✧ — peach iced tea.

[boba]

this post is so clean

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[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. ]

[transmit]

[ he is so genuinely happy about this that it borders on delirium. he should not be happy but he is? he only manages to exacerbate the wound half a centimetre deep, but that's all it takes for it to coat his bandage red; this is so blatantly manipulative that he's starting to wonder what he can't get away with.

somehow, this is even more twisted than being able to change past events. ]

I know. That's why you have to keep treating me preciously, mi luz. What am I without you?

[ a guy who is going to spiral down a dark path, apparently—or a darker path, even. ]

[oversea]

Maybe I need to make this permanent...?

[ it's muttered, mostly to himself, and he tugs at the handcuff a little. he watches at the red blooms against the white, and he knows they have bandages packed away in their bags. he makes a note to grab them later. ]

You are my heart. Just know that the blood in my veins cannot flow without you.

[ his hand moves to touch the spot over his wound. his fingertips come back tinted red. ]

[transmit]

[ as with each time thorns has tugged on the chain, elysium complies pliantly. there is no reason for him to act up again after he's proven his point, so!

all that meets thorns is a smile as he licks his fingers clean, closing his mouth around each individual digit to make sure nothing is left behind. ( francy voice ) they're fine. ]

That's already been my case for a long, long time. I won't let anything happen to you.

[oversea]

[ everything is fine as long as they are alive and together.

he thinks briefly to how whoever is out there was probably watching the fight between elysium and the rookie, since they would need to keep an eye on their goods. if anything, if thorns hadn't shown up right when he did, they might have tried to take elysium out by surprise—it's easier to take someone out when they're distracted by their weapon being embedded in another person.

he probably should have surveyed the immediate area, but it hadn't even crossed his mind when normally it would have. ]

Is that a promise?