chatime | ✧ — peach iced tea.

[ they are just letting the pent-up energy build up again for dinner. fools.

he shows up at the diner ten minutes late. hope thorns enjoyed the in-person grilling by abandoning his best friend. it's what he deserves. ]

[ elysium is the one who abandoned him!!! he left!!!!!!!

when elysium gets there, everyone starts immediately chattering at him. this is so much attention at once on him that it is obvious that they were just talking about him right before he arrived.

thorns stares at the menu. ]

[ they very deliberately leave the only seat available the one next to thorns. elysium sees this and is like… okay? but it isn't that weird considering they're mostly thorns' family and their +1s, so wanting thorns' +1 next to him is.

normal.

even as an extrovert this is so much redirected attention all at once. ]

What exactly did Thorns tell you that's got everyone so interested?

[ someone complains that thorns has not told them enough actually? someone else comments that they have never seen thorns interested in someone before so they're curious.

thorns is still buried in the menu. ]

They have a two for one deal...

[ his brows visibly furrow and he's so ready to ask who's interested in who, but then thorns speaks up and just like that

his attention is redirected. okay. leaves everyone on read which is basically ignoring. ]

Did you want to order together?

[ the entire table takes notes. ]

[ he pushes the menu to elysium so that he can see if there's anything he want that's offered for the deal...

he may be done this on purpose to get elysium to stop interacting with the vultures but also it is a good price. ]

[ instead of interacting with the vultures they're now feeding the vultures inadvertently thank you thorns ]

I'd be down for a burger. Look, even though we have to choose the same main we can pick different sides. Doesn't that work out for us?

Yeah, let's go with that.

[ he is pleased...

and then he looks up to see a table staring at them. ]

Pick your food before the server comes back.

[ he is so pleased thorns is pleased that he isn't paying attention to the table. ]

Sure. I'll order for us.

[ this is such a domestic conversation there is now a new group chat with all the original members discounting thorns called, THORNS AND ELYSIUM BETTING POOL 🤔💭. he does not notice that everyone is on their phones now for some reason but that's the modern era for you.

they aren't even dating and yet why are they trying to make everyone feel single? before calling over to the server, he looks back at everyone. they're conveniently done their texting madness and are back to staring. he thinks about why… then, oh! ]

… Right, you probably had to wait on me to order. Sorry.

[ turns back to flag the server. everyone moves their gazes back to thorns. ]

Stop looking at me.

[ he's going to fight them in this damn diner. don't they have other hobbies? what did they talk about before this entered their lives.

they just makes them laugh and nudge each other. thorns was pvping elysium earlier, but now he feels like his only friend in this dark landscape that surrounds them... ]

[ he looks back and thorns' mood has taken a 180. these past two days have been such a rollercoaster of emotion. ]

Something happen?

[ before thorns can answer, someone else interjects and steals elysium's attention. other people exist! right. they ask him what it's like living with thorns and how it must be tough but elysium just blinks and says it's fine? they split the chores and do groceries together. even if he's lacking in common sense in many ways, he makes a good roommate.

elysium's eq drops so bad whenever he's around thorns. his mental gymnastics assuming this line of questioning stems from the idea that thorns probably leaves everyone on read and they're concerned for him. help. ]

[ thorns just sits here, wondering if they should just leave but that is such a dramatic reaction. but he realizes that they're probably going to be even worse now that elysium is also here. he's the bigger mystery of the two, not because of personality but because he is apparently dating someone? who thorns has never even met? what is going on here.

they start asking elysium what does he do? any hobbies? major? the issue is they likely asked these things at the wedding. hmmm. ]

[ thorns is so funny. elysium's already put their order in so they're locked in for the next half hour, at least.

but he will be a good sport about answering the questions up until someone gets so caught up in the moment they ask a series of them that hit the tipping point. the room freezes. ]

… He just needed someone to come with him. We're friends. Don't make this awkward for us, yeah?

[ puts his foot down… ]

[ this will split the group. some may leave this dinner thinking oh maybe nothing is going on, some will believe thorns' love is one sided and he is really trying to homrwreck, while others still believe love on both sides can win.

however, it does get them to start being more normal and discussing other things.

thorns nudges elysium with his foot. checks to see if he's okay... ]

[ this is nothing new to him; it feels more like a rehash of the past. back in high school, his friends had wondered the same thing: what exactly happened between him and thorns? they'd been inseparable until suddenly they weren't.

there were only so many conclusions people could draw from that. some had asked out of genuine concern, but most were simply hungry for gossip. at least, he'd made sure none of it got back to thorns—why would he reject elysium? he'd tell everyone to leave thorns well alone, or else.

he offers thorns a small, tired smile. ]

… Sorry for the trouble. [ thinks about how it inconveniences thorns before he thinks about how it inconveniences himself. ] Want me to ask if we can get our order for takeout?

I think they'll behave. They don't care about getting on my nerves but they'd care about getting on yours.

[ so even if it was obvious thorns was annoyed they'd still keep pressing because he's family, but elysium does not have that tie. so they will be on their behavior for now until they don't have to be anymore. ]

You okay?

Why wouldn't I be? I'm not that sensitive… Besides, I'm used to it.

[ he realises belatedly that this might've not been the wisest thing to say… but what's done is done. he relaxes, or at least tries to. ]

—Oh. Food's here.

[ it definitely was a bad thing to say.

but he's saved from having to talk about it for now. the table topic is normal now, with people talking about the wedding and sharing pictures. more complaining about school and wondering if they should just stay here an extra day...

thorns pushes his sides towards elysium. yippee. ]

[ unfortunately, elysium has regained his self-awareness and is now conscious of everything they do, so he tries not to look wary when thorns offers to share. ]

Did you want some of mine? We don't have to trade.

[ he slides his plate over to meet thorns' halfway but otherwise doesn't try to reach over to his plate… despair. ]

[ thorns is like, but they ordered to share... he doesn't understand any hesitation because of that.

but at least he isn't that chatty so he just remains quiet as everyone eats. it is difficult to tell if he is bothered by anything because his expression is his default one where he just looks mad even when he's not. ]

[ even elysium goes unusually quiet, trying to blame it and any other odd behavior on a sudden lack of appetite. luckily, the group doesn't need him to carry the conversation, so things move along naturally until it's time to leave.

by the end, half his burger and a good portion of his side are still untouched. he'd told the others not to make it awkward, only to end up being the one who did between him and thorns. oops. ]

[ thorns asks for a box so they can take the food with them. it's fine. they will say their goodbye and the others tells thorns not to ignore the group chat. he is already planning on leaving it as soon as he is not near any of them.

once it's just him and elysium he peers at him. ]

Sorry.

If you're really sorry, you should tell people how you're doing when they ask. If you weren't such a mystery, people wouldn't be ao curious about you.

[ opposed to elysium who hides his caginess well… he sighs. ]

… Are you ready for the ride back?

They shouldn't be curious anyway.

[ he won't be blamed for other people not being able to mind their business. ]

I can drive for the whole trip. You still look tired.

You're still on that…? I can at least do half.

[ 'at least' there is a double standard in every world and it's that thorns already does enough while elysium could do more. ]

We'll have to see if you'll even be awake.

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