✧ — passionfruit green tea.

[boba]

Comments

[transmit]

[ he will die as this goes against his stalker creed. ]

… It has been one thing after another. When's the last time we got to properly hang? Back on Rhodes?

[oversea]

... Yeah, I guess so.

[ there is obvious hesitance before he answer. he is aware this is a true statement, but for some reason it doesn't quite feel right. but it is right... ]

A lot has happened.

[transmit]

[ i guess for continuity, elysium would have one of thorns' rings. if he'd put it on his ring finger before, it's somehow migrated to his index now. smooth. he's clear across the room and makes a deliberate effort to angle that hand away from thorns as unobtrusively as possible, though maybe he's already noticed. who knows.

he is not thorns who is apparently ready to divorce at the first sign of trouble ]

I haven't technically left Rhodes, if that's what you're worried about.

[ he's also thinking about the landship being on the verge of exploding, but it feels like one of those things best left alone. not when he's operating on incomplete and imperfect information. messing with timelines… they'd seen in the lake themselves what that had done for them, didn't they? ]

When they need me back, they'll let me know. My work was already delegated when I took this mission with Weedy, so if anything, it's all just been extended.

[ it's good experience, too, for the operators who have been particularly keen on being given more opportunities. as of right now, there really isn't anything they need him for specifically. ]

Still, I told them not to expect much else from me. Unless it's the Doctor or the Captain calling, they're big kids now. They can handle themselves.

[oversea]

[ HE'S NOT DIVORCING HIM he is scared of freaking elysium out.

but that makes sense. and if elysium did actually leave properly, there likely would have been slightly more fanfare than him sneaking onto the ship; if anything, he's sure mantra would have reached out to him to check on things herself. ]

Right. Is there anything you want from this experience in particular?

[ weedy stayed for the opportunity and the research. and while elysium already said he mostly wanted to hang out, if there's anything that he specifically wants to learn or experience, then thorns would like to take care of that. it would be at minimum months before they see each other after he leaves. ]

[transmit]

[ taking off the ring is always one of the first indicators of divorce……… his life is so sad. ]

I want to see Terra with my amigo! I don't think it needs to be any deeper than that, does it?

[oversea]

... I guess not.

[ he will try to ignore his brain telling him that doesn't feel like the whole truth. he is simply hallucinating. ]

You should get some sleep if you're tired.

[transmit]

I have to do my rounds soon. How else do you think I've been managing to go under the radar?

[ he is going to do his rounds and come back with potatoes… thorns did this. ]

I'll go when you head to sleep. What're you working on?

[oversea]

[ elysium... you sleep.

he gestures at the journal. ]

I keep notes on what happens during the day. No wonder the Doctor is always doing so much paperwork...

[transmit]

[ elysium is living the ly schedule…

he probably misses the sun a lot more than i do, though. ]

Anything I can help with? I'm pretty used to it because of my position.

[oversea]

Keeping track of our inventory and calculating how long we can go before we need to restock is the most annoying, since it's not something most people remember to be mindful of.

[ people are careful to make food last, at least, since they all remember going hungry in iberia. what is harder for people to be more mindful of are normal supplies that you wouldn't typically think would be hard to get since you can just buy them off merchants on land. ]

[transmit]

Oh! That I can do. Food, ammo, medicine, toolkits, spare parts, sealants and adhesives… amongst other things that keep a ship running. I keep a personal inventory of a lot of things, but I can just as easily track what's needed for an entire crew if you already have the foundation of the paperwork accounted for.

[ he shuffles back over to thorns, and suddenly there's a notebook placed in front of him. ]

Actually! Since I've been doing so much work around the ship, I've been keeping a general log on the state of the ship. Who's handled what and when since I came aboard, as well as the date of parts that were recently serviced. Weedy's been helping me keep it up since she and the Señora started talking about a rehaul.

[oversea]

[ thorns stares at the notebook. he picks it up and idly flips through it for a moment before he sets it back down again. ]

How much should I be paying you?

[ THIS IS NOT WHAT PEOPLE DO ON VACATION!!!!!!! ]

[transmit]

…

You can also consider this as part of my rent? [ HOW MANY TIMES IS HE GOING TO USE THIS EXCUSE!!! ] I'm too useful to be thrown overboard, Thorns…

[ says this while knowing full well it will increase the odds of him being thrown overboard ]

[oversea]

[ he is so annoying. die.

thorns just sighs, wondering just what is he going to do with this man. he can't say this isn't helpful since it is incredibly so, but. god. die!!!!! ]

I can hang you upside down whenever I want.

[transmit]

Isn't that a little cruel to say to someone who just told you he wanted to see the world with you?

[ he ducks behind the desk, fingers still visible where they cling to the edge. just enough of him remains in sight, both his eyes and the crown of his head barely peeking into view. don't hurt him… ]

[oversea]

[ he must keep elysium on his toes.

but he leans over so he can peek over the desk. ]

Then see the world with me.

[transmit]

[ HE IS JUST A LITTLE GUY!!!! ]

Aren't I?

[ mumble mumble ]

[oversea]

Are you...?

[ this is why he's asking elysium to stay with him until he leaves!! ]

Come to the deck with me one night.

[transmit]

[ it feels like he is being… seduced?

he ducks even further down the table. stop perceiving him. ]

… Just for one night?

[ makes it worse. ]

[oversea]

Yeah?

[ because he doesn't want to take up more of elysium's time since it sounds like he does most of his busywork at night. ]

[transmit]

That's only seeing a part of it and not all of it.

[ elysium is so annoying. ]

[oversea]

[ ...

he just rolls his eyes. he truly is so annoying. ]

Then every night?

[transmit]

[ his eyes emerge from the table…… totally not in interest, or anything… ]

You have enough time for that?

[oversea]

I have enough time for anything. I make the schedule.

[ thorns is only as busy as he wants to be; there are definitely captains out there who are much less involved than he is. ]

The sky at sea is something else.

[transmit]

[ his chin comes to rest on the edge of the table. little by little, his weight settles there, until his ear his pressed against the wood and he's looking up at thorns like this, like coaxing a skittish animal into a fragile sense of safety. ]

… Yeah. Every time I looked up at it, I'd hope you were seeing the exact same thing. It makes you feel so unbearable small looking at it alone, though.