Declan Lynch | The Raven Cycle

[locoparentis]

Character: Declan Lynch
Fandom: The Raven Cycle

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[dreamkid]

I'm okay. I'll be okay.

And I'll be careful. It won't happen again.

[ Surely that's right, surely what Kavinsky did to him is one of those terrible things that can only happen once in a person's life. ]

[locoparentis]

[He presses his hands against Matthew's curls.]

I just need you to be safe, all right?

[dreamkid]

[ Matthew gives a small nod, trying not to move his brother's hands away. He feels safer now than he has for the better part of the day, with Declan here--Declan, who believes him about what happened--and Ronan still out in the hall.

He reaches up to touch Declan's arm again. ]

Hey. You won't change your mind about going to D.C., will you? Not because of this.

[ Matthew would feel terrible if he did. ]

[locoparentis]

[He looks away from Matthew for a moment.]

I could find you a school there.

[He knows it won't work. He knows it can't work. They all have to finish at Aglionby for the will.]

I don't want to stay.

[dreamkid]

[ Matthew pushes himself up on his elbows again, insistent. ]

You should go. That's what you decided to do, and--

That's what you wanted.

[ He doesn't know what to say about the other part, the suggestion that he go with Declan, too. It takes him a moment. ]

But I thought I had to stay. Until I'm eighteen. At Aglionby.

[ He looks at his brother, uncertain. It's not just because of the will. Everything he knows is here in Henrietta, or at their home a short drive away. ]

[locoparentis]

You do.

[He says it softly.]

I want you to be all right.

[dreamkid]

I will be, [ he promises, because even now, even after Kavinsky, he's still innocent enough to believe such a guarantee is possible as long as he tries hard enough. And he will try, for Declan.

If things get out of hand again, he still has faith that Ronan will be there, too. ]

I'll be careful, and I'll keep my grades up. And I'll wait on learning how to drive until you can teach me.