haec-ceity:

After a moment, Blue said, “Did you really grow up here, Ronan?”
“In this barn?”
“You know exactly what I mean.”
He started to answer, but pain welled up, sudden and shocking. The only way he could get the sentiment out was by drowning the words with acid. It came out sounding like he hated the place. Like he couldn’t wait to get away. Mocking and cruel, he said, “Yes. This was my castle.”