✧ — passionfruit green tea.

[boba]

Comments

[transmit]

[ it probably tickles whenever it brushes his skin, too…

thorns isn't just going to take it off, is he? 🥺 ]

I was in the middle of a book signing. [ … ] It sounded like the other you didn't even know about it.

Did you have fun?

[oversea]

They aren't as caught up.

[ and thorns... isn't sure if fun is the right word to use here. enough horrible things occurred that it, if one were to think about the experience from a neutral point of view, would have been better if it never occurred.

but thorns can't say that either, since he wouldn't agree with it. ]

... It was interesting.

[transmit]

Just 'interesting'? I bet it was.

[ thorns was in his alchemist outfit and hadn't seemed surprised seeing him… it's a little funny, thinking about it. how different his reactions are when he visits him after some time directly juxtaposed to now, even if they're ones that could be easily missed. the smallest of smiles, alongside what he can only guess is relief.

he regards this thorns with curiosity. ]

It looks like I owe you this time.

[ for finding him… ]

[oversea]

Not at all. You would do the same for me.

[ ... quite literally, as it turns out. but alright, actually talking instead of just awkwardly standing in a huddle together does make this a little easier. ]

And it was easier with a friend.

[transmit]

[ A FRIEND

he resists the urge to stare. he has so many questions, but maybe it's better that they never get answered.

… ]

Everything's easier with an amigo. I think I saw Operator Fiammetta and Miss Mostima earlier, too? You had an entire squad with you.

[oversea]

... We roomed with Fiammetta.

[ in case that makes this easier to swallow unless elysium will now be under the impression that they had a throuple going on. ]

Plus all of the others from different places.

[transmit]

[ WHO WOULD IMMEDIATELY GO TO THROUPLE

he doesn't even know if the feather is platonic or romantic? he has so many questions for himself and yet he will never get answers. hand holding could mean anything. ]

… Kind of makes it sound like the early days of Rhodes, when all we had were boxes and single mattresses for five per room. But I'd hope the accommodations were better than that.

If there's nothing else, should we be in our way as well?

[ …

holds out his hand? ]

[oversea]

[ he looks down at the offered hand, a little surprised at the gesture––although it probably shouldn't be that surprising, since the two of them just showed that this was okay.

so thorns reaches out to take his hand. ]

... Yeah. Let's go home.

[transmit]

[ OKAY.

he tightens his grip so there are no takesies-backsies. ]

Mm. Do you do this with just anyone now?

[oversea]

[ this is a perfect time to do a funny callback with reirin except this elysium would not get the reference. alas. ]

Not really. You do, though.

[transmit]

[ WHAT DOES HE MEAN NOT REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



elysium doesn't know this, though. so he just takes thorns' word for it… ]

… What? No I don't. I'm following your lead.

[oversea]

[ this elysium can never know how much purgatory wanted everyone cuddling as much as possible... ]

I'm following yours.

[ elysium is the one who initiated it? ]

[transmit]

[ he would lie to his pure bbbb ]

You were doing this earlier.

[ is he just being… gaslit now? is this thorns' takeaway from purgatory? ]

[oversea]

Was I?

[ he is indeed being gaslit.

... ]

I'm actually not sure if we'll just be brought back to what we were doing before or...

[ are they going to get immediately separated ]

[transmit]

[ was he… the way it looks like he's convinced he was delusional for a fraction of a second before he realises that thorns is way too relaxed holding his hand now for it to not be true.

so, he grips thorns' hand extra tight in retaliation. die. ]

… That's why I thought holding onto you might help. But if we're separated, I guess it's just back to business as usual.

[oversea]

[ ... ]

Let's just think about sticking together and see if that works.

[ he adjusts his hold on nene with his other arm. ]

Vamos.

[transmit]

[ he is still shaking over being gaslight… but he supposes this can be addressed later. or never. ]

Tú primero, capitán.

[oversea]

[ he nods, but doesn't move right away.

... but then he squeezes elysium's hand back. not as punishment, but to be reassuring and to let him know that he's here, before he walks forward to finally leave purgatory behind with his favorite person.

and also nene is there. ]

[transmit]

[ is he his favourite person though… or is he just a fake…

and just because i'm feeling so generous——


as they descend the winding staircase back into their regular lives, their bodies grow lighter and lighter until every sensation slips away, until he can no longer feel what's in his hand, or hold on as much as he might want to. like this, they fall back into the ordinary: elysium jolting awake in a familiar chair, surrounded by familiar books, a pen still resting in his hand.

'mister elysium? are you okay?' ]

—Huh? Oh, right. Sorry. I thought I heard something just now. To— [ … ] —yes?

[oversea]

[ ... well, he can't be surprised that's how it ended up.

with elysium not appearing with him, it almost feels like a dream—but only almost, because the necklace hanging off of him is a strong reminder of all that happened.

and so, when it's later that evening on the same thing, thorns will do something he never does: send a transmission. ]

Elysium? I just wanted to check in. This is Thorns.

[transmit]

[ the way this singlehandedly makes elysium realise that purgatory might've not been a delusion after all with how wildly out there this is. would it be an understatement to say it might be the first time thorns has contacted him this way…? perhaps he has when it comes to the battlefield or their professional life, but incredibly likely when it comes to everything else. it's somehow more bizarre than anything he might've experienced in purgatory, from there being another set of them and finding himself sleeping in a field of flowers.

as much as he wants to voice his surprise, he realises that wouldn't exactly be conducive to encouraging this character development… so after he spends a few minutes by himself going ??????? and squinting at his communicator, ]

Thorns? I just finished with my signing. Can I help you?

[oversea]

[ he just wanted to check to see if he was okay... and has absolutely nothing else to say now that he has confirmed that. ]

Just checking to see if you made it back safely.

[ good talk.... ]

[transmit]

[ THORNS ]

… Ah, yeah. It's like I never left.

[ he is so lucky elysium knows how to carry a conversation… ]

Our next touchpoint should be a month from now, right? Are you sure you don't need anything?

[ any other mystical revelations he's come to in the time elysium was apparently knocked out?? ]

[oversea]

[ thorns is trying so hard to act how they always do together but it's annoyingly hard when they have been getting intimate for the past three week. ]

I don't. I'll see you when we meet up, then.

[ ...

was that normal....? ]

[transmit]

[ the entire basis is abnormal wrap it up

elysium is also thinking the feather he'd seen thorns wearing was also a fever dream of some kind. that is his bro…? he is the top contender of the three people he'd most likely give a feather to, but it's still something he can't really imagine himself doing at this point of time, much less a version of him that's further into the past. ]

… Sure. I'm always just a transmission away. Let me know if anything comes up.

[ ?????? ]