Are you going to age with grace

[dreamkid]

WHO: Adam, Gansey, and Matthew
WHERE: Raven Camp, De Chima
WHEN: May 7th
WHAT: Matthew's been out of commission for a little while, but he's back now and that means someone else is, too
WARNINGS: I doubt any will be needed

[ Matthew Lynch hasn't moved in nearly a week. When Ronan was ported out, his cheerful little brother went from being full of life to a puppet with its strings cut within an hour, and since then he has been very nearly still as a painting.

Non mortrem, somni fratrem.

All at once, six days later, he turns his head one way, then the other, and gives a huge, arms-over-the-head stretch. His eyes open. He doesn't remember lying down, but at some point he must've, because here he is in bed, still in his clothes, and feeling like he's just woken from the most intense nap of his life (and he's had some pretty intense naps.) What time is it? What day is it?

... Man, he's hungry. That feels like the important thing right now, that's what gets him rolling out of bed.

A minute later he's walking into the kitchen like it's any regular morning--afternoon, whatever it is; Ronan's sunshine dream windows make it hard to tell--and sweeping the curls out of his face with one hand. Adam and Gansey are already in the room. ]

Hey, guys. When'd you get back?

[ The last time Matthew was awake, the other boys had been underground in a cave, and needless to say he never heard them come in. ]

Comments

[aberth]

[ He doesn't want to be the one to break the news. If Ronan is still gone then it will be devastating to Matthew and the truth of what he is will have to be broached by someone who does not have all the facts. But if his hunch is right and the reality of it is that Ronan is back, then Adam doesn't want to open a can of worms.

He leans back in his chair to try and get a view of the doorway, to see if Gansey is on his way back with news. ]

He's -- listen, he's fine. [ He just might not be in the universe anymore. ] When Gansey gets back I'll tell you all I can.

[quaerit]

[ Gansey isn't long in coming back. His expression is guarded for Matthew's benefit. Adam might recognise the tension around his eyes, though. ]

He's been arrested. The police answered his phone.

[ This, of course, is not particularly unusual for Ronan. Gansey pauses by Matthew, tapping his hand against the counter. ]

He hasn't been here, Matthew. Ronan disappeared. When we got back from the caves, Ronan and Blue were both gone, and you were sleeping. We told school, and your work, that you were sick. You'll need to call them to say you're well again.

It's... [ A glance towards Adam. ] ...like when your mother was sleeping. We think.

[dreamkid]

[ Matthew eyes go from Gansey to Adam and then back again, like he's waiting for one of them to explain the joke. This is a joke, right? This isn't a joke. Nobody's laughing, nobody's lying, and neither Gansey nor Adam are, Matthew thinks, the kind of people who would find this funny, anyway.

It's like when his mother was sleeping? That doesn't make any sense. She was sleeping because--

Because she's--

Oh god. He needs to talk to Ronan. Adam and Gansey are both great and all but about this particular thing, he needs to talk to his brother. Who is apparently unavailable at the moment because he is apparently arrested and in jail somewhere.

Matthew slowly scoops the bowl of Lucky Charms off the counter again, without taking his eyes off the older boys. ]

Okay.

[ It's really not. ]

I'm gonna eat in my room. And wait for Ronan to get back.

[aberth]

[ He's a little surprised - though he shouldn't be - that Gansey just comes out with it. His attention immediately moves to the younger boy, trying to gauge his reaction. It's a little more subdued than the kind he would have, but it's still not great. ]

Are you going to be okay?

[ Then to Gansey. ] You're going to get him now, right?

[ He feels so impotent, it's driving him crazy. ]

[quaerit]

[ Gansey's eyes slide to Adam's. He doesn't know how much Ronan has told Matthew about Aurora. He doesn't know how much Matthew has been told at all, and that's really the problem.

He doesn't want to have this conversation any more than Matthew wants to hear it. But he also doesn't want to lie. He runs his hand through his hair and nods, before turning to Adam. ]

Yes, I said I'd collect him. I'll warn him, about...

[ He gestures vaguely around them. Then he looks at Matthew, and his expression is kind and encouraging. ]

Listen, there's nothing to worry about. I'll go and get Ronan, and he'll explain everything. [ Or at least, he had better. ] You're going to be just fine, and if anyone asks, all they need to know is you were poorly.

[ We'll see how long that sticks. Gansey looks at Adam again. ]

Will you be all right?

[dreamkid]

[ This subdued reaction is not, of course, normal for Matthew. But it's not unusual for Lynches in general, and right now he's adopting some of the guardedness he's seen in his brothers because withdrawing from this conversation seems like the only option.

He's not sure what else to do, what else to say. It's not pleasant, in fact it's rather nasty, being the last person in the room to learn something about oneself, especially something like this, if it's true. Because he does know about Aurora. He knows where she came from and why she falls asleep outside of Cabeswater, and it never troubled him after Ronan explained what their mother was, but he also never thought that he might be--

No. No, he's got to talk to Ronan before he jumps to conclusions. ]

It's fine.

[ That's directed at both Gansey and Adam, who don't seem all too comfortable right now either, which isn't something Matthew wants. ]

I'll just wait-- [ He looks at Gansey now, almost reaching with his eyes. ] Until you guys get back, I'll just wait for Ronan.

[ Please bring him his brother quickly. ]

[quaerit]

[ Gansey puts his hand on Matthew's shoulder. He knows that he's worried, and it's unfortunate that he has to deal with this at all. But the fact is that he'd been asleep for a week, and that's not something that can just go away. It's going to have to be faced.

Matthew needs to know it's okay, though. ]

I won't be long.

[ Squeezing Matthew's arm, he turns to look at Adam again. ]

Promise.

[ And then he heads out, shutting the door behind him. They'll hear the Camaro revving up and then speeding away, heading for De Chima. ]