✧ — peach iced tea.

[boba]

this post is so clean

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[oversea]

[ thorns is making absolutely no attempt to move off of him. ]

We can do it later.

[ they're going to be stuck waiting for the other operators for at least a day, less if they take as minimal breaks as possible, so they do have a few hours before they really are forced to do anything.

that really is a lot of time to waste without going stir crazy. thorns wonders if he should have given the rookies busy work. ]

[transmit]

[ the rookies are grieving they'll be fine.

but you know it's bad when h*rny does not appear to be a viable solution to their problem, so elysium and thorns are a little less fine. a long minute passes before elysium sighs again, dragging the both of them onto their sides and the bed. he keeps thorns close, hooking a leg over his. ]

We should probably rest while we can. Now all that's over with… I'm feeling pretty tired.

[ a lie. he's so awake from everything that's happened and their discussions. but at the same time, he has so much to think about—their future, for one, even though they really should be thinking about that together.

elysium curls up against him. to his back, he starts reciting lyrics, lines of poetry. maybe he can get thorns to drift off to sleep. ]

[oversea]

[ thorns is truly wondering why they keep getting the worst missions of all time. if he knew what final destination was, he could make some sort of joke about how that's just what's happening now; they really were just supposed to die in that original timeline, so everything keeps going wrong.

he closes his eyes, not drifting to sleep just yet. ]

You can't sneak off.

[transmit]

[ this is what happens when you go against the natural order of the world. thorns should've been the bigger person and left elysium dead? that's what it would've wanted. ]

I won't. [ but that's not exactly a guarantee, hence— ] Should I handcuff myself to you to make you feel better?

[oversea]

You should, yes.

[ he agrees so immediately.

thorns places his wrist against elysium's. ]

It'd look nice together.

[transmit]

That's one way to have matching rings.

[ don't just make this sound like a normal conversation. he hums, as if seriously considering thorns' assessment. ]

You aren't wrong. Still, as resourceful as a guy I am, it's not like I carry handcuffs around with me everywhere—let alone own a pair.

[ … ]

Wanna make them with your Corazonix?

[ holds up their arms. OKAY. ]

[oversea]

[ he makes a small noise of surprise when elysium says he doesn't own a pair of handcuffs, as if he expects him to just have these things on hand.

but he looks at their hands, and slowly a construct forms between them around their wrists—a handcuff delicately made from the corazonix. ]

There.

[transmit]

[ who is he, wrio?

but he watches, rapt, as the corazonix coalesces into the two bangles. he attempts to jostle it, making a show of trying to break free, before setting it down.

this does make their sleeping position a little awkward, so he shifts around to find a more comfortable position. ]

You did it so readily. I see…

[ said in the tone of someone learning something for the first time despite knowing full well how much he enjoyed being tied up. that technically didn't happen here. ]

[oversea]

Why waste time...

[ at least, thorns seems pleased by this? you really need the little things to cheer you up when everything around you is on fire.

they likely have to actually face each other to make this work though. hi... ]

You'll have to take me everywhere.

[transmit]

[ cute… thorns is cute even if the subject material is entirely questionable. ]

I was going to take you everywhere regardless. [ but it makes thorns happy, so by extension, so is elysium. ] Aren't a collar and leash more appropriate for something like that?

[ he's thinking aloud… ]

[oversea]

Should I wear it or you?

[ this is a really good way to get their mind off of things, by instead discussing things that are terrible for a different reason.

at least the atmosphere isn't bad. ]

[transmit]

If you're worried about me wandering, I guess it'd be me…

[ he falls into silence not because he's judging but because he's sincerely thinking about this. ]

But you sound like you want me to walk you, so maybe we both should?

[oversea]

[ thorns goes quiet next, and he pulls back a little more so he can look elysium in the face better. ]

Do you think we have problems?

[ IS THIS NORMAL. ]

[transmit]

[ yes. ]

No. … Do you have problems with me?

[oversea]

No. I love us.

[ they have so many problems.

his hand that is not currently handcuffed to elysium reaches out to caress his neck. ]

You would look nice.

[transmit]

Other people might think otherwise, but do their opinions really matter? What matters to me is yours and only yours.

[ the way this is also deeply problematic. he takes thorns' hand and presses it flat to his neck, guiding it to curl around him as though his hand were a collar. ]

Are you the type who'd prefer a bell or a tag?

[oversea]

[ their world continues to become more insular as time goes on. it's difficult to think about the fact that he was the captain of a ship and had to look after dozens of people when right now everything is just elysium. ]

A bell is too noisy.

[transmit]

[ unreal that elysium was pushing thorns to be more social just a few months ago. now, he isn't so sure how he'd feel if things turned out any other way. his hand subconsciously clenches, and forgetting where it is, it evokes a quiet, strained noise.

oopsie. he laughs, a little breathless. ]

… It'd draw too much attention, wouldn't it? A tag it is. You have to remember to walk me, too.

[oversea]

Of course. You need your exercise.

[ remember how they used to get flustered over just kissing? granted, there are still more pure and sweet things that embarrasses them, but it typically just happens when they're caught off guard by the action.

every day the sense of shame worsens. ]

People can't think you're anything but mine.

[transmit]

Ohhhhh. The tattoos were too subtle for you. Gotcha.

[ there is nothing subtle whatsoever about what they're doing every hour and minute of their lives in this timeline, but okay.

every day the delusions also increase. ]

But why are you thinking so much about other people? There shouldn't be any room for that.

[oversea]

[ completely deranged.

unfortunately, thorns just finds this behavior endearing. it is difficult to spot a red flag when you are also waving around the same color. ]

Hm? How much should I be thinking of you, mi amor?

[transmit]

[ it's better than being fully aware of how unhealthy they're being and feeding into it intentionally. elysium really did stoop to new lows to thirst trap him and apparently thorns was all for it.

he slides his hand off of thorns to scoot closer. ]

Every day, every hour, every minute and second of our lives. You gave yourself to me, didn't you? That's what I want. I'll act up otherwise.

[ the way they mourned the sniper guard for like two seconds. okay. taking the breaks and safeguards off of their relationship was a mistake. ]

[oversea]

[ they can still be in mourning without thinking about him. it's fine. they're multilayered like that.

thorns tugs lightly at the chain connecting them. ]

How would you act up?

[transmit]

[ they are mourning something alright and it's most definitely not their comrade ]

I might not be able to do anything to you… but there's plenty I can do to disincentivise others. But you'd feel guilty about that, wouldn't you? Mm. So there's something better than that——myself.

[ he lets himself get tugged, training his eyes directly on thorns'. ]

As you can imagine, being in Special Operations gives you a pretty unique skillset. You have to really understand the people and circumstances you're working with.

[ remember when thorns was willing to drop everything to take elysium to a clinic?

he takes his free hand and




digs his fingers into his wound.

surely there is a threshold of crazy here that thorns is no longer willing to tolerate… so much for a restful and uneventful evening… ]

[oversea]

[ oh.

his hand immediately snaps to grab elysium's, his grip tightening around it to the point it might hurt. ]

You know you're precious to me.

[ it's said almost like a threat. thorns really means it when he says no one is allowed to hurt elysium. ]