chatime | ✧ — peach iced tea.

[ he comes back and immediately puts one of those silly deely bopper headbands on thorns' head. he is now an alien. ]

Yup.

[ yup! provides no context. ]

We can go now.

[ thorns just sighs, accepting this as just another weird thing elysium does, and then heads for the ferris wheel. it's still early enough in the day that there isn't much of a line, so they only have to wait a few minutes before getting let on. ]

I haven't been on one of these in years...

[ in elysium's mind, thorns is just making fun of him for his past (but really present) crush by doing these low-key and high-key date and couple activities. it has to either be that or he's testing him, right? and the moment he makes it awkward, it's over.

a part of him is like there is no way thorns is thinking about it that deeply nor is he some manipulative mastermind, but unfortunately, where thorns is involved, his iq and eq plummet to the floor.

hence, the alien headband… another date activity… he hasn't forgotten he technically has a girlfriend, even if it does seem like he has. this seemed like a safe thing to do. getting proper ears might've sent him into cardiac arrest, but it seems that thorns hadn't been flustered by it.

darn!!!!!! ]

Since highschool? [ sits across and looks out the window. he is still plotting thorns' downfall and demise. ] Man. You really haven't been out…

[ it's funny, since so much that they did, especially back in high school, were things that would be considered couple activities. that fact is likely what gave elysium the courage to ask thorns out to prom, since all signals were pointing in that direction. that, of course, did not end well.

and is becoming an issue here, because that kind of relationship is what thorns knows to be theirs. he can suggest a lot of seemingly romantic activities, and in his memory it's normal for them. if he notices other couples around it will slowly hit him that this may be weird, but the first problem is that it would require him to pay attention to other people. ]

I don't go to amusement parks or carnivals.

[ what's even funnier is that everyone around them is probably convinced they broke up in the romantic sense. even if they were made fun of for being like a couple, to the point people thought they were, those just weren't the things that would bother them. they were too close for that. rather, were they the ones jealous for not having as close of a friend? ]

Makes sense. You never did care for loud and crowded places.

[ elysium watches as the people and stalls below shrink to miniatures beneath their ascent. back then, everything had felt so small, and he'd thought him and thorns would be together forever. they could still be together forever from now on, technically. though, he is thinking about how if he were in a relationship, some of the things they did wouldn't be ones he'd be comfortable with. the thought's somewhat sobering. ]

But as a change of pace now and then… they're not so bad, right?

They're not. This is nice.

[ he looks over towards the horizon, where it looks like the sky and sea melt into each other. it's always amazing how different the same view can be if you just change the viewpoint a bit. it's true for things other than just scenery. ]

You must be used to doing things like this though.

… I ended up doing a lot of those things alone. It never felt right to replace you, not when they were the things we always did together.

[ he tears his gaze from the window and turns a grin on thorns. ]

That's one way to make it harder to get over someone. But in the end, I think I was better off for it.

[ it's a surprising answer.

thorns is fully aware that elysium has an active social life. even before, he was aware of it simply because they had enough mutual friends that thorns still heard things even when he was actively trying to respect elysium's privacy.

he isn't sure how to feel about it. should it be guilt, for blocking elysium from potentially having a nice time with someone else? or... what? ]

I guess we were meant to be up here together, then.

Maybe.

[ there thorns goes again!! saying romantic lines like it's no one's business!! where his heart would skip a beat, he only feels a dull pang. the way he smiles is almost like—what am i going to do with you? ]

It almost makes me regret wasting all our time before this. Which means we'll just have to make up for it extra until we can't anymore.

[ can't believe they're going to die in this timeline too

meanwhile thorns is thinking more along the lines of, oh yeah if it gets serious with his girlfriend then elysium might want to move in with her eventually? that's a natural part of being in a relationship. thorns will have to find a new place when that happens, he won't be able to afford this one alone...

... ]

What's something you haven't gotten to do yet that you want to?

[ instead of timelooping it's twenty five lives where we go through every iteration of modern au ]

Backpacking.

[ the answer is instant. ]

That's something I haven't done solo or with anyone else yet. You?

... I think travel, too.

[ they reach the very top, and the wheel stops for a minute so that they can take in the view. thorns looks down to the ground, then back at elysium. ]

Seeing other countries.

[ he feels thorns' gaze on him but continues looking outside… ]

You'd let yourself take enough time off for that?

I'd have to plan for it...

[ saving up the money is another thing entirely, but if he has time to prepare it may be doable. ]

Don't they say you should travel while you're young?

Don't make it sound like we're about to be old men. We've got another two decades in us, at least.

[ will they still be doing things like this in two decades? it's hard to imagine. he glances over to thorns. ]

If there's one thing we can afford in our youth, it's getting stranded in the middle of nowhere after being mugged. And how else are we going to stand hardwood floor?

[ they won't be because elysium will be happily married to kitten with three kids. ]

Could you handle a hostel?

[ …

he starts mumbling under his breath. ]

What if we end up in a place with bedbugs and they go after you? Or there's no hot water so you have to shower in cold? Worse yet, no running water at all so you're left with a small bucket?

[ there was no running away from home in this universe, so. thorns is correct. ]

[ help

well, this is about what he expected. you can't do your full routine when other people are waiting for you to get out of the singular restroom. ]

Hotel...

Does that still count as backpacking…?

[ very quickly realising his view of it has been extremely romanticised. he shakes.

this fell apart so quickly ]

We can still have backpacks.

[ okay.

this is like when people go camping except absolutely no part of it resembles camping except there are woods around. ]

[ HIS GLAMPING tears up

he knows for certain that's not how it works but as it feels better psychologically to think of it that way, he convinces himself it is the truth. thank you, thorns. backpacking is a mindset. ]

Yeah… what if it goes so bad we never want to travel again? We have to start small. Ease ourselves into it and get the know-how before we jump into the proverbial fire.

No check-ins.

[ … ]

One check-in… and our backpacks.

[ when did this become a joint vacation ]

[ it is so easy for plans to start materializing in the air as they speak. the craziest thing is that thorns could potentially see this happening, if they continue along their current trajectory.

then again, driving somewhere a few hours away together where they will see other people they know is very different than going to a different continent. ]

How much can you fit into a backpack?

[ until there's a booking reference in his inbox, elysium's just having fun with it as a thought experiment. his hopes aren't that high for it actually happening, but it is nice to think about. ]

A lot. Most of the stuff can be kept in the hotel, but if we're going around somewhere we barely know, then I'll have to bring a change of clothes in the event something happens to what you're currently wearing. Sunscreen, disinfectant, stain remover, tissues, bandaids… can't forget the foldable umbrella, either.

[ well

elysium is definitely not meant for backpacking here. thorns actually chuckles. ]

Uh huh. This really is a large bag.

Yeah. And we're already including all the essentials like water, my wallet, and keys, too. And some granola in case you get hungry and there isn't anything we can grab food at nearby.

[ he taps his chin. ]

This is why I'm taller.

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