On the other hand, Adam is perfectly okay doing without. He's never had much anyway. It's just another way that he doesn't understand why Ronan feels the need to do this here and now. He doesn't necessarily feel in a position to tell his boyfriend flat-out 'no' either. He imagines that telling Ronan no is like telling a tree not to grow. It's the equivalent of needlessly beating your head against a wall. Adam tries not to so that any more than he has to.

As he'd watched Ronan fight from the back wall, he's very still and his entire body is tense. He wants to rail against the guy beating up on Ronan. But Adam's there every night with their first aide kit. He doesn't trust the first aide kits that aren't theirs. Drugs seem to be a common use around here. You just never know.

Even though Ronan is tired, bruised and cut up, Adam has a hard time feeling sympathetic toward that. All he is is angry that Ronan is letting it happen. Ronan chose this. It is what it is.

Seeing Ronan walking out of the ring in that shape, it makes his stomach twist in uncomfortable knots. He hates it. He hates the chosen bruises and cracked ribs and swollen eyes. It makes his own skin feel too tight, like he's too seen here, like he should hide. All of those feelings have nothing to do with Ronan and everything to do with Adam. For this reason, when Ronan finally looks at him, Adam can't help that his eyes glance away in the way they used to do all the time.

"Sit." He gestures to the folding chair he's pilfered.