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[He's probably right on that. Adam is smart, and more than that, he's driven. When he sets his mind to something, he'll work himself to the bone to accomplish it, whether that's studying for his future at home or learning whatever survival skills are necessary here.

Of them all, Adam probably had the most survival skills to begin with. He's been taking care of himself in assorted different ways for most of his life, after all, while Gansey and Ronan had piles of money and, sometimes, supportive families to fall back on. Noah was dead, so he didn't have to worry about any of it.

And now they're all here, and Adam knows that he desperately needs to learn more, to protect them all and to keep them safe.]

Thank you. I'll help with whatever car-related things you need, though I can't promise I'll be any good with a gun. I'm sure whatever else you can teach me would be helpful, too.

I know Gansey's given you a name. He likes to do that. Do you want me to use it?

we'll see about that. might be a natural.

what? ramsey? i dont care what you call me. that's okay.

(Max had never cared about what people called him. And even as he grew closer with these boys and even some of the other people here, he didn't bother letting his name be known. That had been how he functioned for a very, very long time and it wasn't bound to change particularly soon.

At least not until he had the chance to regret it in any case. Or maybe this time- it'd be a little different.)

[Adam doesn't usually use Gansey's names for things. They're Gansey's, after all, and often used as a way to distance his emotions, a bit. That's why Adam is almost always Parrish, unless Gansey is worried or upset. Ronan is the same. Adam's not, achieving his emotional distance through the simple expedient of just being very distant. He uses people's real names, usually, or whatever they've ask him to.

But Max doesn't have another name to use, that Adam knows of, so Ramsey will do.]

If you change your mind, just tell me. Names can be tricky things. Ramsey seems nice enough, though.

How's your head?

(Max can relate to that well enough. After all, the man didn't tell anyone his name. Made him easier to disappear out of their minds when he finally did go.)

okay. it is.

(Ramsey was a far kinder name than others. In a way, it suited Max too.

The question causes a delay on Max's part. It was a bit of a surprise that Adam even bothered to remember.)

doesnt hurt. it wasnt all that bad originally. are you okay?

[Of course he remembered. It's not like Adam wanders around bandaging up every strange man he meets. Max is pretty memorable.]

I'm fine. Some bruises on my arms that I got before I ran into you, but they're mostly gone now.

[And bruises are fine, he can deal with those.]

Did you find somewhere safe to stay?

[After all, Max didn't come back. Not that Adam expected him to, but still.]

(....Fair enough.

He hadn't even realized he had been worried until Adam confirmed that he was doing alright himself. Relief eased his body and he slumped down in his bunk.)

i did.

(Another moment of consideration and this was why Max enjoyed speaking with Adam.)

how is your car? some cars are having some trouble with mechanics and the like.

I wish I wasn't in it.

[Sorry, Max. Adam is having an awful week in his car, and while he absolutely doesn't think Max deserves to hear about it - or wants to - he can't quite contain his temper enough to keep from sending that. He's a little ashamed of himself for it, though. He doesn't usually share things like that. Time for some damage control.]

Ours is fine. Things are breaking, one of the power sockets shocked me, but no one's been seriously injured yet. Is yours all right?

(It is a bit of a surprise and at once, Max is on guard. Was someone hurting Adam? He'd fucking scale the side of the train he swore to God he's done that kind of thing before he could do it again the train wasn't even going that fast-

Except his defensiveness is muted a second later when Adam carries on.)

be careful adam.

it's filled with assholes.

(To be completely blunt.)

Edited (html) 2015-07-23 00:27 (UTC)

[That almost makes Adam laugh. It would've been the first time in awhile. It does make him smile, a there-and-gone-again twist of his lips, and he responds in the only truthful way.]

What a coincidence. Mine is too.

[Not that Adam's not one of those assholes. He's done his share of starting fights. It's nice, actually, to talk to someone who's outside of all of it, has no idea it's going on at all, has no reason to snap at Adam or ask him about tender subjects.

He does hope Max's car-mates are on the same level of asshole, though, and not actual threats to Max's safety or sanity. That would be nothing to smile about.]

Are you safe?

(A similar quirk to the lips is to be had on Max's side of the phone. Talking to Adam was incredibly refreshing on its own accord.

He knows, for the most part, that Adam does have his friends with him but really, Max isn't the prying type and if Adam wanted to tell him, Max is pretty sure he'd tell him. The next question does have Max snorting out loud though.)

yeah. i'm safe.

(Which was a strange question in that Max wasn't too used to people worrying much about his well-being.)

havent electrocuted myself on anything yet

(Max.........was that a joke.)

[Adam always plays his cards close to the chest, and he doesn't know Max well enough yet to start complaining about his friends. Who he loves very deeply, but who are also more capable of hurting him than anyone else. It's all teenage drama, Max, you so don't want to get involved.

Just having a pleasant conversation about something totally unrelated is helping Adam.]

Oh, good. Keep that up, please. It would be nice if you came out of this whole ordeal mostly uninjured. You have promised me lessons, after all.

(Yeah he likes Adam but he really doesn't care about teenage drama. He is more than capable of distracting Adam though.)

I can't make any promises about that but I'll see what I can do. I wouldn't worry about it I'm pretty durable. If I do get injured though at least we can start our lessons there.

[All that means is that Max is a very smart man.]

Durable or not, I'd prefer you in one piece. You've been kind to me. Why don't we both try not to get seriously injured for a few days?

(Or that Adam is very easy to make happy.)

alright alright. no serious injuries.

(It feels slightly strange to have someone pestering him about taking care of himself again. The last time someone did that it was-

Ah.)

and if someone is bothering you, let me know.

[Since Adam is actually very difficult to make happy, Max = smart is proven.

Also, he isn't really sure how to respond to that. Adam is aware that his friends have his back if he needs it, but they'd never say that. Ronan would definitely punch someone for him, but that's Ronan. This is most certain not Ronan, and that makes him strange.]

I'm all right, I can take care of myself. But thank you.

[Adam cannot really take care of himself, but he also can't accept an offer like that, so a polite fiction is necessary.]

(Yeah see Max is starting to understand how you work, Adam. Starting to work through the little niches of your brain. He's not so sane himself. Half the time can't even remember where he was. But he can figure this much out.

So he selects his words carefully.)

i dont doubt that. youre smart.
thing is i operate on one function adam and that's survive
problem with that is when i like people and theyre around me they get under that umbrella with me
if i survive you survive
thats really all there is to it
not being protective or saying youre incapable

what i am saying is that all i know how to do, all that im good at, is seeing another day

so if i can do that for you then let me cause otherwise i stay nothing

[And that right there - that's even harder to respond to. Adam stares at the message for a long moment. In the end, of course, he predictably decides to respond to the parts that aren't about liking him or complimenting him or wanting him to survive. He just doesn't know what to do with that, so it's easier to - not ignore it, that's impossible, but set it aside for now.]

It doesn't matter what you do for me. Or for anyone else, either. You aren't nothing. I don't know a lot about your life before you came here, but I don't need to. Just the fact that you said all that is enough to make it clear that you were never nothing.

[He's not like Gansey, he's not given to inspiring words, saying the right thing at the right time. For all he knows, this is exactly the wrong thing. It just needs to be said.]

(It was a lot more than Max would have ever said in person. But the phone, texting, it made him easier on the tongue. He didn't really get why but it was easier to just let stuff go. Especially when it came to these boys.

It was a lot to say and he doesn't actually expect a response- going as far as to put the phone aside and curl up on his bunk, as if planning to go to sleep.

Except Adam does respond and it makes something uncomfortable furl up in his gut. Not a bad uncomfortable. He doesn't know what to say to it, staring. He has no feeling of obligation to respond either and so- he doesn't.)

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