[ both are things they deserve. if they happen they happen. ]
What did you want me to say? It's been over two years and I still haven't gotten over you? Like hell I would! You'd just feel bad if you didn't feel the same!
[ PROVE HIM WRONG!!! ]
Do you even feel the same? You didn't guilt yourself into it anyway, did you? I wouldn't put it past you.
[ this is very telling of how he sees thorns. that's a saint. ]
thorns allows elysium to freak out, and it's only when he stops talking long enough to breathe normally that thorns just leans over to kiss him on the cheek. yes, he almost killed himself for this. ]
You think this is guilt?
[ thorns may not have the best grasp of his feelings but he does think he'd know the difference between pity and this. ]
[ he is so scandalised a hand goes up to his cheek. what. only he's allowed to do that.
… ]
Do you think, maybe, we should go to relationship counselling.
[ fucking help. this is a terrible joke.
but where do they even begin. explodes. the way they aren't even in a relationship just like how they aren't married. how can elysium navigate every other relationship in his life and those of others but not the one with thorns????? ]
thorns settles back into the seat, pulling his feet onto it so he can peer at elysium. he is not sure where to go from here. they're both still sick and they're on the side of some random street, and it's some ungodly hour at night. what are they doing. ]
this, too, is sc*en's fault. he would go back to plotting his demise as a means of stabilisation, but there's something more important than that for once. he laughs, a little shrill. ]
But we can always be in one. If you want. That kind of so?
[ the forced distance of the car is honestly doing wonders for them. on one hand, thorns feels frustratingly far away; on the other, what would he even do with himself if he were closer? the answer is obvious! nothing good.
here's where he'd admit the reasons for his serial dating if it weren't so goddamn embarrassing. time to gloss over it. ]
Not really…
[ alhaitham has been taken care of… the other guy, meanwhile… ]
We don't have to date right now if you aren't ready. But I'm still taking this as permission going forward. Are you fine with that?
[ the difference is that it can be lawful flirting now. wow. even if he can't figure what exactly that is, yet… truly like what he hasn't been flirting all day.
also, do they really have to do this? have this conversation in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night? ]
You seemed like you were getting kind of jealous of the people I was seeing…
[ why would they be seeing his non-existent ex thorns please
he picks up his phone. it does not power on. hm. this is such a cursed night thorns might've been onto something about their relationship equivalent of feng shui not being feng shui. the vibes are eternally bad. ]
[ this is how they find out they're in a black mirror simulation ]
Someone who can check up on you. I let them know we were coming…
[ an hour ago… he has not said anything since, but he gives thorns the address. they are probably about to d*e considering the time they're showing up, but it will be less painful than what they're going through now?
even if… he's kind of happy about it… every so often, he tucks his chin in and smiles to himself. explodes. ]
but the smile is impossible to hold back once thorns starts hanging onto him. was his roommate always this cute…? yes.
anyway. this is how they end up at the house of one (1) angry looking kal'tist. do not ask how he knows the dean of medicine personally enough to show up at her doorstep at 2am. some things are better not to think about.
she just opens the door and waits for him to explain. ]
We got held up by traffic, you see…… then we got pulled over for suspicious activity. Does it look like we're the kind of people who'd be up to no good? I drove straight from the hospital but still ended up—
[ she looks so ready to kill him but she just sighs and steps to the side. the vibe of someone who wants to get over this so fast. ]
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What did you want me to say? It's been over two years and I still haven't gotten over you? Like hell I would! You'd just feel bad if you didn't feel the same!
[ PROVE HIM WRONG!!! ]
Do you even feel the same? You didn't guilt yourself into it anyway, did you? I wouldn't put it past you.
[ this is very telling of how he sees thorns. that's a saint. ]
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thorns does not immediately respond. ]
Stop the car.
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predictably, he does not stop the car. ]
You don't have to feed bad… seriously…
[ thorns is in a hostage situation. condition for freedom is the truth… ]
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Stop the car.
[ he is giving off the aura of someone who is prepared to grab the wheel and force them to a stop if he has to. ]
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he gulps. ]
We're almost to where I wanted to go…
[ no they're further away from it now than where they started ]
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thorns is now attempting to climb into the passenger seat from the back while the car is still moving. ]
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that's one way to get him to stop. he slams to the curb, gaze snapping towards thorns with an intensity that's half-crazed with worry. ]
Are you out of your mind?! You're sick! You could've gotten hurt! Did you get hurt?!
[ like if there's any of thorns he can steady from the distance of the front seat he will, ]
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thorns allows elysium to freak out, and it's only when he stops talking long enough to breathe normally that thorns just leans over to kiss him on the cheek. yes, he almost killed himself for this. ]
You think this is guilt?
[ thorns may not have the best grasp of his feelings but he does think he'd know the difference between pity and this. ]
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… ]
Do you think, maybe, we should go to relationship counselling.
[ fucking help. this is a terrible joke.
but where do they even begin. explodes. the way they aren't even in a relationship just like how they aren't married. how can elysium navigate every other relationship in his life and those of others but not the one with thorns????? ]
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[ he will just say it.
thorns settles back into the seat, pulling his feet onto it so he can peer at elysium. he is not sure where to go from here. they're both still sick and they're on the side of some random street, and it's some ungodly hour at night. what are they doing. ]
So.
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[ ha
haha.
this, too, is sc*en's fault. he would go back to plotting his demise as a means of stabilisation, but there's something more important than that for once. he laughs, a little shrill. ]
But we can always be in one. If you want. That kind of so?
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thorns tries to think of a response that is intelligent? and makes sense? but instead he just manages to spit out, ]
You don't want to keep dating other people?
[ wasn't the last two attempts so much fun...,,,, ]
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here's where he'd admit the reasons for his serial dating if it weren't so goddamn embarrassing. time to gloss over it. ]
Not really…
[ alhaitham has been taken care of… the other guy, meanwhile… ]
We don't have to date right now if you aren't ready. But I'm still taking this as permission going forward. Are you fine with that?
[ what permission. ]
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Permission for what?
[ he wants clarification before commenting on the dating thing. ]
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he squirms in place. ]
You know. [ looks away. he doesn't know, that's why he's asking dumbass. ] Permission to flirt…
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permission... to flirt... god, elysium really has been flirting all day, hasn't he... ]
What made you realize? About me?
[ thorns has been so good at being secretive... he thinks. ]
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also, do they really have to do this? have this conversation in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night? ]
You seemed like you were getting kind of jealous of the people I was seeing…
[ … ]
We avoid our problems in a similar way.
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hy are they still out here. ]
We should head back. We can talk when we get home.
[ before they get hit with their second cop of the day. ]
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but elysium just turns back to the wheel and puffs his cheeks out. ]
No, I need to take you to see someone…
[ but then his hand pauses before he starts up the engine. ]
Huh? Where are we?
[ how did this happen. (he made this happen.) ]
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How should I know? You're the one who drove us here.
[ thorns does not even know where they were going. ]
no subject
he picks up his phone. it does not power on. hm. this is such a cursed night thorns might've been onto something about their relationship equivalent of feng shui not being feng shui. the vibes are eternally bad. ]
Can you pull up G**gle maps for me?
no subject
he pulls out his phone. the battery is not much better but it will presumably get the job done. thorns had it over. ]
Where are we going?
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Someone who can check up on you. I let them know we were coming…
[ an hour ago… he has not said anything since, but he gives thorns the address. they are probably about to d*e considering the time they're showing up, but it will be less painful than what they're going through now?
even if… he's kind of happy about it… every so often, he tucks his chin in and smiles to himself. explodes. ]
no subject
[ it's muttered, but he won't argue further, mainly because he is not driving so there isn't much he can do besides try to crash the car for real.
...
he shyly grabs onto the bottom of elysium's shirt. ]
no subject
but the smile is impossible to hold back once thorns starts hanging onto him. was his roommate always this cute…? yes.
anyway. this is how they end up at the house of one (1) angry looking kal'tist. do not ask how he knows the dean of medicine personally enough to show up at her doorstep at 2am. some things are better not to think about.
she just opens the door and waits for him to explain. ]
We got held up by traffic, you see…… then we got pulled over for suspicious activity. Does it look like we're the kind of people who'd be up to no good? I drove straight from the hospital but still ended up—
[ she looks so ready to kill him but she just sighs and steps to the side. the vibe of someone who wants to get over this so fast. ]
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