[ you'd think him sobering up would be a good thing, but no. he rises to stand to look at thorns directly, hands square on his shoulders. ]
Considering everything you've been through, it's hard to imagine you're fine. Everything had to happen in… a six month timespan? And then things would've ended later than that. [ … ] That's no amount of time to recover.
I usually keep my schedule pretty open when it comes to our check-ins. It's always hard to predict what might come up around you, you know…?
[ mostly because
thorns rarely tells him anything outright, and he's learned to play it by ear since long ago. he just didn't expect dead significant others to be one of those things, but even that fits within the kind of support he wants to offer his friend. where does he begin to untangle this?
[ once again he does not know the very specific thing elysium is thinking of so he can't point out getting drunk and falling off a ship is not him purposely risking his life. ]
[ thorns… no… there are so many other ways to feel something. it would be easier to isolate how personally attacked elysium feels if his thoughts hadn't ended up somewhere os extreme. he is bothered because thorns has been dealing with this all alone… yeah!
he gives thorns' shoulders one last squeeze before letting go. ]
… I'll figure something out. Don't worry. [ this is how you get people to worry. ] Outside the usual restocking, you don't have any plans over the next few days, yeah?
[ thorns just feels like this whole conversation went somewhere that will be very difficult to take it back from. and while he doesn't like the idea of elysium thinking he's dating someone else (he is thinking worse than that), thorns assumes he can maybe live with it for now... ]
Not really, no. Just my usual tasks, but I do those early in the morning and in the evening.
[ thorns had better hope those purgatory memories never catch up to him, or elysium is going to murder him in cold blood for the sheer amount of stress he's under right now. because? if he wakes up one morning with white strands creeping into the black patch of his hair, it's genuinely so over for everyone involved. ]
That's about the same for me. Clear out your days, then! We're living the high life for the next while.
[ if you think about it… they also really did not go on dates back in purgatory… unless they go legitimately insane, are they just hopeless as people? ]
[ they really are bad at this whole being in a relationship thing, huh.
thorns isn't sure what elysium considers living the high life in this situation, but okay. he was going to spend as much time with elysium as he could anyway, so it's not like this is a difficult request to fulfill. ]
[ their ideal day together is playing chess and exploding things so yea
and while it's hard to rewire one's brain to expect much else, he's thinking thorns needs a whole lot more stimulation than what a sterile lab environment and his room can provide. this is his first real test as thorns' bestie, forget chasing after him into a den of pirates and religious zealots. he finally allows his head to knock against thorns'. ]
[ this is everyone's pirate captain… he is four-years-old.
anyway
up comes the bar, far quieter than it was before. familiar faces are scattered out front, presumably to get fresh air. most notable among them is the same guy who's been trying and failing to get elysium's attention all night.
he scrambles to his feet, and with all the liquid courage he's built up over the course of the evening and then some, asks if elysium might have any time to spare while he's here.
in what can only be one of the most brutal rejections possible, elysium's response is nearly instant. ]
[ whoa... that sucks. the guy is, understandably, embarrassed. he glances at thorns, staring at him for a good few seconds, before scrambling off to join some of his drunken pals.
thorns feels like he should know who this is but he still isn't sober enough to fully remember their purg au slideshow. ]
[ he looks over to thorns despite these other roadside pirates and operators staring at them intently. elysium does not appear to realise they exist. ]
… Sorry. That's besides the point. —I'd never get sick of you. You're my amigo and compañero de armas for a reason, Thorns.
[ just announces this in front of a dozen of their acquaintances. it's fine. the people who don't understand iberian wonder if this is some kind of confession? but it's important that elysium establishes this, especially at a time where thorns must feel incredibly lonely and isolated… ]
[ thorns is being so incredibly friendzoned right now... but that's okay. he has spent the majority of his relationship with elysium as friends so it should be easy to readjust to that norm, right? ]
... Okay. [ ... ] Same to you.
[ someone grumbles that thorns' answer didn't feel as emotional. ALRIGHT THEN. ]
[ thorns is now living elysium's life for the first decade of their friendship
but elysium is still so fixated on thorns that he is not remotely processing what these nugus are talking about. continues to make this worse as they finally start walking back to the ship. ]
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[ you'd think him sobering up would be a good thing, but no. he rises to stand to look at thorns directly, hands square on his shoulders. ]
Considering everything you've been through, it's hard to imagine you're fine. Everything had to happen in… a six month timespan? And then things would've ended later than that. [ … ] That's no amount of time to recover.
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thorns glances at his hands before finally meeting elysium's gaze. ]
... Let's just enjoy our time together before you have to leave, Elysium.
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[ … ]
I'll put in a request to stay a little longer this time.
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[ thorns really should have asked fiammetta when does rhodes blow up but he was not thinking that far ahead. ]
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[ mostly because
thorns rarely tells him anything outright, and he's learned to play it by ear since long ago. he just didn't expect dead significant others to be one of those things, but even that fits within the kind of support he wants to offer his friend. where does he begin to untangle this?
… ]
Anywhere from an extra week or two's easy.
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thorns still feels like he needs to correct something here but he has no idea of how to go about that. ]
... If you're sure. Try not to get into any trouble.
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how is this one timeline so much more disastrous than the other. ]
I should be saying that to you…
You can't be reckless. [ … he thinks about the rumours he heard of thorns falling off the ship. on god. can he leave thorns alone? ]
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but thorns does not know what elysium is thinking of, so he just tilts his head at him. ]
Can a pirate not be reckless?
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Not to the extent where you're endangering your life more than usual…
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I am very skilled.
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he gives thorns' shoulders one last squeeze before letting go. ]
… I'll figure something out. Don't worry. [ this is how you get people to worry. ] Outside the usual restocking, you don't have any plans over the next few days, yeah?
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Not really, no. Just my usual tasks, but I do those early in the morning and in the evening.
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That's about the same for me. Clear out your days, then! We're living the high life for the next while.
[ if you think about it… they also really did not go on dates back in purgatory… unless they go legitimately insane, are they just hopeless as people? ]
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thorns isn't sure what elysium considers living the high life in this situation, but okay. he was going to spend as much time with elysium as he could anyway, so it's not like this is a difficult request to fulfill. ]
Don't do anything too crazy.
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and while it's hard to rewire one's brain to expect much else, he's thinking thorns needs a whole lot more stimulation than what a sterile lab environment and his room can provide. this is his first real test as thorns' bestie, forget chasing after him into a den of pirates and religious zealots. he finally allows his head to knock against thorns'. ]
Only if you promise me that you won't, first.
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he knocks his head against elysium's back. die. ]
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anyway
up comes the bar, far quieter than it was before. familiar faces are scattered out front, presumably to get fresh air. most notable among them is the same guy who's been trying and failing to get elysium's attention all night.
he scrambles to his feet, and with all the liquid courage he's built up over the course of the evening and then some, asks if elysium might have any time to spare while he's here.
in what can only be one of the most brutal rejections possible, elysium's response is nearly instant. ]
My schedule's booked full, sorry.
[ not even a mention of next time? damn. ]
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thorns feels like he should know who this is but he still isn't sober enough to fully remember their purg au slideshow. ]
Whoa.
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Don't forget you promised me.
[ accusatory. no ditching him. ]
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[ thorns has just been once again reminded of the fact that elysium is actually popular and it's not just him making stuff up. ]
You'll see me so much you'll get sick of me.
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he officially thinks thorns is losing it. ]
Why are you saying words I usually do?
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thorns shakes his head. ]
No I'm not. Let's go back to the ship.
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… Sorry. That's besides the point. —I'd never get sick of you. You're my amigo and compañero de armas for a reason, Thorns.
[ just announces this in front of a dozen of their acquaintances. it's fine. the people who don't understand iberian wonder if this is some kind of confession? but it's important that elysium establishes this, especially at a time where thorns must feel incredibly lonely and isolated… ]
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... Okay. [ ... ] Same to you.
[ someone grumbles that thorns' answer didn't feel as emotional. ALRIGHT THEN. ]
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but elysium is still so fixated on thorns that he is not remotely processing what these nugus are talking about. continues to make this worse as they finally start walking back to the ship. ]
Want me to sleep over like old times?
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