hadriel_logs | The Killing Game

Who: The Raven crew: Gansey, Blue, Adam, Ronan and Noah
What: Blue targets Gansey during the Assassin event
Where: The Raven House.
When: During Rage's Assassin event
Warnings: Attempted murder, the full list of swear words known by Ronan Lynch, teenage angst.

[ As far as Gansey knows, it's an ordinary morning in their house. He's yet to venture outside, and hasn't seen any of his friends emerge from their rooms. Given that his own is the living room these days, and also given that he struggles to sleep most nights, he typically finds himself wandering around alone in the mornings. This isn't a place with a great prevalence of cereal boxes, and his beloved car is still at home, so his usual methods of distracting a wakeful mind are unavailable.

That's why, on this particular morning, his friends will arrive to discover Gansey has built some approximation of the Eiffel Tower out of a range of the house's cutlery. There may have been one or two minor crashes, when his efforts collapsed on him, but really, that should just make everyone glad that he didn't decide to use the plates. This is a lot harder than it looks. He's in the kitchen, minding his own business, and setting this monstrosity up on one of the counters. There's also some indeterminate can of something being warmed in the microwave; let no one say he never attempts to cook for his friends.

Oblivious to what's started to happen around the city, Gansey goes innocently about his model building, and waits for the first of them to wake up. ]

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[Some tight tension releases from Adam's shoulder when Gansey finally agrees to stay. It's not an ideal situation, but at least it's better than the alternative - at least it's better than Gansey going off on his own. Adam is prepared to keep watch over the both of them, keep them apart, make sure neither of them comes out of this injured or drowning in regret

He can't guarantee anything, but he thinks that if anyone can manage that, it would be him and Ronan.]

Thank you.

[He's aware that asking Gansey to stay might end up being more for his peace of mind than anything - maybe there isn't anyone or anything out there that would be a danger to him right now. But they have no way of knowing that, and it's always going to be better to be safe than sorry.]

I know. We'll wait it out, and she'll be back to herself before you know it. She already knows something is wrong. Just - leave her be for now. There's nothing you can do.

[ Gansey doesn't argue with that. It's in his nature to want to fix things that go wrong. When he's fighting with his friends, all he ever wants is to not be fighting for them, and to do whatever it takes to make things go back to normal.

This isn't that simple. The very sight of him is likely to trigger Blue's rage again. The only way he'd been able to imagine fixing this for the rest of them had been to take himself out of the equation. If that's not workable here, then the best he can do is keep himself out of the way.

He looks at Adam, and thinks of how much he misses just talking to her at night. How he can't sleep now, because he'd needed to talk to her to sleep before. Those words crystallize in Gansey's throat. ]

I know that. I really do, I'm -

Not trying to make this worse. I'll just stay here.

[ From Gansey, this tone is the sound of defeat. He leans back, his neck pillowed against the edge of the couch. He'll wait it out. There's nothing else for it. ]

[He knows that Gansey's not at all happy with this. He can see the defeat in his posture, hear it in his voice. He knows Gansey wanted to be able to do something to fix this, and that was the only thing really possible. But even so, Adam can't make himself feel very guilty. He'll take Gansey's life and safety over nearly anything. His heart will recover. Adam is all right with being the jerk right now, if it means Gansey will stay safe with them.

He reaches out, careful, and puts a hand on Gansey's shoulder. Adam isn't really one for physical affection, but he's gotten better about it over time. He tries to reach out when he thinks it might help, even if sometimes he's not sure.]

It'll be over soon, and you'll both be apologizing to each other for absolutely nothing.

[He's not actually very good at being comforting, and he knows that, but he tries.]

Just let us keep you safe. And if there's anything else - I know this isn't easy.

[ Gansey leans back, a good deal of the tension going out of his shoulders. It's not relaxation so much as it's the mark of defeat, the result of his promise to stay. He softens, though, under Adam's hand, and turns his eyes to him. ]

It's not. But I trust you, and Ronan. I just wish there was more I could do.

I trust you to be right, too.

[ That would be true at any time. There had been a time when Gansey's decisions had only ever been led by his own reasoning. More and more, these days, they're led by Adam's. That's as true here as ever, even though it's hard. ]

[It's a little intimidating, hearing that, because Adam often doesn't trust himself to be right. But even so, it means something - means a lot - that Gansey does trust him, that he's listening to Adam at least for the moment.

And it means that Adam isn't going to spend the next few days tense and worried that something will happen to Gansey out in the city alone.]

Thank you.

[He pauses, thinks about leaving it at that, but - ]

You know you already do a lot, right?

[ Gansey looks up at him again. This time, despite everything that’s going on, there’s a slight smile. ]

This is coming from you?

Anyway, right now it feels like I’m doing nothing. I’m not very good at sitting still.

I mean it. Don't beat yourself up over things you can't change

[He smiles, just a little, mirroring Gansey's.]

But hey, I can fix that. Why don't you go wash the dishes?

[Don't worry, Adam is an expert at finding ways to keep himself busy. He'll share the tips and tricks of a workaholic, because he's a good friend.]

Okay. I suppose that's better than sitting in here.

[ It might take his mind off things for a while, which he supposes is Adam's point. He nods, and stands up. ]

Thanks, Adam.

[He wants to demur, turn down that thanks, because in the end isn't it mostly selfishness that makes him ask Gansey to stay? But he doesn't.]

Just... come talk if you need to.

[He can't fix any of this, but he can listen. He stands to, presses a hand to Gansey's shoulder in acknowledgment for a brief moment, then heads back to his room.]

The Killing Game

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