i made an entire powerpoint presentation and i could still talk about this for hours !
I mean there's some definite antagonism between Ronan and Adam, both because they're in competition to be Gansey's favorite and because of their personality types
my impression from the first time reading the series was that Adam had more beef with Ronan than Ronan had with Adam. and you could imagine how Ronan didn't make for an easy person for Adam to deal with when they were first getting to know each other. but at the same time I do think the reader is meant to understand that Adam is being extra~
Adam's POV right out the gate being like 'hey you wanna know some things about Ronan Lynch he's terrible it's horrible that I have to hang out with him because of Gansey' is intentionally juxtaposed with the knowledge that Adam and Ronan like doing dumb things together like dragging each other behind cars~ and it's not like Adam has specific things that Ronan said or did that Adam is holding against him. Adam is just out there throwing shade like 'he felt it would take more than pizza to improve Ronan's character' like babe that's just unnecessary lmao
personally, even my first time reading it I thought the way Adam was so preoccupied with Ronan had the vibe of Adam being into Ronan and being mad about it. like. he was low-key trying to keep telling himself 'it doesn't matter how attractive Ronan is to look at, he's trouble. so much obvious trouble. and you're too smart to do stupid shit like get into a shopping cart just because he asks you' and being mad that this was so logical yet somehow so difficult to follow through with. but I digress ✨
either way this isn't a scenario where you're forced to be in the same space with someone you really just don't like. they like having the other around. that's shown when Adam could use down time to do school work and he actively wants Ronan's company. it's also shown in how generally familiar they are with each other, like Adam knowing when Ronan has tennis and Ronan knowing when Adam has work, or Adam thinking about how he knows Ronan doesn't abide casual relationships, or Adam subconsciously recognizing Ronan's handwriting on the rock in Cabeswater
Ronan obviously has issues with anyone new trying to integrate into his friend group, we see that play out with Blue and how at first he basically wants to push her out of the helicopter~ so we know that that was a rough phase for Adam to wade through. but I think it also shows how Adam's already gotten to the point of being accepted by Ronan when TRB starts. Ronan asks after Adam and worries about Adam's home situation. Ronan lets Adam drive the BMW. narratively this is established as significant, because the BMW is Ronan's dad's, and because the Raven Cycle makes such a thing of cars being reflective of their owners. I think it's also worth noting Adam thinks of Ronan as a good teacher. Ronan drives Adam home, before things go down with Robert Parrish, and while they talk in the car, it shows that they share a lot in common and they do get on
and then when we get Ronan's own POV in TDT, it shows he doesn't have problems with Adam. he's really concerned about what Adam's magical bargain means for Adam, to the point of having the mask nightmare. and he's concerned with how overworked and overwhelmed Adam is, and he goes and does something about it in helping Adam with the rent. getting to see Ronan's perspective also shows clearly how Ronan is the type that cares a lot while not wanting people knOWING he cares because that shit is embarrassing to him. he's the type to use insults as genuine forms of affection
all this to say, Ronan and Adam have their friction in their dynamic but they are friends, dammit, from when they're introduced together ✨
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