We're happy as can be

[dreamkid]

WHO: Matthew and any Gangseys
WHERE: in the magical place that is the Raven base of operations
WHEN: Backdated to the seventh/eighth-ish? Shortly after Matthew's arrival
WHAT: Matthew is in ur dream house, pleasantly invading ur space
WARNINGS: Probably Ronan's expansive vocabulary, will update if needed (doubtful???)

[ Fact: Matthew loves this place and has decided to give it a thorough exploration. Finding himself on a magic dream farm is indeed so outstanding, it overshadows all of his concerns about Russians and being kidnapped to another world and superpowers and aliens and time travel and Kavinsky and just-- all that business. So he's wandering around very cheerfully, very untiring, very Matthew. ]


INSIDE
[ There's so much to look at. What the heck is up with this thing? That thing? Where does this door go? Maybe he can't open it--maybe he mistook someone's bedroom for a bathroom or something. In which case, oops, he's not TRYING to be rude.

He could be in the kitchen, where he's stopped to eat something (whatever you Ravens have around here, sorry if he took something you were saving. At least he will offer to share.) Or perhaps you've caught him peering out one of the windows that are as perpetually sunny as he himself can be, smiling to himself and holding his palms up to catch the warmth of the light. ]


OUTSIDE
[ There are chickens, there's a duck pond, there's a vegetable garden, sort of! All of these things would draw his attention so feel free to find him nosing around wherever. He's also got to make his way out to the barn to meet Henrietta at some point. ]


OR CHOOSE SOMETHING ELSE and Matthew will stumble across you

Comments

[aberth]

[ It's on the tip of his tongue to explain it. But then Adam is hit by a burst of something and he snaps his mouth closed, motioning forward with one hand.

He concentrates, seeking out the nearest seed and seizing hold of it. It feels like an extension of Cabeswater and the power he had there, a strange other limb that feels instinctual but wastes away without use. Slowly though, Adam encourages it. And the smallest of shoots appears. It's like a time lapse video, fast forwarding through growth, the stalk wriggling further and further upward, sprouting leaves and buds as it goes. He holds on to it until it's bigger, stronger, winding above them

His smile is a little wild, proud as he grins down at Matthew. ] That's my power.

[dreamkid]

[ Matthew's delight grows in time with the plant. He isn't sure what he's seeing for the first moment or two, as the little shoot struggles to come up out of the dirt--to make something more of itself--but by the time it's as tall as his hand he's figured out what's going on and is gloriously enthused. He quickly forgets that he was trying to keep his clothes from getting dirty and drops his knees to the ground so he can lean forward, get closer to this amazing thing that's happening.

As the bean plant grows over his head he scrambles back up to his feet so he can watch as it goes even higher, curiosity urging him to reach out and touch it briefly. One of fresh tendrils tries to curl around his finger and he laughs, pulling his hand back. Eventually he manages to tear his eyes away and look over his shoulder, just in time to see Adam's smile. ]

That is so cool.

[ That's all he has to say for the moment because, seriously, Adam. So cool. ]

[aberth]

[ Adam can't stop smiling.

It's a rare thing, bright and pleased and proud. He doesn't get to do this, not much anyway. Anyone who has seen his power before knows how it reacts to his moods and so he doesn't let it run free. Matthew hasn't seen the way he can make trees shed their leaves with a twist of his heart or vines creep inside the house seeking him. ]

I thought so too.

[ It had reminded him of Cabeswater, at first. But this power doesn't try to control him. ] But I'm trying not to rely on it. [ Shaking the watering can in an obvious motion. ] If I lose my power I want to know we still have something to fall back on.

[dreamkid]

[ Matthew hasn't seen a lot of Adam, not enough to know about his powers, not enough to know just how rare that smile is. Which doesn't mean he is unaffected; Adam's happiness still pleases him almost as much as the plant itself. ]

Right, clever! That makes sense.

[ He says that like he can imagine a scenario in which they actually have no other options for food besides the vegetable patch. (For the record, he cannot realistically imagine this. But still, it sounds like Adam knows what he's talking about.) ]

So does that happen, then? People losing their powers.

[aberth]

The Russians had a way.

[ He doesn't know if Ronan has told his brother about how he and Gansey were kidnapped, and Adam's not about to. But he can explain around it. ] And I don't see this war between them and us just going away. I think we're safe out here, or safe enough, Kaplan's warded it pretty tight and it's Ronan's. But the Porter cities could still be affected.

[ Which is why vegetable patch. They could hide out here next time. ] I just want us to be prepared. [ He won't lose Gansey or Ronan again. ]

[dreamkid]

[ Parts of that explanation should probably unsettle him, but it's hard to be afraid of Russians stealing his powers--whatever they are--so soon after watching someone grow an actual magic beanstalk straight out of the ground. At least, for Matthew it is. Besides, Adam says it's safe here and Matthew's had that impression from the moment he arrived.

It's astonishingly easy for him to forget about that whole "people have been kidnapped" thing. ]

Kaplan...?

[ He knows that name. ]

He's the guy with reality bending powers, right?

[ Still not sure exactly what that means, but it sounds impressive. ]

[aberth]

Yeah.

[ Also, Adam is trying to keep his Billy Kaplan jealousy at a minimum level. It doesn't always work, but here's hoping. ]

He's magic. And pretty good. [ Better than Adam at protecting his friends. ]

[dreamkid]

[ Matthew nods, completely oblivious about the complexities here. ]

He said he'd help me, if I ended up having trouble with my powers.

[ Which he appreciated, because he's watched plenty enough tv to know what happens when people have magic or superpowers that get out of control. But hopefully his aren't going to be anything like that. ]

How'd you figure out how to use yours?

[ Probably not by losing his file on the first day, Matthew. ]

[aberth]

[ Well, that jealousy quickly reaches past its minimum level and swallows him whole.

He'd liked Billy, once upon a time. But then there had been an awkward kiss and his best friends had been kidnapped and Adam has slowly fallen into aggressive dislike. He had been powerful, with Cabeswater at his side. But they'd ripped that from him upon arrival and now he has to contend for attention with actual fucking wizards. ]

I don't know.

[ God, that kills him to admit. Those little beanstalk leaves are definitely wilting at the edges now. ]

I can think about it and sort of push? But it still reacts to stuff even if I don't want it to.

[dreamkid]

[ Matthew considers this for a second. ]

Must be pretty powerful if you don't even have to think about it.

[ That's how he sees it, at least. He turns back to the plant, and again reaches out to touch one of the leaves, a little concerned about the wilting. Don't leave him, beanstalk. You're so great! Such a tall, proud, magical plant. ]

I guess it's one of those things you've just got to practice.

[ Spoken like a person who has a lot of experience with not being very good at things right away. ]

did matthew tell him about his powers idk idk idk i'm so bad at this

[aberth]

[ Adam smiles but it's the kind that doesn't reach the eyes. ]

I'd be more powerful if I could control it.

[ He's not often the one to vocalise his own flaws. He knows people see them and he spends a good amount of time chastising himself. But he also can't accept false praise. And that's what this feels like. ]

Have you figured out what yours are yet?

NO WORRIES, Matthew's still clueless so we're good |D

[dreamkid]

[ Here's a spoiler for you, Adam: Matthew is too dumb for false praise, and he very rarely judges people for their flaws. Everyone has them, right? There's no point in focusing on those things. ]

Not yet, [ Matthew tells him, pulling his hand away from the wilting leaves again. ]

I guess it could be anything, huh?

[ Adam grows plants, Ronan does that thing with the birds... Well, not on purpose, but still. ]

[aberth]

[ He seems suddenly aware that the leaves are looking shabby. The sigh that falls from him is short, but sharp. There's nothing he can do in this mood. He might as well get back to watering the others. ]

Could be.

[ There's a too long list of powers here. Adam couldn't even hope to figure them all out if he wanted to. ]

You haven't noticed anything strange happening around you?

[dreamkid]

Mm... Just the birds, but I know that's Ronan's thing.

[ Not that he'd been overeager to admit it, when the songbirds first appeared, preening Matthew's curls and fluttering their wings and hopping lightly over his hands and shoulders like something straight out of a Disney movie.

There was also that one weird moment on the first day when Matthew thought Adam might be lying to him and didn't know why, but the single, brief experience was not enough for him to be sure it had anything to do with powers. ]

[aberth]

The birds.

[ That has Adam's smile looking wide and amused. ] Jesus, the birds. [ Looking back, he now knows the origin of the dozens of times he had flocks of songbirds nearby. He'd thought it was strange at the time.

But Ronan likes him. ]

I thought having plants give off my emotions was a shitdeal, but jesus. Ronan has it bad.

[dreamkid]

I think it embarrasses him.

[ There's definitely a hint of amusement in Matthew's smile now, too, the brotherly kind, at Ronan's expense. Matthew adores him, and he adores the birds, for that matter, but that doesn't mean he can't laugh. ]

Do they really react to his emotions, too? I thought they just like to hang out around him.

[ And yell important bird things at him. ]

[aberth]

[ Those dying leaves? Suddenly perking up. ]

The first time I saw it happen he was super pissed off. [ That might have been because the songbirds were all sweet around Adam, but who knows. ] And I think it's a reaction thing? There's definitely been a bunch of people who've earned Ronan's ire and then had revenge enacted by bird shit.

[ It's amazing. Adam is strangely enthralled by it. ]

[dreamkid]

[ A moment passes in which Matthew considers whether or not he thinks Ronan would tell his birds to shit on someone he disliked on purpose.

Hmm. ]

He got mad when I asked him if he was doing it, too. [ Not mad at Matthew, of course, just mad in that usual posturing Ronan sort of way. ]

One pooped on me, too, but I think it was more, like. A regular bird thing.

[ Matthew is fascinated by Ronan's new power in his own way, as well. He also sounds way too amused for someone admitting to being crapped on by a sparrow. ]

[aberth]

Well, I guess he can't stop the call of nature. Just direct it.

[ Which is hilarious to Adam, who occasionally likes being the same kind of shithead as his boyfriend is. Finished with the watering of his little garden, he wipes the palm of his hands against his jeans and gives Matthew a small smile. He's really trying to be a little bit more accommodating to the younger boy. ]

Listen, I have to get ready for my shift at the auto shop. But if you need anything just give me a text. [ He can do that now. Text. ]

[dreamkid]

[ Matthew snorts and promptly claps a hand over his mouth, but his eyes are still laughing loudly as Adam finishes with the garden. ]

Right, yeah--okay! [ He lowers his hand again, switching from "amused smile" back to "cheerful smile". Don't think he won't take Adam up on the offer to text sometime. ]

Thanks again for showing me your power. It's cool. I like it.

[ Simple, uncreative, honest Matthew. ]

[aberth]

[ He definitely seems pleased, so Matthew has at least managed that. Knowing that he has this power is all well and good but Adam is a complicated creature who craves praise like nobody's business. ]

Thanks. Yours will be too. [ Except when they figure out he can tell if a person is lying, Adam probably won't think so. That too, is complicated. Because he is naturally leery of telling the truth. Still, Adam gives him a smile and then leaves, taking his gardening tools back to where they're stored before heading back into the house to change. He has successfully navigated a conversation with his boyfriend's brother. Score one for him. ]