reconnection [dated to 1/25/2016]

[thedreamthief]

It's quiet inside Hywel, Adam off at class and Gansey holed up in the library. Blue, Ronan's pretty sure, is working a shift at the cat cafe, not that he really keeps up on her schedule. Or that she's even around all that much. And Noah...

Noah's in the main room, apparently, stretched out on the couch with his feet propped on the coffee table. He looks comfortable.

Chainsaw seems to spot him at the same time and jumps off Ronan's shoulder, practically dive-bombing Noah, her wings ruffling his hair before she lands on the couch cushion just behind Noah's head.

He won't say it, but Ronan's glad to see Noah. And not just because it won't be so quiet.

Without a word, he drops onto the couch next to Noah and stretches back with a low, pleased groan. He's brought a bag of Cheetos in from the kitchen and the bag crinkles as he opens it. He takes a few, popping them in this mouth before holding the bag out to Noah.

"What the fuck are you watching?" he asks between one crunch and the next.

Comments

[iwasmore]

Noah laughs at Chainsaw's version of a greeting, tipping his head back to get a look at her. "You could sit on my head if you wanted," he offers.

He smiles over at Ronan and takes a handful of the offered Cheetos. "A Bollywood movie. I like the dancing," he says, looking back to the TV and popping a Cheeto into his mouth. He has no idea what they're saying, but he thinks he's following it pretty well anyway. "You can change it if you want."

[thedreamthief]

Noah tips his head back and Chainsaw immediately presses her beak to his forehead, nuzzling for a second.

His attention on the television, Ronan shrugs and pops another Cheeto into his mouth. "You have any idea what they're saying?" He has s feeling he already knows the answer but, then again, a lot of shit has changed in the past several months. Ronan still feels like he's struggling to keep up most of the time.

[iwasmore]

Noah closes his eyes a moment and leans into the nuzzling, rubbing under Chainsaw's neck with his finger.

"Sure, they're singing about the inequalities of the sexes," he guesses, looking back to the TV and sucking on the end of a Cheeto. "This is a super political musical."

[thedreamthief]

Brow furrowed, Ronan watches quietly for a few minutes, still chewing as he dips his hand back in the bag for another Cheeto.

"Hmm," he says eventually, crunching away. Then, "Pretty sure they're just shopping." He tosses Noah a smirk and then tosses a Cheeto straight at his forehead.

[iwasmore]

"Shopping for equality!" Noah says, finally eating the now-cheeseless Cheeto. He moves to get another, when one bounces off his forehead.

He looks at Ronan suspiciously.

"Were you throwing that to Chainsaw, or at me?"

[thedreamthief]

"You," Ronan replies, popping another Cheeto into his mouth and crunching loudly. "Chainsaw doesn't need Cheetos. She's on a diet."

Chainsaw lets out a loud caw of disagreement at that, her wings fluttering as she hops down onto Noah's leg, clearly begging.

[iwasmore]

"Are you serious? Crows can't diet," Noah says, looking into Chainsaw's endless, beady eyes. He sees real sadness there, so when Ronan's attention is turned back to the TV, he flicks a Cheeto onto the floor for Chainsaw. "Oops, I dropped one."

[thedreamthief]

With a happy flutter, Chainsaw hops to the floor, eagerly pecking at the Cheeto, covering both the tip of her beak and the floor in a thin layer of orange cheese dust.

Ronan only rolls his eyes, hiding a smirk. He makes no move to stop her and doesn't chastise Noah at all, just pops another one into his mouth and shifts deeper into the couch. He's quiet for a moment, watching the bustling people on the television sing words he doesn't understand. He could probably dream something to fix that, something like that damn puzzle box.

Maybe later.

With a tip of his head, he glances over at Noah again. "You wanna go do something?"

[iwasmore]

Noah watches Chainsaw obliterate the Cheeto with a delighted smile. Some of the feathers on her face come away dusted with orange flakes, and he swears she's grinning.

He looks at Ronan, and the TV, and the room in general with pursed lips. Does he want to go do something? He was enjoying doing nothing. It just feels like that kind of day. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth turn up in a mischievous sort of smile.

"I know something we could do that would go well with the Cheetos," he says, already pushing up from the couch before Ronan can ask. He slips into his bedroom, and returns a few minutes later with a ziploc bag of elfroot held between his lips, some papers, and a lighter. He plops back down onto the couch and lets the baggie fall onto his lap.

"Want some?"

[thedreamthief]

Ronan had been considering venturing out into the cold, maybe paying Verity a visit or building a bonfire in Cabeswater out of dream wood for no reason at all. Before he can suggest anything though, Noah's left the couch to disappear into his bedroom, leaving Ronan staring at the television and Chainsaw with her Cheeto.

He returns within seconds, a baggie hanging from his mouth, and Ronan feels his lips twitch into a grin. He picks his feet up off the coffee table and sits up, eyebrow arched. Ronan's vice of choice has always been booze, but he's smoked a little in his time. And there'd been the other drugs, of course. The pills he'd taken with Kavinsky -- though those had felt more necessary than recreational.

"Not what I had in mind," he says as Noah drops the bag into his lap. "But I can be swayed. Where'd you find a dealer?"

[iwasmore]

"I didn't," Noah said vaguely, setting up the papers on the coffee table in front of them. He knows Ronan and Krem are mostly okay now, but he doubts Ronan and Kavinsky are, so he's not gonna mention him. "Cremisius gets this stuff. It's called elfroot, it's different from pot but has the same basic effect."

He opens the baggie and holds it out toward Ronan. "Smells nicer, doesn't it? And it's smoother."

[thedreamthief]

Arching an eyebrow, Ronan leans in enough to smell the bag Noah holds open to him. It smells a little fruity, definitely different from pot. Not bad.

He wonders where the hell Krem gets it and if Dorian ever has anything to do with it, but he doesn't feel like asking.

Nodding at the papers in Noah's other hand, he scoots to the edge of the couch cushion. "You wanna do the honors, then?" he asks, smirking faintly.

[iwasmore]

"Oh sure, make me do all the work," Noah says dryly, but he's smiling. The truth is, he's probably better at it, and faster, from experience. He doubts that's a skill to be proud of, but whatever.

He makes quick work of it, rolling a decent size joint. He pauses before making a second, and looks up at Ronan. "Want to share? In case you don't like it, or we don't want too much?"

[thedreamthief]

"I'm good with sharing," Ronan says with an easy shrug.

He's not as practiced with this shit as Noah and never has been. Beer is his mind-altering substance of choice, his experience limited to that and Kavinsky's dream pills for the most part. And even those he hasn't taken in months. Hasn't felt the need.

Settling back in the cushions, Ronan nods for Noah to take the first hit.

[iwasmore]

"Are you?" Noah asks with a brief smirk, before taking a long drag from the joint. He briefly closes his eyes, letting the hot smoke sit in his mouth a moment before inhaling, and exhaling through his nose. He enjoys the immediate feeling from the hit, and smiles, opening his eyes to offer it to Ronan.

"What do you share?"

[thedreamthief]

Arching an eyebrow, Ronan plucks the joint from Noah's fingers and takes a slow hit. He's absolutely no expert at this and it stings a bit, makes his eyes water before he hands it back, coughing a puff of sweet smoke past his lips.

"Meant the joint, fuckface," he replies through a small coughing fit. "But other shit too, I guess. I'm sharing this couch with you, aren't I? And I share a bed every night."

Granted, it's Adam's bed, but Ronan figures it still counts.

[iwasmore]

Noah smirks in amusement when Ronan winces and coughs. He takes the joint back with one hand, and gently pats Ronan on the back a few times with the other.

He takes another hit, and in the middle of it makes a face. Not from the elfroot, but from Ronan's comment. "Keep it to yourself," he says after exhaling, teasing. He's already feeling the effects of the drug, and he relaxes back into the couch a bit more. "It's bad enough I popped in on you two accidentally."

[thedreamthief]

Noah pats at his back, soothing and mocking both at once and Ronan pulls in a slow breath as his throat settles, the effects of the drug humming through his veins already.

Of course, Noah's little confession comes as a surprise and Ronan glances over at him immediately. "The fuck, man. When?"

[iwasmore]

Noah laughs, and it tapers off into a giggle. He takes another hit before answering, and passes the joint back to Ronan, delighting in his expression. "I don't know. A week ago? Relax, I was only there for a second," he says, knocking his knee against Ronan's. "You two were really going at it, so I just disappeared."

[thedreamthief]

Holding the joint between thumb and finger, Ronan doesn't take a hit right away, his focus entirely on Noah and his new bit of information.

"Jesus," he breathes, not sure whether to be pissed or mildly embarrassed. Though, weirdly, neither really seem to apply. "Guess that might fucking teach you to stop popping in on people."

He takes a slower, more careful hit before passing the joint back to Noah, much smoother this time as he hands it back with an exhale. Part of him wants to know just exactly what Noah saw and part of him is more than happy to live in blissful ignorance. Relaxing back into the couch, his mind wanders for a moment, wondering idly how weird it might be to accidentally walk in on Krem and Noah.

His lips twitch into a grin, faint and teasing as he arches an eyebrow. "Then again, maybe it's incentive. Perv."

[iwasmore]

Noah rolls his eyes, but he's still smiling, already too mellow from the elfroot to really worry about Ronan's reaction. He takes the joint back and laughs again, being called a perv. "Is not! Do you think I want a lecture from Blue on consent?"

"It did, actually," he adds. "Make me start checking places before feeling for people. Congrats, you taught me a life lesson." He reaches up to rub Ronan's shaved head, the way Ronan's always messing up his hair, and then finally takes another hit.

[thedreamthief]

Grinning easily, Ronan doesn't fight against Noah's palm as it smooths over his shaved head. It feels nice actually, especially with the elfroot or whatever the fuck it is rushing through his veins. He lets out a sigh as he tips his head back.

"Glad someone could finally teach you some manners," he says with a grin, reaching over to give Noah's thigh a punch. "Never fuckin' thought it'd come from me, but I guess someone has to do it. Next time maybe we'll send out an invite, how's that?"

[iwasmore]

Noah runs his fingers through the short fuzz of Ronan's hair, petting like he would with Prunam. He's as soft as her, and Noah finally understands the appeal of a shaved head. He's a bit zoned in on it, probably due to the weed.

It's the punch that snaps him out of it, and he yelps. "That was rude!" he says, wounded. "And that depends, are you this rough in bed?" He flashes a lazy smile, teasing.

[thedreamthief]

Ronan grunts, missing the feel of Noah's hand on his head, looking over at him with a lazy grin.

"A gentleman never tells," he says, well aware that's not a word that's one word that has never been used to describe him. "Why? You like it rough, ghostboy?" he asks, sinking back further into the couch, head tipped back and eyes heavy-lidded as he reaches for the joint.

[iwasmore]

Noah smiles mischievously, and wills his body, which feels heavy from the drug, to sit up enough so he can lean sideways. He hovers over Ronan, almost like he's going to climb into his lap, and places the joint in Ronan's mouth for him.

"I like it all kinds of ways," he says, blatantly flirting since Ronan's being nosy.

[thedreamthief]

Noah shifts beside him, pushing up and over and Ronan sinks back further in the couch, blinking up at Noah's pale blue eyes. There's a twist in his gut, familiar and not at the same time, definitely heightened by the weed, he's pretty sure, grinning as Noah tucks the joint between his lips.

He tips his head back for a long hit, holds it tight in his lungs before releasing with a soft laugh. "Jesus," he breathes, licking his lips as the high rolls through him. "Always full of surprises, aren't you?"

[iwasmore]

Noah stays where he is, braced with his elbow digging into the back couch cushion. He closes his eyes halfway when Ronan exhales, and takes the joint back for another hit. There isn't much left, and it's probably better that way, because he can tell he's already buzzing. He knows, because his eyes track the movement of Ronan's tongue.

"What do you like with Adam?" he asks, taking a hit.

[thedreamthief]

Noah's still hovering half over him, his eyes heavy-lidded. He's solid, Ronan notes, stupidly. There's weight to him, and warmth. Noah's always been real, even before they cast that spell to tie him to his body, but Ronan isn't sure he's really appreciated just what exactly that spell accomplished until right now.

His lips twitch into a faint smirk and he cocks his head. "Thought you caught a peek," he says, then rubs a hand over his cheek as he lets out a breath. "Fuck, man. I don't know. I like everything. Really like blowing him." His lips quirk into another grin and he shifts a little. The weed is definitely getting to him. "Think he likes that, too."

[iwasmore]

Noah's eyebrows go up, and he dissolves into a burst of soft giggles. He falls back against the couch, unable to hold himself up with the onslaught of laughter. He almost forgets the joint, but remembers just before his hand hits the couch.

"Who doesn't like that? That's like. The universal best thing ever for guys, right?"

[thedreamthief]

Noah's laugh is loud and bright as he falls back into the couch and, through the haze of weed, Ronan can hear himself laughing, too, even it's a little strained.

"Giving or receiving?" he asks, just to be a shit. Everyone knows the answer to that.

He closes his eyes and rests his head back, still grinning lazily. It's easier to breathe without Noah so close, he realizes. Not as warm, though. He inhales slowly, feels the way his lungs expand in his chest before letting out out and wonders what Adam would think of Noah's accidental viewing.

[iwasmore]

Noah snorts, and leans forward to stub the end of the joint out on a stone coaster on the coffee table in front of them. He sits back and smiles over at Ronan. "You know what I meant," he says, knocking his knee into Ronan's.

"I really like giving," he says off-hand, so buzzed that every movement of his head makes him dizzy. Not just buzzed, he's gone. "Really, really. Really."

[thedreamthief]

Ronan laughs quietly, presses his knee back against Noah's briefly as he rests his hands on his stomach. His head feels too heavy. He rolls it against the cushion to grin at Noah, considers sharing just how strongly he agrees.

But his brain catches up a moment later, snags on the mental image of Noah actually in the act, but...

"Wait," he says, blinking his eyes open. "When've you... with Krem? How does that work?"

[iwasmore]

"Hey." Noah tries to kick Ronan, but he mostly falls back against the couch sideways and kicks his leg out at nothing. He squints up at Ronan. "Don't be..." It takes a moment for him to remember the word, which he'd learned from Blue and not even Krem himself. "Transphobic."

"It's not like Krem doesn't have anything," he says. It's not like Krem's a Barbie. Noah grins, suddenly, the doll reference reminding him of something. "Plus, we have toys, too."

[thedreamthief]

It's not a word Ronan's ever heard before, but it's not difficult to figure out the meaning at all, his eyes narrowing at the accusation. He wants to argue it, wants to point out that he's just trying to fucking understand, but he gets sidetracked as Noah continues.

"What, so you suck the toy?" he asks even as his mind wanders to wondering exactly what sort of toys they might've had. How they were used.

If Adam would be interested in something like that.

[iwasmore]

Noah's grin turns into a mischievous, Cheshire cat smile. He gives up trying to sit back up and just lounges against the couch cushions. This time instead of kicking at Ronan, he slings his legs to drape over Ronan's. One of them even makes it.

"Yep. Then he uses it on me," he says, all smug-like.

[thedreamthief]

For a long moment, Ronan can only blink on response.

It isn't difficult to picture, is the thing. And Ronan isn't at all sure how he feels about that.

"Shit, man," he manages eventually with a rough laugh, his head dropping back against the couch cushion as he blinks up at the ceiling, one of Noah's legs heavy over his thigh. He's glad for the weed still coursing through him, glad how it makes another bubble of laughter push past his throat as he turns his head to look over at Noah again. "You ever suck an actual dick before, though? Like... for comparison or whatever."

[iwasmore]

Noah can't stop smiling. He's pretty sure it's partly the elfroot, but he also just likes surprising Ronan. Not even his friends expect something like this from him. Not that he can blame them, he is dead. It's kind of insane he can have sex in any capacity.

"No," he answers with a slow shrug. "I've never been with another guy. I don't feel like I'm missing out, I like everything we do." He gets a little shy at the end of his reply, and turns his face toward the cushion, his smile hidden. Sometimes he wonders what Krem and Thomas do, but he tries not to. He tries not to see that in Krem's head.

[thedreamthief]

Ronan figures that's the important part -- that Noah doesn't feel like he's missing anything. Despite the rather graphic image Noah's given him, Ronan doesn't really want to think much about his and Krem's sex life. But if Noah's happy, Noah's happy. That's what matters.

"Dicks are pretty great," he says instead, lips twitching as he pictures Adam's. It still sometimes feels surprising that he can, that things he can imagine are from memory, not fantasy. It's real, not a dream. He grins over at Noah again, shrugging lazily. "But I've never tried sucking a toy, maybe I'm missing out."

[iwasmore]

"It tastes...like plastic," Noah says with a tiny, stupid laugh. It's funny for some reason, though he wouldn't be able to say why. He stretches and lets his arms drop behind his head, watching Ronan across the couch. "I like the way it fills my mouth."

He touches the tip of his tongue to his teeth, grinning at Ronan, trying to be provocative, but he just ends up laughing again.

He's quiet a long moment, lips pursed, then he raises an eyebrow, peeking out from the couch cushion. "Tell me about it." He toes gently at Ronan's side. "Tell me about Adam's dick."

[thedreamthief]

Ronan's gaze drops to Noah's mouth then, the image in his mind once again so fucking clear. And that's... Ronan lets out a rough laugh of his own, rubbing a hand over his face, trying to clear the picture from his head if only because it's Noah. Jesus.

Noah prods at him and Ronan's laugh turns into a low, amused groan as he drops his hand to Noah's foot, stilling the movement, though he keeps his hand there. His brain still feels fuzzy, loose and uncomplicated, and there's a heat building low in his stomach, one he's long attributed to Adam.

"Fuck," he breathes on another laugh, tipping his head back again to stare up at the ceiling. He's never done this, he realizes. Talked about shit like this. There's something about it that feels dangerous, like driving too fast down a winding road, except he has the windows rolled down and the sun's shining. His blood is thrumming, itching, but it feels good. Safe somehow.

Licking his lips, he closes his eyes, grinning as he pictures Adam's disapproving face. "It's fucking gorgeous," he says eventually and he has to be careful, he knows. He has to keep talking, has to stay awake. "Delicate, like his fingers. Except," he adds with another huff and a grin, "when he's really using it. Fucking love how he fits in me, could suck him for hours if he'd let me."