✧ — passionfruit green tea.

[boba]

Comments

[oversea]

It wouldn't have damaged them that badly.

[ okay.

thorns just peers at elysium. ]

Do you not like Nene?

[transmit]

I just think it's spoiled…

[ it is not his baby in the way thorns and docybara are his babies. ]

It's not so much of a problem now, but when it gets bigger, it needs to be more aware. It'll be harder to train those habits out later. [ he arches a brow back. ] Is that not liking something to you?

[oversea]

[ no, it's definitely more than that, since it seemed like elysium was trying to compete with it earlier.

but he won't push the topic. thorns has no logical reason why he is suddenly fond of nene. ]

There's the line. Wait as I pay.

[transmit]

[ OKAY. his very mild jealousy is one thing; wanting to set it up for success is another. they cannot have both thorns and nene completely unsocialised with the rest of society. he tells himself that he will take this upon himself if thorns will not.

but, he reluctantly takes nene back. the funny thing is elysium already has an entire narrative over why thorns is fond of nene, even if he doesn't know. he gives it a long, serious look and tells it that it needs to grow up eventually—and that elysium will need it to continue to look out for thorns for him when he can't. can he trust it with that? does it understand his sentiment?

he says it quietly, but he still attempts to futilely beam it into its head like he does many other things to thorns. like father, like child??? ]

[oversea]

[ thorns is once again unaware of all of this that is happening. he waits in line... pays for his items... gets distracted at the lil food area at checkout.

hot dogs... hm... meatballs? no, he will resist...

but he waves them over. ]

[transmit]

[



he makes sure to take the bag with the knives in it, exchanging it for the bag of nene. ]

Did you want me to put in an order for arms, by the way? I could probably get a shipment in by the end of this week—next week, latest.

[oversea]

No, you don't have to. We can manage with what we have.

[ and that's one less thing for elysium to worry about. ]

But thanks for the offer to do so.

[transmit]

[ he doesn't have to, but he could. hmm. he makes a note to check their stock himself and canvas the crew later. ]

This is what I'm being paid to do. You've done plenty for Rhodes in turn, so have a higher bar than just 'managing'.

[oversea]

[ thorns should know better than to try to give elysium less work to do, because he'd end up finding some one way or another.

they can trek back to deposit their goods. ]

... Did you want to do anything else today?

[transmit]

[ it's true… either you assign him work, or he finds his own, which usually leads to mixed results. pick your poison. ]

Not particularly. After we get everything installed, how about we use the rest of the evening to relax?

[ left to his own devices, it's hard to imagine thorns doing so willingly. and no, his lab work doesn't count as relaxation no matter how much he might enjoy it. ]

Chess?

[oversea]

[ that does make sense... but also, it really has been so long since elysium has been inside his own apartment, since last time he was kidnapped as soon as they reached the parking lot. it'll probably be good for him to just unwind. ]

Yeah. I do need to beat you.

[ romance. ]

[transmit]

[ i'm losing it did legally distinct ikea make you forget this was one of the post-purgatory threads

once they're out, nene tries to wiggle free… it exists. ]

Aren't you getting way too ahead of yourself? Best of five. That way whoever loses can't say it was a fluke.

[oversea]

[ who knows what i was thinking after i had to wake up at 5am ]

I'll win all of them...

[transmit]

[ YOU HAD TO? i thought you just woke up at that time naturally ]

Oh? If you drop a game, does this mean I get to ask you to do something?

[oversea]

[ it's fine...

thorns also did see how these terms relate to what he said, but okay. die. ]

Like what?

[transmit]

Just to be fair, I'll scale it based on how many you lose. So if you lose all five, expect the worst.

[ shameless… ]

[oversea]

[ he is annoying here too.

thorns just scoffs. ]

You are overestimating how good you are.

[transmit]

[ where is he not annoying. ]

You don't think you're underestimating me? Even a little? I could've been practicing the entire time you've been at sea. You don't know that.

[oversea]

[ thorns just raises an eyebrow. ]

Well? Have you?

[transmit]

I have.

[ he has not. ]

Get ready to eat your words.

[oversea]

[ they're childish.

but back to the ship they go, and they can drop off any purchases as they go, although the majority of it will be headed for thorns' quarters. ]

Should we get snacks?

[transmit]

[ they're both so annoying.

but elysium will make himself comfortable on the floor to start unpacking these many boxes. if he doesn't get to it now, will thorns bother installing these things for himself?

as it must be said, the knife set is left in the kitchen. ]

Is this a hole ourselves up for an entire weekend situation?

[oversea]

In case you get desperate and start adding more rounds.

[ okay.

but he will go with no snacks, then. thorns has to dig for the chess set... sometimes things are buried under junk, but he eventually pulls it out. ]

[transmit]

Ohhhh. For when I start taking pity on you and want to give you more chances, you mean. Sure.

[ OKAY.

this does bring to attention the overall state of thorns' room. him having a seemingly disorganised mess is nothing new, but it's possible for it to be even more reflective of thorns' current mental state and his lack of self-care.

elysium's gaze follows thorns for a touch too long before he remembers he was doing something with a curtain rod. ]

We should do some decluttering while we're at it. If we're adding things into your room, it makes sense that we take things out. Or at least, put things in a more organised manner…

[oversea]

[ once again, thorns is unaware of whatever delusions elysium is forming in his head. he just thinks, oh yeah he guesses he let this place get messy. sometimes there are just too many things that are a higher priority than cleaning your own space. ]

... Later, sure. If you don't mind.

[ elysium... this is so much work... ]