chatime | ✧ — peach iced tea.

[ 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?

[ he's fine (he's not) ]

No…

[ maybe. ]

What did you want to do today?

[ he lines up various bottles on the counter. he washes his face. he wants to go back to bed so bad. getting up was a mistake but now he's up and committed (this is stupid) ]

... We can spend time here. We spent a while traveling.

[ is this an excuse to let elysium rest up? absolutely. but there really isn't anywhere they can go at the moment; it's not like thorns can easily carry both elysium and groceries. they truly need to get a cart asap. ]

Maybe we can stop by a shop later.

Mm. Now that we've proven ourselves, it should be easy enough to find work. More importantly—

[ more importantly?? he taps a bottle, then the next. he slaps his cheeks with his hands and looks at thorns imploringly. ]

Toner, then moisturiser. Even applications of both. You can remember that much, right?

[ he sounds so doubtful ]

[ meanwhile thorns is like, what is an even application?? but he does not ask this.

he should probably ask this but it's fine. he takes the bottles... ]

Yeah. Easy.

[ thorns you have one job

elysium has a bad feeling about this and gingerly places a hand on thorns'. this can't be how their relationship explodes again… ]

Wait. I can do you first.

Why? I'll do it quickly.

[ yes, thorns, that's the problem.

he looks at the items. ]

Can I just mix it into one container?

[ why does he have violent urges in both threads at the same time

he tells himself to relax… this is the love of his life… his grip turns into a vice grip. ]

Self-care is meant to be taken slow. And no—toner's to help your skin's absorption, so it has to sit under everything else…

[ how does thorns understand aftercare but not this. he guides thorns into his arms, head canted to the side. he is taking matters into his own hands. HE IS GOING FIRST!!!! ]

Here.

[ thorns definitely uses those 3 in 1 shampoos so he's just ?

but he allows elysium to manhandle him, not because he thinks he needs to learn anything but simply because he enjoys elysium touching him. ]

This feels overcomplicated.

[ thorns can experience the joy of living with another person when his 3-in-1s keep going missing. there is only shampoo, conditioner, and cleanser all in their separate bottles. likelier is thorns only bothering to use shampoo and forgoing everything else while elysium keeps wondering why the shampoo keeps running out well before the others, but that's a future problem! ]

Maybe. But you don't put your chemicals in all at once when you're experimenting, do you? There's an order to these things. One reaction leads to another—skincare is as much a science as anything else…

[ funny, elysium could say the same about intimacy. the moment thorns is in his arms, he's immediately mollified and wonders why he was even angry to begin with? this is a good excuse to keep thorns in one place and touch him. wow.

he gently slaps thorns' cheeks with toner. plap. ]

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