( he stumbles through the delivery, but it's still everything nick has wanted to hear for months. he doesn't want to pick holes in the moment, he wants to close his eyes and ignore whatever little hiccup it is that has tris carefully picking his way through a sentence.

nick takes both of his hands without hesitation and it isn't hard at all to pretend that there's nothing wrong. tris isn't old, there isn't a slight wobble of— something between them. he's just got his best friend back, plain and simple.

it's a delusion, but for a moment there it's a perfect one. )

There's a garden on the roof. I used to hang out there when I first got here, no one ever went up there.

( it's not private, but it's away from the streets and far enough from people that it'll feel like privacy. he's already chewing at the inside of his cheek, vaguely nervous, but he refuses to let go of tris' hand as he leads them both back into the apartment building. if anything he holds tighter. )

You— um...you look different. Older.