chatime | ✧ — passionfruit green tea.

[ 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?

[ it is so late.

and yet, he nods. ]

Mm. It should be clear tonight.

[ 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.

[ 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. ]

[ 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. ]

[ 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.

[ 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?

[ 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.

Is there any other answer to that, aside from everywhere we set our minds to and beyond?

[ he bumps their shoulders with a huff. ]

Don't go imposing limits at the very start of our journey, my friend.

[ captain valourchin's about to achieve greater and grander feats with his bestie on new game+ ]

You really know how to sound optimistic.

[ it's not that thorns isn't, at least. this is the most hopeful about the future he has been in a very long time. but there will always be some doubts that weigh in, especially over something that he really has no experience in.

but it's been going fine so far, and juana is alway willing to help when he's unsure of something. ]

… Being able to enjoy moments like these makes it feel like everything will be okay.

[ a softer laugh. ]

You don't think so?

Anything sounds possible when you put it like that.

[ ... it's why it's nice to have elysium around. that wasn't the sort of thing thorns could say to his crew, nor would it be something he'd want to. ]

Are you sure there isn't anything more you want to do while you're here? Anything in particular you might want to see?

That's because anything is possible when it's us.

[ and, it's a belief that has only grown more true over time. there is that temptation again—to hold thorns close and say everything he could want is already right next to him. that he already has seen most of what there is to see, so what he wants to is what thorns does.

but that isn't the most conducive answer, nor is it one that will make all that much sense to this iteration of thorns. ]

Hmm. If I had to answer… then it'd have to be the Iberia you end up shaping with your hands. Is that too ambiguous of an answer?

Maybe.

[ but it's also telling enough.

he's still early enough in this journey that he's still finding his footing as captain, much less thinking about changing iberia thoroughly, but he is approaching it in small steps already. hopefully he'll be able to do it in more tangible ways once he builds a more reliable system here. ]

But show you the difference, one day.

What do you mean, one day?

[ he huffs, bumping into thorns a tad more aggressively. ]

It's because I didn't want to just be shown or told about it that I'm here with you now. I want to help you, however I can, and watch as it's built piece by piece.

That's a lot of pieces.

[ it's said teasingly.

... he does note that elysium is coming on a little strongly, but their situations has changed so it makes sense to be extra supportive. ]

[ OKAY.

time to go through character regression if he doesn't want to appreciate new and improved(?) ely… ]

Is it? Then we better not waste any more time. My shift's starting, so it's time for yours should end.

Already?

[ it doesnt feel like they've been out here for long enough.

...

he pats his shoulder. ]

Don't stay up too late.

Already.

[ repeats with a casual wink. ]

This just means we have something to look forward to everday now, on top of everything else. Sleep well.

[ he nods and turns to go, glancing over to where the current helmsman is to make sure they haven't spotted the two of them.

...

he looks back to where elysium is. then hurries off bye ]

[ tears up

he fixes his gaze on the horizon just so he doesn't watch thorns go. thorns goes not know he loves him and would do everything for him… this fact is, perhaps, what kills him more than anything else……

he presses his forehead briefly to the railing, then hurries off to his ghostly community service once thorns' footsteps fade. he is such a mess. ]

[ 🥺

thorns will go to sleep but only after making sure elysium's sleep area is actually comfortable and not just elysium throwing shit in the floor. this requires actually sitting on it which feels kind of scandalous for some reason... he hurries to his own pillows.

zzzzz ]

[ it really is just sheets on the floor how has elysium not complained yet. a mystery

but he crawls back before daylight… maybe hovering over thorns if his blanket or whatever else isn't on properly. fixes it.

does thorns do anything for his sad pile for bed, or is he just going to pass out like he has for the last couple of weeks curled up trying to convince himself he's comfortable… ]

[ elysium now has... more blankets.

it's still nowhere near the level of having a proper bed, especially since he has to make do with what's on board, but it's at least more cushioned than it was before. ]

[ oh… soft.

he falls asleep bunching up one set of blankets to hug. it is no thorns, but beggars cannot be choosers.

zzzz ]

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