The Syndicate - 19. Chapter 19 - Ronnie

"Where are you taking me?" Ronnie called out, laughing. They were in an older part of downtown now, a very artsy district with beautifully painted murals and where every building's front door was a different color than its neighbor. The street was lined with narrow storefronts, each warmly lit from within. The old sidewalk curved around a steep hill, and Ronnie did his best to keep up with Taran's long strides. He was still weary from the morning, and his legs wobbled as he climbed.

At the top of the hill was the old historic courthouse. Whitestone columns stood tall in front of the stately red brick building. A gold dome perched on the roof, still glinting even as the sun went down. The courthouse had operated for over a hundred years until a newer, more modern building was built closer to the city center. Now, it served as a small city museum, its grounds converted into a public park. Ronnie continued to follow Taran as they approached the building. He smiled when they passed through a peaceful rose garden. The perfume of full blooms hung in the warm summer air, giving the quiet park a dreamlike quality. It was a beautiful place to stop and rest for a moment.

But Taran pushed forward, leading them across the courtyard and around the side of the museum. They stood in the cool shadows between the old courthouse and a smaller administration building. Taran quickly looked around the quiet alleyway and then turned to Ronnie with a sneaky grin.

"Do you trust me?" He asked.

Ronnie blinked at him, perplexed. "Of course I do."

"Then hold on tight," Taran approached from the side and took him by the waist. Ronnie wrapped both arms around the other's shoulders. "You ready?"

Ronnie nodded.

Taran closed his eyes, and a wind gathered at the back of the building. It whistled through the trees and came from overhead to swoop beneath them. Ronnie gasped as they rose towards the roof of the courthouse.

"Woah!" he cried, feet suddenly ten feet off the ground. He tightened his grip around Taran and let out another whoop. They quickly ascended the four stories of the courthouse and popped over the roof in a high arc. The winds continued to swirl around as Taran nudged them towards the gold dome. Ronnie noticed it was far more vast than it appeared from the ground as they continued to climb. Taran stretched his arm outward and directed them closer to the large, lantern-shaped room at the dome's peak. The wind once again became a gentle breeze as they touched down behind a wide granite railing.

"That was amazing!" Ronnie exclaimed, letting go of Taran in a giddy daze. "I had no idea you could fly with other people!"

Taran shrugged tightness out of his shoulders. "It's a lot easier with a cape, but short distances aren't too bad. Besides, I wanted to show you something." He gestured forward, and Ronnie walked the tight circle to the front of the courthouse.

He could see the rose gardens below them, as well as the rest of the small park. The pathway that brought them up the hill stretched in a downward arc and was beginning to twinkle as streetlamps blinked to life. Just a bit farther off, the entire downtown skyline rose before them. The sun continued its descent off to the southwest, sending pink and purple streaks across the sky.

"This is beautiful," Ronnie gasped. He leaned against the wide railing and looked out towards the horizon.

Taran took a spot next to him and smiled. "This is my favorite place in the whole city. You really get a sense of the scope of everything, you know? There are so many people down there, just living their lives. And we do whatever it takes to keep them safe." He pointed up at the sky. "But we'll never have to do it alone," Ronnie followed Taran's gesture and caught sight of a small dot moving high above the city in full, slow circles. It was a Syndicate hero, no doubt beginning their nightly patrol.

"Well, it's absolutely stunning up here."

"That's why I wanted to show you."

Ronnie blushed and looked away, heart thumping happily in his chest. He gazed up again at the circling hero. "I hope I'm able to do that someday." He said.

"Do what, fly? You never know! That could be in your skillset."

Ronnie shook his head. "No, not exactly. I mean, I hope I'm able to be brave enough to help the city. The world, even, if I had to. I'm not sure I'm strong enough."

Taran turned to look him. He grew quiet and somehow felt smaller to Ronnie. "You're already braver than you know. And stronger than me in a lot of ways."

"How so?"

Taran took a breath to say something and then paused. He started again. "You're brave enough to live your life on your terms. You're not afraid of what people think. And your family is so supportive. They love you no matter what. I wish I had that..." He looked down at his hands and fell silent.

The words hung in the air, and Ronnie wasn't quite sure what to say. This entire evening had been perfect, downright romantic even, which was certainly a surprise. Taran had seemed to struggle at first, but they had steadily become more at ease with each other. And now they were here, in Taran's favorite place. Did it all mean what Ronnie thought it did?

"It isn't about being unafraid," he said, looking out at the sun as it continued to sink beyond the horizon. "I'm afraid all the time when I meet new people. But it was always important to be true to myself. I couldn't have the life I wanted if I wasn't honest. And anyway, my mom never allowed it." He turned to look at Taran, and was taken aback to see how upset he looked. A shadow seemed to hang across Taran's eyes, and Ronnie thought he looked deeply weary. No one should have to live with that kind of exhaustion. He reached across the railing and gently put his hand on Taran's.

There was a jolt, like a buzz of electricity passed between them at the touch. It shocked Ronnie, but he didn't want to pull away. In fact, it felt like he had been drawn closer for just a moment. Taran looked down, and he too made no effort to move. Silence befell them again, though Ronnie noted it felt calmer this time.

Taran spoke first. "My father has been obsessed with image and the family legacy for as long as I can remember. It wasn't enough that he was the world's strongest hero. We needed to be the world's strongest family. And that's always meant settling down and carrying on what my parents started. I used to think that my brother could have taken that on. But he's gone, and it's all up to me." He finally broke away from Ronnie and covered his face with his hands. He took a shaky breath, and Ronnie could see he was doing his best to hold it together. "These expectations are just impossible to meet!"

A protective urge flared in Ronnie's chest. He was sure they were on the same page now. "But surely your parents want you to be happy? They wouldn't expect you to live a lie, would they?"

"I'm not sure of anything." Taran found himself stepping closer to Ronnie and turned to face him. "I just know that ever since I found you in that alley, I haven't been able to get you out of my head. I catch myself thinking about you all the time." He took a breath and moved his hand back to entwine his fingers with Ronnie's. "Am I crazy?"

Another surge of emotions slammed Ronnie right in the heart. He couldn't believe this was actually happening. The daydream he had entertained days ago was coming true. "You are not crazy! Truth be told, I've been thinking about you too. A lot. I don't know what would have happened to me that night if you hadn't shown up. There's no way I'd be able to navigate these changes on my own."

"So, where does that leave us?"

"I guess there's only one way to find out."

Ronnie took a step forward and kissed Taran gently on the lips. It was a soft, quick touch, but it still left his head buzzing. He backed away and tried to cover a smile, but noticed Taran looked a little dazed.

"Shit, are you ok?" Ronnie asked. Had he just overstepped, and completely misjudged the situation?

"Yeah, it's just…that was nice." Taran pulled Ronnie in again and kissed him deeper. They stayed that way for a few moments before pulling apart. Taran's face was flushed, and he turned away to lean against the railing once more. Ronnie slid his arm under Taran's, and he felt another tiny jolt as Taran's hand found his.