✧ — passionfruit green tea.

[boba]

Comments

[oversea]

They need to entertain themselves somehow.

[ he wants to ask what happened, but he figures it's about something he doesn't care about. little does he know, he should care. ]

Come on. Let me show you all the upgrades Weedy made.

[transmit]

[ little do either of them know, those same crew members are already arranging a mixer between every known single operator and the rest of the crew. is the dating pool really that bleak? maybe.

makes you think when they're probably the people they see most often aside from each other. ]

Ah. Can we stop by your room first? I have things for you.

[oversea]

Mmhm.

[ he'll steer them in that direction once elysium gets up and is no longer planting mushrooms in his room.

his room is messy, with paperwork all over his desk, which thorns must obviously be bothered by because he immediately glances in that direction before looking at elysium. ]

[transmit]

[ he's cultivated enough that there should be plenty for everyone when it's checked the next day.

but watching elysium move around the room is probably amusing. wherever he goes, clutter gives way to neat stacks, as if tidiness follows him and is left in his wake. eventually he reaches the walls, now dressed with photo frames: the iberian crew on rhodes, a snapshot from their last anniversary, and three full-sized posters from each successful volume of saga of the captain valourchin. the captain's shown from behind every time, his crew growing larger with each release. it's obvious who it's meant to be, his clothing emblazoned with radial suns and stars.

has thorns been keeping up with them? the best friend is on none of these… ]

I thought, when we got back, that your room might feel better with a few personal touches. Not bad if I say so myself.

[ holdover from purrfect penance being so off-putting to be in alone? maybe… ]

[oversea]

[ the idea of having posters of himself up is so insane to him

but thorns will look each new addition over, amusement growing on his face with each one. ]

I was expecting more sunscreen.

[ he is holding one of the photos... he doesn't even remember when this was taken... ]

[transmit]

[ it's the captain valourchin, hello? there's enough suspension of disbelief to pretend it's not thorns. don't worry… ]

That's coming, that's coming!

[ he lets himself straighten out this last thing before bounding back over to thorns, plopping a ten-pack into his arms. ]

For you.

[ has he even used up the the last of his stock. probably not. but let a guy dream. ]

[oversea]

[ he definitely has not. it's fine.

he will take this... ]

I really should be paying you.

[transmit]

You can pay me back by taking care of yourself. There's nothing more I want than a return on my investment.

[ pats his shoulder. ]

You haven't told me what you think! Doesn't your room look more lived in now?

[oversea]

It looks fine.

[ he puts his sunscreen stash down.

... ]

Thanks.

[ his manners... ]

[transmit]

Noooo problem.

[ heheheh… last hour's mushrooms are a thing of the past. ]

Was there anything else you needed to get done, or do I have you to myself now?

[oversea]

I won't be needed anywhere until later.

[ he's given everyone free time before they are forced to do chores, which also means that he has free time before he must go back to work.

if elysium wasn't here, thorns would likely spend it working still. ]

[transmit]

Theeeeeen we're getting you off the ship—!

[ he goes ahead expecting thorns to follow. ]

Have you eaten yet?

[oversea]

[ he follows after him... what else is he supposed to do... ]

Yes. [ ... ] Wait, no.

[ he ate dinner last night... ]

[transmit]

[ make him walk off alone like a loser… ]

What do you mean, no? You—

[ he's about to chew him out again when thorns' crew members hook their arms around both of them and haul them down to eye level. apparently they heard something about dinner? funny coincidence, that's exactly why they'd been looking for them—or at least, why they were looking for elysium in particular. elysium, there are single operators among the crew, right? and he's single too, isn't he? it's perfect. he can help set people up and join in on the mixer!!!!!!!!!! ]

Huh? I was hoping to catch up with—

[ cut off again by another excitable crew member saying they can catch up anytime! and thorns is welcome to join or supervise, if he wants! elysium's reluctant thought is that this can probably be platonic…? so he glances over at thorns, deferring the judgment to him. they do not seem like they want to let it go. ]

[oversea]

[ okay.

thorns looks so pissed at this that the crew member immediately apologizes for assuming thorns would want to get involved and starts carting elysium off.

thorns is pissed at the idea of elysium being set up with someone. ]

[transmit]

[ help ]

That's a pretty strong reaction. They try this with you often…?

[ he thinks thorns is more pissed off at them trying to set him up… ]

[oversea]

Not really.

[ he forces his expression to be more neutral. ]

Are you interested...?

[transmit]

They seemed really desperate. [ … ] Hard to imagine anything coming out of it, but I could at least ask the other operators if they were interested in mingling.

Should I?

[oversea]

[ ugh...

there's a long pause. ]

You can see if they want to go...

[transmit]

[ he leans over to gaze at thorns… ]

What's bothering you so much?

[oversea]

I'm not bothered.

[ he clearly is. ]

... Are you interested?

[transmit]

I don't come all this way just to hang out with other people. Unless you were interested, why would I be?

[ hehe. ]

[oversea]

[ explodes

he looks away... ]

I guess we can go to keep an eye on things. We don't have to participate in what they're up to.

[transmit]

[ thorns realising they do not talk like normal people but this is just something elysium has accepted about them as part of their friendship. sorry

also the funny part about this is that thorns really did lead them away and now they have to crawl back… he tilts his head. ]

I'll go talk to everyone about it, then? Ask your guy where he wants us to be and we can reconvene once we've figured things out.

[oversea]

Yeah, sounds good.

[ and this way thorns can watch elysium to see if he actually is secretly interested in this and if he is he can throw himself into the sea. ]

We can meet up later.