chatime | ✧ — peach iced tea.

[ thorns can point out that elysium ignored him for a while....

but for now, he just pulls elysium loser to him. ]

We're going to bed. Get comfortable.

[ he needs to rest his ass ]

[ thank you, thorns, for being the bigger person. he nuzzles into him. ]

You too. Sweet dream, you baby. [ that's elysium. ] I love you.

[ his ass is about to need three business days ]

[ elysium is the baby!!!!

but thorns will stop arguing for tonight because he won in the end? elysium will be the one complaining tomorrow...

but he will gayly stare at elysium's face as if he hadn't spent the entire damn day already staring at his face. get a real job. ]

[ meanwhile, elysium just appreciates how perfectly their bodies slot together. he doesn't fall asleep immediately, instead listening to the sound of thorns' heartbeat and let's that slowly lull him away.

thet quit their jobs for this… disgusting… what happened to thorns saying they needed to make money. tch. ]

[ they are so disgusting......

anyway. since it is apparently canon that thorns' nightmares actually got better when he was out at sea. he is long overdue? so, at some point in the night, he awakens with a start, before immediately reaching wildly for elysium. ]

[ you are so kind for this

elysium startles awake, immediately on alert. his gaze flicks to thorns, and without hesitation, he gathers him into his arms, checks his warmth with one hand, while his eyes search his face for signs of distress and to make direct eye contact. ]

Thorns. [ thinks about how this should be their assigned names but i cannot bring myself to write it. ] What's wrong? I'm here.

[ has he ever ghosted him in this timeline… no… he has to think about this for a stupidly long time. ]

[ thorns clutches at him, his grip a little too tight with no signs of loosening any time soon. he doesn't respond right away, and instead he stares at him, his eyes unfocused. ]

The sea took you.

[ it's mumbled, making it difficult to believe that it's actually meant to be said to elysium. ]

[ he isn't fazed by the grip strength—only the state thorns is currently in. his hands wrap around thorns more firmly, and he deliberates for a real second what to say and do next. ]

That's impossible. [ unfortunately, it is very possible. but elysium doesn't know this. ] Nothing can ever take me away from you. Not anymore.

[ with one hand anchoring him to thorns in kind, the other cups his cheek to keep thorns faced towards him. ]

Is the sea warm? [ a kiss to his mouth. ] Can the sea do this?

[ another kiss—this one coaxing thorns' mouth open. ]

Come back to me, Thorns. Wake up.

[ he doesn't kiss back at first, but the coaxing does eventually work, more out of muscle memory than anything else.

he hears elysium's voice. but is it really him? he can picture it so perfectly, the twisting of elysium's body as it contorted into something more monstrous, more primal, as the sea claimed him as its own. yet he's right here, perfectly okay?

... ]

Sorry.

[ he kisses thorns a third time once recognition flickers back on his expresdion, smiling gently to be encouraging. mentally, he's still hooked on what thorns had meant by the sea had taken him.

should they go somewhere further from water? would that help? thorns had just found peace from the waters, hadn't he? ]

What are you sorry for? Don't be ridiculous.

[ he reaches to tuck a strand of hair behind thorns' ear. ]

I missed seeing you anyway. The you in my dreams doesn't compare to the real deal.

[ elysium really should not think about it any further, actually.

he leans forward to rest his forehead against elysium's shoulder, waiting for his heart rate to return to normal. it's strange, since the last thing he wants to show this version of elysium is this level of vulnerability because what if it freaks him out? their bond has never been stronger while also being so fragile. anything can tip them over an edge they wouldn't be able to recover from.

he manages to remember to speak. ]

Oh? You were dreaming about me?

[ he gives thorns all the time he needs to come down from his panic, rubbing slow, steady circles into his back. what could possibly fix this? forcefully induced amnesia? but that would only open a new set of problems.

it's true, neither of them can be trusted with solutions' they're too far gone to come up with anything that even remotely resembles something normal. ]

Always. I dream of you, I think of you. Every thought and second of my life circles back to you.

[ hearing this help calms him, even if it's not for the reason that most might think it does.

but thorns realizes something. if elysium truly has this extreme of separation issues now, to the point where he didn't even want thorns walking away to get their belongings without him, then what happened at the iberian village shouldn't happen again. yes, elysium wandered off and got into a mess at their last destination, but that shouldn't happen again, right?

maybe all their problems have been solved? (no) ]

... I love you.

[ as far as elysium's concerned, nothing can come between them anymore. rhodes can't force them onto separate missions (there as never a forcing aspect to any of their missions at all), and thorns doesn't have a crew he feels compelled to put before himself anymore. in elysium's mind, that means every problem is solved. ]

I love you too—through all the highs and lows. Think you can fall back asleep?

[ with careful and measured guidance, he coaxes thorns back beneath the covers. his hand slides from his back to his waist, drawing him in until he's snug against his chest. ]

It's still early. Just focus on my warmth; that doesn't lie.

[ is it worse that they'll have to start sleeping plastered to each other. hmmm ]

[ no this definitely won't cause further problems.

but thorns closes his eyes and focuses simply on elysium's breathing, using it as a makeshift song to lull him to sleep. it is so much easier to forget any problems when the world consists of only the two of them, and the thought helps him eventually drift back to sleep.

again, this is healthy. ]

[ they're in love and they have each other. they aren't asking for anything more than that, nor is it asking for much to begin with. comparatively, they aren't being that greedy? it's fine.

elysium doesn't fall asleep for a long while after thorns drifts off, not because he's struggling to, but because he wants to be certain thorns rests easy. every so often, he cranes his neck to catch a glimpse of his expression just to be sure.

this sort of smothering and paranoia won't come back to bite him in the ass, either. he's just being a supportive partner? no one should punish him for that. but he will eventually drift off himself… snzz… at least his own nightmares had only risen when they were apart. ]

[ this is fine...

thorns will, at least, sleep normally until morning hits. elysium probably now has a sore front and a sore back. why did he do this.

but it is a new day. ]

[ he's sore all over and running on maybe two, three hours of sleep at best. it could be better, it could be worse; he could have none at all, or be in the absolute worst-case scenario, be thornsless.

because he prioritises thorns' comfort, he stirs constantly through the night. again, it could be worse. but he's probably the one to wake first, so when thorns finally stirs, it's to elysium's hand combing gently through his hair and massaging his scalp.

it is a new day and he is once again filled with adoration. ]

[ it is the first thing in the morning and thorns is already heart eyes.

he leans in and kisses his face. ]

Morning...

[ should he roll off of him... does elysium need to pee... ]

[ see? everything works out. elysium subtly watches thorns' face for any aftereffects of the night prior. ]

Morning, sleepy. [ he kisses thorns back. there's a better way to get thorns off of him and to make sure his mind doesn't immediately wander elsewhere, he thinks. and that is—

pinching his nose. ] Your breath stinks.

[ thank you for your heart eyes, thorns. ]

[ the way the first sign this is a trick should be that elysium never cares how gross they are when they are being cuddly.

however, he is still in the just woke up stupor so he just rolls off of him like a lump. ]

[ thorns is so cute… he laughs and tucks him back in again. ]

Did you want to sleep in? I can stay here with you.

[ until he falls asleep… he does need to use the washroom… ]

[ he shakes his head and pokes elysium on the cheek. ]

No... Go and wash up.

[ thorns doesn't know if elysium will start doing skincare and it would be a punishment to have to sit there waiting for elysium to apply ten different creams to his face. ]

[ he boops thorns' nose in return. ]

You said you'd help me. You have ten minutes before I drag you by the scruff of your neck.

[ sadly he does not have his ten different creams. only the bare minimum of what he takes to travel, so… two. three if you count sunscreen.

he gets up, almost falls. … he doesn't say anything and just waddles the rest of the way to the bathroom.
]

[ oh... it is BAD bad.

elysium isn't dragging anyone anywhere, but thorns will still get up and dutifully follow after him even though he will be useless here. he hovers at the doorway. ]

Should I carry you?

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