[ because of the way he talks, it can be taken as a jab against elysium's secrecy, but thorns is just genuinely asking. is this something he is willing to talk about or will he refuse? ]
[ he's doomed enough in the ten minutes he's been awake that he's of mind that if he needs to play god again (likely), he'll go back way before this point anyway. there is also the growing curiosity of how thorns would respond.
so it's a yes? but also no. their conversation about collars…
thorns doesn't say anything right away, instead reaching over to grab onto the hand that was injured. his fingers gently stroke over where elysium stabbed himself as he responds back in their shared language. ]
We have to tell them something that they'd accept.
[ the problem now is that even if they do just leave, rhodes likely won't be as willing to let them have a peaceful honeymoon as they would have before. this is kind of the sort of breakthrough that can completely change how the world works, and here the two of them are running around trying to fix their relationship problems with it. ]
[ them being stupid is probably what categorises them as lower risk. they aren't inherently bad people—and he knows he's been granted certain privileges here by not being thrown into high security.
talking to thorns now makes him realise he's never really considered it before–what happens to the thorns he leaves behind. how did thorns feel, coming back from his mission expecting elysium to still be there? he'd always assumed he'd mourn, move on, and conquer the seas as he was meant to. maybe he would have mourned elysium for the rest of his life, that was just the type of person he was, but he wasn't the thorns that lived his life in stasis anymore. relationship or not, thorns still felt compelled to seek him out, just as elysium did him. but things don't quite line up; it makes no sense, not when he'd taken care to destroy every last recording.
… well. that hardly matters anymore. what matters now is this: maybe playing god isn't quite as convenient as he once thought. his wrist turns, fingers twining with thorns' as he lifts the back of his hand to his mouth. back to common: ]
because there are many endings that thorns would accept overall. the main consistency between all of them is just that the two of them are both together and alive. it could be at rhodes, or on his ship, or just traveling the world. thorns will be happy as long as elysium's hand is in his.
he realizes that they have likely made quite a few mistakes here that is leading them a bad path. he is aware that this is not healthy, and that they are making choices that are negatively affecting the people around them. but it is difficult to backtrack from this type of trajectory because they have already gotten used to it being the norm. and even if thorns knows this, he doesn't want to try to change anything in the chance it drives a wedge between them.
after all, being together is more important than anything else. ]
[ he means this so genuinely. and, as if on cue, another person enters the room. they say mantra is on her way back and that thorns is due for questioning in another room by someone else. but elysium's attention is still on thorns, and only thorns. he gives his hand a squeeze.
without letting go: ]
… Should we head to the end of the world together?
[ there's a pause, and then he chuckles, standing up. he does not move any further than that though, his grip on elysium staying firm as he just stands there, waiting for elysium.
[ that gets a laugh out of him, too. kicking his feet over the side of his bed, he finds the floor. his grip is just as firm, and for once—his heart feels light. ]
Do you want to count us down one last time, captain?
[ he waits a second to make sure elysium is fine getting up, but once he confirms that he seems okay he nods.
the other operators are still waiting for a direct response from them. one of them repeats that thorns is supposed to have the meeting alone when elysium also stands. ]
[ they really are just torching all their relationships like this. but, well, it's only fair. thorns had given up a part of himself to make this work when turning down juana; now, it's elysium's turn, going against the very people who'd helped saved his life.
there comes a time when every bird has to spread its wings to fly. and on one, elysium immediately interrupts their communication channels. if nothing else, it'll buy them time. ]
either way, thorns does not run. he just pulls elysium after him, only pausing long enough for him to grab anything he might need to, and walks quickly. because it's not a run, the operators just squint at them oddly before calling out that they didn't tell thorns which room he's supposed to actually go to. ]
[ enough operators are distracted by why their communications equipment suddenly isn't working… none of them are suspecting the guy literally walking right past them, and while elysium would be amused by how some of them think shaking it up and down or turning it on and off will fix it, he finds it increasingly hard to take his eyes off of thorns.
of course, it isn't ideal to be completely distracted—he keeps himsrlf trained on his senses, even as his heart flutters wildly in his chest. ]
[ a pause, and he curses silently under his breath. ]
Do you think we have time to go to the hotel or no?
[ their fish... but also things like money. thorns is willing to leave it behind if they have to, it's just a little sad considering how happy they were to have their little pet family. their plants that they are also abandoning... ]
[ the optics of them running off into the sunset with a bucket of fish
he takes a moment to think about this. ]
We're on a low enough floor that we could jump through the windows if we have to. [ … he had to leave behind his sword in the lab, but. ] I should probably something about my flag.
[ property damage in this universe is just another day it's fine ]
… Don't forget to throw anything they can use to track us with.
[ case in point: elysium tosses his pager and transceiver in the complete opposite direction
well, thorns will opt to make a quick stop by their room so that they can very quickly grab anything they may still need. if anything, they will need more money if they plan to get far very quickly—running off only on foot will just get them caught when he's sure the operators have vehicles.
...
he doesn't think they can bring the fish. thorns figures they will come here to look for them, so he just writes a note asking them to look after them. he is a good parent. ]
[ no one's going to want custody of these kids and that's how they end up in an orphanage (generic fish tank) where they will have to fight for their lives
but they can't even guarantee their escape, much less that of their children. so off they go… may they be forgiven in another life. ]
… We can take the fire escape and see what are options are for stowing away. The less of a trail, the better.
[ whether they want to leave the city immediately or hide away somewhere until things cool down.
he walks over to the window and props it open. thorns sticks his head out to check things out. unfortunately, it does not open into a secluded alley, so there is a chance they may be spotted. but as long as they're out of there before people start asking any potential witnesses, they should be okay.
at the very least, between both him and elysium, their abilities do make it very handy to run off together. ]
[ thanks to mantra insisting on a proper medic, the wound is healed enough that he can function as normal. he just has to ignore the sharp and full aches from the injuries he's accumulated over the past day, but none of them are particularly debilitating.
the main concern is that they're stuck between two camps: the people they were and still are against, and rhodes—the former of which seems to have a foothold in many parts of higashi.
but there's a knock on the door, and elysium is suddenly glad he has the foresight to push a table before it. his gaze flits over to thorns. ]
… We're going to have to run.
[ considering thorns is first does this mean he can do a dramatic leap into his arms. jk. he will land somewhere next to him they can save their romantic dramatics for when they aren't literal fugitives. ]
thorns grabs his hand again, because can they really run away together if they are not physically connected? no. but down the fire escape they can go, and once they get low enough to the ground they can jump the rest of the way. probably a bad move for their knees but whatever, they're fit.
there are a lot of people roaming the streets, so it is likely around the time of day where people are getting out of work. they can try to blend in with the crowd as they figure out where to go next. ]
he casts a quick glance around, scanning for anyone within earshot, or at least, anyone who seems to be following them before lowering his voice. ]
Whatever we plan, we should start by getting rid of anything identifiable. Your jewelry. My flag…
[ … reluctantly, he lets go of thorns' hand long enough to tear the fabric off, crumpling it into his pocket before picking it back up. there's still a matter of wiping it clean, but until then, he'll have to carry it with him. ]
I'll need you to check out hair dye for me. Hah. Being a once-in-a-lifetime hottie sure comes with its fair share of struggles.
[ ah. his hand moves to his ears to start removing earrings. he shoves them into his pockets after they're all off, along with his rings. if anything, they can probably sell them later if they need more money, so there's that. ]
We'll also need other clothes...
[ admittedly, a liberi and an aegir traveling together may also be noticeable, so it's likely best to get clothes that'll hide as much of their features as possible until they're far away. ]
[ a hand slips into thorns’ hair, tugging loose several ties and letting thorns' hair unravel. strands fall free, and elysium can't resist watching it out of the corner of his eye. even in the middle of all this, there's always time for a little flirting. it's reckless, dangerous, and yet exhilarating all the same.
what's the point of seeing the end of the world if they don't have fun in the process? ]
… We should probably defer to your judgement, now that I think about it. If we leave it up to me, our movements might end up too predictable. I'm running into dead ends trying to not be. I'm too textbook.
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no subject
You aren't going to ask?
no subject
[ because of the way he talks, it can be taken as a jab against elysium's secrecy, but thorns is just genuinely asking. is this something he is willing to talk about or will he refuse? ]
no subject
so it's a yes? but also no. their conversation about collars…
… ]
You could always try me.
no subject
Okay. [ ... ] Tell me what happened.
[ places the ball in elysium's court. ]
no subject
She probed through my memories when I wouldn't talk. I put up quite the fight until I didn't.
[ then, more quietly in iberian: ]
I can't afford for her to go any deeper than she has. You get what I mean, right?
no subject
thorns doesn't say anything right away, instead reaching over to grab onto the hand that was injured. his fingers gently stroke over where elysium stabbed himself as he responds back in their shared language. ]
We have to tell them something that they'd accept.
[ the problem now is that even if they do just leave, rhodes likely won't be as willing to let them have a peaceful honeymoon as they would have before. this is kind of the sort of breakthrough that can completely change how the world works, and here the two of them are running around trying to fix their relationship problems with it. ]
no subject
talking to thorns now makes him realise he's never really considered it before–what happens to the thorns he leaves behind. how did thorns feel, coming back from his mission expecting elysium to still be there? he'd always assumed he'd mourn, move on, and conquer the seas as he was meant to. maybe he would have mourned elysium for the rest of his life, that was just the type of person he was, but he wasn't the thorns that lived his life in stasis anymore. relationship or not, thorns still felt compelled to seek him out, just as elysium did him. but things don't quite line up; it makes no sense, not when he'd taken care to destroy every last recording.
… well. that hardly matters anymore. what matters now is this: maybe playing god isn't quite as convenient as he once thought. his wrist turns, fingers twining with thorns' as he lifts the back of his hand to his mouth. back to common: ]
What's an ending you'd accept, mi corazón?
no subject
because there are many endings that thorns would accept overall. the main consistency between all of them is just that the two of them are both together and alive. it could be at rhodes, or on his ship, or just traveling the world. thorns will be happy as long as elysium's hand is in his.
he realizes that they have likely made quite a few mistakes here that is leading them a bad path. he is aware that this is not healthy, and that they are making choices that are negatively affecting the people around them. but it is difficult to backtrack from this type of trajectory because they have already gotten used to it being the norm. and even if thorns knows this, he doesn't want to try to change anything in the chance it drives a wedge between them.
after all, being together is more important than anything else. ]
I need to be with you.
no subject
[ he means this so genuinely. and, as if on cue, another person enters the room. they say mantra is on her way back and that thorns is due for questioning in another room by someone else. but elysium's attention is still on thorns, and only thorns. he gives his hand a squeeze.
without letting go: ]
… Should we head to the end of the world together?
no subject
[ there's a pause, and then he chuckles, standing up. he does not move any further than that though, his grip on elysium staying firm as he just stands there, waiting for elysium.
they didn't say how far mantra is... ]
no subject
Do you want to count us down one last time, captain?
no subject
the other operators are still waiting for a direct response from them. one of them repeats that thorns is supposed to have the meeting alone when elysium also stands. ]
On one. Three. Two. One.
no subject
there comes a time when every bird has to spread its wings to fly. and on one, elysium immediately interrupts their communication channels. if nothing else, it'll buy them time. ]
no subject
either way, thorns does not run. he just pulls elysium after him, only pausing long enough for him to grab anything he might need to, and walks quickly. because it's not a run, the operators just squint at them oddly before calling out that they didn't tell thorns which room he's supposed to actually go to. ]
Just keep going.
[ it's muttered as he stares ahead. ]
no subject
of course, it isn't ideal to be completely distracted—he keeps himsrlf trained on his senses, even as his heart flutters wildly in his chest. ]
… We really are eloping.
no subject
[ a pause, and he curses silently under his breath. ]
Do you think we have time to go to the hotel or no?
[ their fish... but also things like money. thorns is willing to leave it behind if they have to, it's just a little sad considering how happy they were to have their little pet family. their plants that they are also abandoning... ]
no subject
he takes a moment to think about this. ]
We're on a low enough floor that we could jump through the windows if we have to. [ … he had to leave behind his sword in the lab, but. ] I should probably something about my flag.
[ property damage in this universe is just another day it's fine ]
… Don't forget to throw anything they can use to track us with.
[ case in point: elysium tosses his pager and transceiver in the complete opposite direction
this is also fine ]
no subject
well, thorns will opt to make a quick stop by their room so that they can very quickly grab anything they may still need. if anything, they will need more money if they plan to get far very quickly—running off only on foot will just get them caught when he's sure the operators have vehicles.
...
he doesn't think they can bring the fish. thorns figures they will come here to look for them, so he just writes a note asking them to look after them. he is a good parent. ]
no subject
but they can't even guarantee their escape, much less that of their children. so off they go… may they be forgiven in another life. ]
… We can take the fire escape and see what are options are for stowing away. The less of a trail, the better.
no subject
[ whether they want to leave the city immediately or hide away somewhere until things cool down.
he walks over to the window and props it open. thorns sticks his head out to check things out. unfortunately, it does not open into a secluded alley, so there is a chance they may be spotted. but as long as they're out of there before people start asking any potential witnesses, they should be okay.
at the very least, between both him and elysium, their abilities do make it very handy to run off together. ]
Come on.
no subject
the main concern is that they're stuck between two camps: the people they were and still are against, and rhodes—the former of which seems to have a foothold in many parts of higashi.
but there's a knock on the door, and elysium is suddenly glad he has the foresight to push a table before it. his gaze flits over to thorns. ]
… We're going to have to run.
[ considering thorns is first does this mean he can do a dramatic leap into his arms. jk. he will land somewhere next to him they can save their romantic dramatics for when they aren't literal fugitives. ]
no subject
thorns grabs his hand again, because can they really run away together if they are not physically connected? no. but down the fire escape they can go, and once they get low enough to the ground they can jump the rest of the way. probably a bad move for their knees but whatever, they're fit.
there are a lot of people roaming the streets, so it is likely around the time of day where people are getting out of work. they can try to blend in with the crowd as they figure out where to go next. ]
What now?
no subject
he casts a quick glance around, scanning for anyone within earshot, or at least, anyone who seems to be following them before lowering his voice. ]
Whatever we plan, we should start by getting rid of anything identifiable. Your jewelry. My flag…
[ … reluctantly, he lets go of thorns' hand long enough to tear the fabric off, crumpling it into his pocket before picking it back up. there's still a matter of wiping it clean, but until then, he'll have to carry it with him. ]
I'll need you to check out hair dye for me. Hah. Being a once-in-a-lifetime hottie sure comes with its fair share of struggles.
no subject
We'll also need other clothes...
[ admittedly, a liberi and an aegir traveling together may also be noticeable, so it's likely best to get clothes that'll hide as much of their features as possible until they're far away. ]
no subject
what's the point of seeing the end of the world if they don't have fun in the process? ]
… We should probably defer to your judgement, now that I think about it. If we leave it up to me, our movements might end up too predictable. I'm running into dead ends trying to not be. I'm too textbook.
What would you prioritise?
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