✧ — passionfruit green tea.

[boba]

Comments

[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.

[transmit]

[ what is romance… elysium hallucinating that a version of him gave him his feather, apparently, and everyone else corroborating that thorns was wearing one up until today. he resists the urge to glance over his shoulder as he leaves, finding most of the operators now in the room, in the middle of settling themselves.

in the end, most of them come along simply to pass the time, elysium showing up at the docks with the group. as far as appearances go, he looks a little tidier than when thorns left him, hair styled, though only in that distinctly nonchalant way…?

jk he looks try hard as he always does. ]

[oversea]

[ why did elysium fix his hair... is it because he wants to find a boyfriend??????

thorns is spiraling but he just nods his head at them when he sees them. the pirates have found a neat little tavern that agreed to save enough space for them; sailors tend to like to get drunk which means a lot of money for them yippee.

but they'll lead them there... everyone is chatting excitedly! the mood is good!!!

thorns makes sure to walk slightly behind elysium on the way there so he can watch him... and then see what he does about seating... ]

[transmit]

[ wow maybe he just wants to find a girlfriend… have you considered that? he is in his het era for real.

but no, he's just being his vain self, wanting to look presentable for what he's treating as any other social event. thorns' crew knows not to be cringe, right? that's the hope, not that elysium's actively worrying about it when no one's given him a reason to.

anyway, unfortunate for thorns: he doesn't actually get to see what elysium does about seating on his own volition, as the moment they walk in, someone's already waving at him, excitedly, gesturing for him to come sit next to them. he figures sticking too close to thorns would just make him annoying, so he sees no reason not to go along with it. ]

[oversea]

[ OKAY.

thorns watches his not boyfriend go... before just picking any random, empty seat. the spots next to him take a bit to fill, half because some of the operators don't know him well enough to not be intimidated by a pirate captain, and half because his crew mates are unsure about being next to their boss.

life is hard.

the ones who organized it all immediately start to order drinks once everyone is situated. thorns looks to see what elysium is doing. ]

[transmit]

[ thorns would not be in this position if he did not divorce his wife

also

what else is there to do but drink and make merry? if he notices thorns being too much of a wallflower, he'll make his way over first chance he gets. otherwise, he does not have work… so it's fine to get a little buzzed, isn't it?

alcohol on someone else's dime!! yippee ]

[oversea]

[ he hates it here so bad.

elysium is having fun so thorns is just going to try very hard to not act like an ex who can't move on, which is very hard because that is essentially what is happening here without the ex being aware of it.

after a while he just wanders off to talk to the bartender about what trade is like... he turns this into a work event... ]

[transmit]

[ okay, but.

is he really going to let that weirdo they saw in the lake approach elysium. has he not had enough romantic drama in his life? he is slowly inching closer while elysium remains unaware, simply just taking shot after shot while encouraging everyone else around him to. it isn't everyday that they get to gather like this… wow!!! ]

[oversea]

[ it's fine... thorns is watching... he just isn't hovering annoyingly.




after a while he wanders back after getting information he needs. he stops in front of elysium to deposit a glass of water he got from the bartender in front of him. ]

[transmit]

[ looks at this glass of water



picks up another shot glass and puts it in thorns' hand, simultaneously taking another one for himself. ]

We haven't done any cheers yet, Thorns!

[ the crew member in the background pauses… thinking he will have a chance after they finish this exchange. he waits patiently while pretending he is just in the general area for some reason. ]

[oversea]

[ unfortunately the only person who exists right now to thorns is elysium. he holds this glass. ]

You need water, idiot.

[transmit]

After! Toast me first!

[ well

even if thorns doesn't want to clink their glasses, elysium goes ahead and does it anyway. what is water when he can just become 80% alcohol instead? he's having a great time.

others are, too, if them starting to get risque is any indicator. ]

[oversea]

[ oh my god the hookups are actually working...

thorns wants to shield elysium from this, which is insane since they aren't dating. can't believe that he pretended for two seconds that he would have been okay with elysium hooking up with people to satisfy his libido if needed, that was such a lie.

but okay. thorns will drink this...... ]

[transmit]

[ people are starting to wild out… elysium is none the wiser as he shares this shot with thorns.

or he would be none the wiser. what's faster: thorns' trigger finger or some person tapping elysium on the shoulder to get his attention. it is up in the air what they want from him, but it is unlikely to be anything good from thorns' perspective…

this is true debauchery hours. ]

Yes—?

[ the guy has given up on waiting and is just full on trying to interrupt now. okay ]