, everyone wants him to bless their study grove, grad students are asking him to blow on mycorrhizae like dice
anyway, he has a meeting with the head of the bio department where he's just like "sorry, I'm.... uh. I'm gonna be a lawyer."
Wasnt gansey on the rowing team or something man why didn’t trc have a scene where gansey was at rowing practice in his little shorts w all his teammates being like hey gansey😘 and gansey flashes a charming smile but really he’s about to puke because adam didn’t bro nod back when gansey bro nodded at him the day before or something and the whole time Ganseys about to row everyone in his boat down a waterfall
“Ronan accidentally started a fire in one of the smaller outbuildings, and although it started out shouty it ended up wild and joyful, with both Adam and Ronan hurling things into it while music galloped in the background.” ― Maggie Stiefvater, Opal.
for @alliwannadoiswrite for the @trc-exchange. Sorry it’s a bit late, I hope you like this short thing! Happy new year :D
Summary: There is no easy way from the earth to the stars. But Adam made it. And now he has his own star.
Rating: T
Tags: fluff
Ronan isn’t at the Barns when Adam comes back.
Opal is playing with Chainsaw in the yard.
At first, Adam doesn’t give it much of a thought--he sets on his desk and starts doing homework.
But as time keeps ticking by, Adam starts worrying about where his boyfriend could be. It’s not usual for him to be out this late on a Friday night. Normally, he’d wait for Adam to come home from college and they’d make dinner together. But not this time.
Adam grabs his phone and plays with the idea of calling him. Or just texting him. But he discards it, he doesn’t want to pressure Ronan. (Truth: he’s too afraid Ronan won’t answer.)
Unable to focus on his homework, Adam abandons the study room and goes out into the yard. Opal and Chainsaw are nowhere to be seen--they must have gone into the woods again. But that doesn’t worry Adam, they always come back.
The weather in September is the best for stargazing: not too chilly, just warm enough not to need a jacket. Staring at the night sky had been one of his favorite things about Henrietta a long time ago. (Maybe the only one.) But Adam has been so busy with college, moving all his stuff from St. Agnes and taking care of Opal, that he hasn’t really had much time to look at the stars.
So, given that he’s alone and has nothing better to do, Adam lies on the grass, resting his head on his hands, and looks up at the stars. And then remembers what it was that amazed him about the sky: It’s dark and big enough to hide Adam’s flaws and imperfections.
Except, he doesn’t feel like hiding them anymore. He doesn’t feel like hiding himself.
Adam used to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders; now, he doesn’t feel like that anymore. He feels free. And he can actually appreciate the real beauty of the night: The silence. The light from thousands of years ago.
Adam raises a hand to the sky, as if he could touch the stars.
It’s not that crazy of a thought. To touch the stars. Not that long ago, Adam was a simple observer. But not anymore. He feels like he’s gone to the stars and back, taking some of their light with him.
xxx
“Parrish.”
Adam doesn’t know for how long he’s been sleeping on the ground. “Lynch,” he says, stretching his arms.
“Why the fuck are you sleeping on the yard?”
“I didn’t mean to,” he says, standing up. “I only came out because I was bored.”
Ronan bites at his lower lip and hands him a couple of pizza boxes. “I thought you’d be hungry.”
Adam takes the pizzas, failing to hide the smile drawing on his face. The pizzas are from Adam’s favorite place, in West Virginia.
Adam’s stomach growls, answering Ronan’s question for him. He’s actually starving. And then, Adam realizes Ronan has driven all those miles to bring him a pizza. “Thank you,” he says. And then he confesses, “I was worried.”
“Since you won’t take care of yourself, someone has to,” says Ronan.
“I can take care of myself,” Adam protests. Although he would have forgotten to eat, if it weren’t for Ronan.
“Then I’ll eat both pizzas,” Ronan says, snatching the pizza boxes from Adam’s hand and running away.
Adam runs in chase of him.“No way,” he shouts. “Give me that.”
Since he isn’t carrying the pizzas, Adam soon reaches Ronan, tackling him to the ground.
For a moment, Adam forgets about the food, taking a minute to stare at Ronan. For a long time, Adam has been looking at the stars without noticing he has the brightest of all right in front of his face.
Slowly, Adam leans in and kisses Ronan. Ronan runs a hand through Adam’s hair, drawing him closer. Adam feels a lump in his chest disapear--a lump he didn’t know he had. He was actually worried about Ronan leaving him. But he was an idiot. Because Ronan is his star. And he loves Adam.