✧ — passionfruit green tea.

[boba]

Comments

[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.

[transmit]

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+ ]

[oversea]

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. ]

[transmit]

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

[ a softer laugh. ]

You don't think so?

[oversea]

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?

[transmit]

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?

[oversea]

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.

[transmit]

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.

[oversea]

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. ]

[transmit]

[ 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.

[oversea]

Already?

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

...

he pats his shoulder. ]

Don't stay up too late.

[transmit]

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.

[oversea]

[ 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 ]

[transmit]

[ 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. ]

[oversea]

[ 🥺

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 ]

[transmit]

[ 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… ]

[oversea]

[ 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. ]

[transmit]

[ oh… soft.

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

zzzz ]

[oversea]

[ cute...

thorns, unsurprisingly, wakes up first.

he walks over to check elysium out and make sure he seems comfortable. ]

[transmit]

[ he is as comfortable as someone who's sleeping on the floor of a boat can be. which is all to say, not really, but he's managing and it's not like they can do anything else about it. how can they sleep together when elysium already has a boyfriend? he can't cheat on thorns with thorns… that's rude.

hopefully there are no rats. he's fine. ]

[oversea]

[ rat free... or at least, his room is.



at some point some breakfast is deposited in the room for elysium. ]

[transmit]

[ he wakes up late noon…

…

he eats this breakfast and replaces it with a bowl of dried fruits and nuts. his midday snack, if he wills. ]

[oversea]

[ a baby...

thorns, meanwhile, is going around the ship doing various duties. his mornings are fairly jam packed, with multiple people going to him for help or to alert him of ship updates... some just want to see a cool alchemy trick... nene wants to be carried... ]

[transmit]

[ …

this is always the awkward part of his day, when there are too many people moving about at once to really slip through the cracks. typically, he'd bury himself in books as per weedy's recommendation to see how else he might be of use on the ship, but since thorns seemed willing to trust him with inventory, he'll take a seat in his chair and start paging through the journals and ledgers he was working through yesterday, learning by example.

he needs to be useful… ]

[oversea]

[ elysium.....

eventually, thorns will head back to his room to see if elysium is still there. he has brought nene with him. ]