✧ — passionfruit green tea.

[boba]

Comments

[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.

[oversea]

Then we'll fix that.

[ he isn't sure when elysium will be summoned back to rhodes, so it's best to make the most of their time now. ]

You know you could always come find me. It's not that big of a ship to be alone.

[transmit]

[ he should say no… it should be enough just to be in proximity. but even if he misses what they were, he misses their friendship more. ]

Should we make it a tradition? Like how the sun gives way to the moon. Only for us, there's that small window where we get to meet each and every day—so neither of us has to feel so alone?

[oversea]

[ this is incredibly romantic. it is a shame that thorns has not had any kind of conversation to get him thinking about romance and he has convinced himself purgatory was a dream, so he is not being properly wooed here. ]

We should. There's no one better to do that with.

[transmit]

[ it's fine this is just the au where they remain platonic forever. the real timeline future historians will cite as proof they were simply very good friends and nothing more. ]

Should we start it off tonight?

[oversea]

[ it is so late.

and yet, he nods. ]

Mm. It should be clear tonight.

[transmit]

[ it is very late and most definitely past thorns' bedtime, but&dmash; ]

Just for a bit! And then we'll have to send you back to bed.

[oversea]

[ elysium should be sleeping... but thorns won't argue since now he can make sure he actually does.

but they can head off then, and at least they won't run into anyone. even if elysium wasn't used to sneaking around, thorns is aware of where anyone who would be on night shift would currently be stationed. ]

[transmit]

[ elysium hasn't even been awake for six hours what does he want from him

there's a brief moment where he almost reaches for thorns' hand, stopping himself short at the last second. this is why they can't be together, actually. so he lets himself lag a few steps behind, playing at follow the leader. this is fine. ]

[oversea]

[ hmm. well, thorns won't think too deeply on the gesture.

he'll lead them onto the deck. the only other person up here is the one steering the ship, and they're not paying any attention to anyone else. thorns gestures for elysium to follow him over to the side where it'll be more difficult for someone to spot them without going out of their way to walk over here. ]

Here we are.

[transmit]

[ the only thing thorns needs to think about is how totally normal his bestie is.

but thorns settles, and elysium allows their shoulders to brush before he eases right next to him. for a moment, he wonders what the thorns he had to say goodbye to is doing now. here he is, living out the life they thought would only be possible within simulations. he feels impossibly lucky just to be next to him, sharing the stretch of sky above them, with the sea breeze threading through their hair. is he allowed to be?

well. if it's thorns, he'll attain everything he sets out to attain. thorns did promise him that much, and if there's anyone he'd believe those words from, it's thorns. ]

… That we are. Dollar for your thoughts?

[oversea]

[ thorns, meanwhile, isn't sure how to answer.

it's nice to have elysium here, even if the entire situation has been strange. and whenever things seem too out of place, he thinks back to purgatory––a place he's so sure he dreamed of, and there's one way to know for sure, but he's hesitant to even bring it up.

so, he settles that it was definitely a dream. ]

I always wonder how far we might be able to go.