[ thanks esteemed customer your patronage is much obliged. they thank him for his yearlong membership with exaggerated sincerity and swear they won't disappoint. the vibe is so weird.
but thorns grabbing breakfast works out because it takes elysium nearly two hours to make sure everything is packed properly, on top of the hour he's already awake before thorns. he does not trust that man to transport his suit wrinkle-free. even then, he tucks in an iron as a failsafe amongst other ridiculous things like painkillers. what if thorns is hungover the next morning? they can't have him waiting for a cvs to open.
as they're waiting through their first stop of the morning, a drive-thru for coffee— ]
… It's been a while since we've done something like this, huh?
[ he's talking about the road trip specifically… he'd probably invited himself thorns' back in the day, now here they are, doing it just the two of them. it's faintly nostalgic. ]
[ he almost adds that they were planning on doing one together after they graduated high school, which obviously was shelved. thorns doesn't know if elysium just did it with someone else after instead; it was pretty planned out at that point already. he decides that he doesn't want to know, actually. ]
Don't remind me. What matters is that it got the job done.
[ sure, they'd had to troubleshoot it more often than not nearing the end of what felt like its seventh life, but they'd learned plenty—and more importantly, experienced plenty because of it.
it's funny that thorns thinks he's so replaceable. that one road trip they'd never done and someone later invited him on had been turned down out of sheer sentimentality. he wonders if it would be too telling to ask thorns to go on it now, finger tapping on his wheel in thought. probably. ]
Did you want anything, or were you planning to fall back asleep?
... I can get coffee. Isn't it my job to keep you awake?
[ the role of the person who rides shotgun in long car rides, who also never does this as they always immediately fall asleep. thorns will be better. ]
elysium proceeds to not listen to thorns in this au as well and orders thorns a blend that is widely known to be decaf. would he have the knowledge for this, though? time to see!!!!! as he hands it over to thorns with the brightest smile on his face!!! ]
[ his poor baby needs his beauty sleep in all timelines shhhhh
the fact that he doesn't even put on rock music should be sign one that something is wrong.
sign two is him just complaining about his classes and talking about interesting things he's learned instead of going full tilt into engaging thorns. truly riveting content to ride shotgun to unless thorns is somehow ill enough to stay awake despite elysium's best efforts to be as boring as possible. ]
he turns down the volume a little lower. you know what does actually help keep him up? being able to openly glance over to thorns every so often, being able to appreciate the warmth that spreads across his chest, and just overall being able to appreciate thorns being in his life again. he doesn't need anything more. ]
[ elysium, if you keep doing that then people might think you like boys.
thorns will remain asleep for a good 3/4 of the rest of the drive, but after a while he blearily opens his eyes. it takes a second for them to focus. ]
[ he reaches over to pat his head like he would a child's. pat pat. ]
There, there. You can try again on the way back. Still, if you end up tired again? No big. Your sleep talk was great. Better not try me anytime soon, heheh. I've got soooooo much blackmail on you now you don't even know.
You've been self-conscious of me since the shoot. Was I that impressive?
[ this could be interpreted in so many different ways. really, this is a continuation of their conversation at the gym, because. well. elysium still hasn't gotten over how thorns had felt him up?? it would probably help for him to expand on that, but
[ the odds are so high this is going to bite him back in the ass but he is absolutely not thinking about that ]
So you've said. But you were mumbling about how you were going to end up taller and stronger than me. [ no he wasn't ] Isn't it a little too late for that, bro?
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no subject
but thorns grabbing breakfast works out because it takes elysium nearly two hours to make sure everything is packed properly, on top of the hour he's already awake before thorns. he does not trust that man to transport his suit wrinkle-free. even then, he tucks in an iron as a failsafe amongst other ridiculous things like painkillers. what if thorns is hungover the next morning? they can't have him waiting for a cvs to open.
as they're waiting through their first stop of the morning, a drive-thru for coffee— ]
… It's been a while since we've done something like this, huh?
[ he's talking about the road trip specifically… he'd probably invited himself thorns' back in the day, now here they are, doing it just the two of them. it's faintly nostalgic. ]
no subject
[ he almost adds that they were planning on doing one together after they graduated high school, which obviously was shelved. thorns doesn't know if elysium just did it with someone else after instead; it was pretty planned out at that point already. he decides that he doesn't want to know, actually. ]
You had a much crappier car back then.
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[ sure, they'd had to troubleshoot it more often than not nearing the end of what felt like its seventh life, but they'd learned plenty—and more importantly, experienced plenty because of it.
it's funny that thorns thinks he's so replaceable. that one road trip they'd never done and someone later invited him on had been turned down out of sheer sentimentality. he wonders if it would be too telling to ask thorns to go on it now, finger tapping on his wheel in thought. probably. ]
Did you want anything, or were you planning to fall back asleep?
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[ the role of the person who rides shotgun in long car rides, who also never does this as they always immediately fall asleep. thorns will be better. ]
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elysium proceeds to not listen to thorns in this au as well and orders thorns a blend that is widely known to be decaf. would he have the knowledge for this, though? time to see!!!!! as he hands it over to thorns with the brightest smile on his face!!! ]
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thorns will drink this coffee. d*e. accept his questionable companionship. ]
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the fact that he doesn't even put on rock music should be sign one that something is wrong.
sign two is him just complaining about his classes and talking about interesting things he's learned instead of going full tilt into engaging thorns. truly riveting content to ride shotgun to unless thorns is somehow ill enough to stay awake despite elysium's best efforts to be as boring as possible. ]
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but eventually does doze off. when he wakes up later he's going to be so mad. ]
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…
he turns down the volume a little lower. you know what does actually help keep him up? being able to openly glance over to thorns every so often, being able to appreciate the warmth that spreads across his chest, and just overall being able to appreciate thorns being in his life again. he doesn't need anything more. ]
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thorns will remain asleep for a good 3/4 of the rest of the drive, but after a while he blearily opens his eyes. it takes a second for them to focus. ]
I fell asleep...?
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'Morning. [ his eyes are fixed!! on the road!!! they are no longer on highway and are in the city again. they're almost there. ] Did you sleep well?
[ maybe just slightly teasing even though he caused this. die. ]
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... ]
Why didn't you wake me up? I wanted to ride with you.
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[ he was not. ]
Would you have woken me up?
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[ the answer is no.
he also still isn't sure how he fell asleep so quickly in the first place??? ]
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There, there. You can try again on the way back. Still, if you end up tired again? No big. Your sleep talk was great. Better not try me anytime soon, heheh. I've got soooooo much blackmail on you now you don't even know.
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he just punches him in the shoulder. ]
Try me.
[ they are truly so stupid. ]
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[ this could be interpreted in so many different ways. really, this is a continuation of their conversation at the gym, because. well. elysium still hasn't gotten over how thorns had felt him up?? it would probably help for him to expand on that, but
nah. ]
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he glances over at him. it's funny that they're going to a wedding now when elysium had looked like he belonged in one for the photoshoot. ]
You looked nice.
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So you've said. But you were mumbling about how you were going to end up taller and stronger than me. [ no he wasn't ] Isn't it a little too late for that, bro?
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I think you just take too much pride in being taller.
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[ DON'T JUST BELIEVE HIM ]
Did I leave anything up too high on one of the shelves…?
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Do you prefer if I'm shorter?
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[ yes ]
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[ he uses this argument specifically because he knows it would be hard for elysium to argue against. ]
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I guess so. If you really feel like paying me back for falling asleep, you are the perfect height for a chin rest.
Later when I'm feeling tired?
[ he wants to die so bad. ]
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