[ he will dutifully follow after him. if they were more comfortable with each other, thorns would try to fix his hair for him and be very bad at it. since they are nowhere near that point, thorns allows him to be a mess. ]
[ he will scream into a pillow later when he realises he looked liked a wreck. but, anyway. they've known each other for years what is wrong with them.
give him another few seconds of rummagingz and voila! prints and fake polaroids! of both their shots together and of himself. he flares them out like one would a wad of cash. ]
Momentos! I figured you wouldn't care too much about getting the magazine. Whenever you need a pick-me-up, what better to look at than my face?
[ why is thorns doing this here too? the aura emitting from elysium grows more insufferable for every second thorns' gaze lingers on a picture of him. die. ]
If you don't want them I can always take them back.
but they don't really have photos together, except ones from when they were much younger and before the friend breakup. so this is.... interesting, to look at. ]
[ —what a great time to snap out of his reverie. he immediately flushes, arms crossing over his chest in a poor attempt at self-defense as affront flickers across his face. it gives thorns a sliver of personal space back, though he still hasn't made any move to step away. ]
What? [ HELLO ] Why would you kick me? What's with the violence towards your boyfriend?
[ clearly elysium had been thinking thorns should be doing something else, ]
thorns just continues to look at elysium. he tries to snatch the photos away again now that he is more distracted though. ]
What did you want to do?
[ it's not hard to realize that kick sounds a little like another word, but he doesn't want to jump to that conclusion. maybe elysium is just experiencing hearing loss. ]
sputters helplessly when the photo's snatched away. but he's learned his lesson about pursuing in this case, so instead he clears his throat and tries to be the bigger person.
…
then he plants both hands squarely on thorns' shoulders. ]
We haven't gone on a date yet, Thorns.
[ delivers this while he is gripping tightly and so seriously ]
they have gone on a lot of date-like things, but officially none of them were dates. even the promised one they were supposed to go on when they weren't together never happened because of elysium's illness. ]
thorns may have no dating experience other than the time he didn't know he was going on dates with that one guy, but he can tell this is not looking good. ]
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[ don't sound so shocked. this is why she hates him. but the toweling slows and he pads to the backpack he'd slung over a chair.
his hair is so messy from the unnecessary toweling… it's bad when he doesn't even realise it himself. ]
Actually… since you're up? I got some more freebies from work. C'mere.
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What is it?
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give him another few seconds of rummagingz and voila! prints and fake polaroids! of both their shots together and of himself. he flares them out like one would a wad of cash. ]
Momentos! I figured you wouldn't care too much about getting the magazine. Whenever you need a pick-me-up, what better to look at than my face?
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he will reach over to take them so he can flip through the photos. does he stay on the ones with elysium longer? perhaps. ]
Did you steal these?
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If you don't want them I can always take them back.
[ attempts to swipe them away. ]
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but they don't really have photos together, except ones from when they were much younger and before the friend breakup. so this is.... interesting, to look at. ]
You can't just take a gift back.
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there is the belated realisation that this puts them in a position where they are pressed incredibly close together and
he's just left staring. hi. ]
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what do you do in this situation? kick him? should he kick him? this is such a pulling pigtails response, but thorns brain is not working properly.
thorns stares at him. ]
I just almost kicked you.
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huh. ]
I think you should.
[ says the first thing that filters through his mind. both their brains are not working. ]
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[ thorns is not at a point where he would immediately leap to calling elysium a masochist, but he does raise an eyebrow.
while continuing to make no effort to move away. ]
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What? [ HELLO ] Why would you kick me? What's with the violence towards your boyfriend?
[ clearly elysium had been thinking thorns should be doing something else, ]
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thorns just continues to look at elysium. he tries to snatch the photos away again now that he is more distracted though. ]
What did you want to do?
[ it's not hard to realize that kick sounds a little like another word, but he doesn't want to jump to that conclusion. maybe elysium is just experiencing hearing loss. ]
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sputters helplessly when the photo's snatched away. but he's learned his lesson about pursuing in this case, so instead he clears his throat and tries to be the bigger person.
…
then he plants both hands squarely on thorns' shoulders. ]
We haven't gone on a date yet, Thorns.
[ delivers this while he is gripping tightly and so seriously ]
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yeah.
they have gone on a lot of date-like things, but officially none of them were dates. even the promised one they were supposed to go on when they weren't together never happened because of elysium's illness. ]
Right. We can go on a date.
[ when..... ]
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they are so desperately trying to make this work in a conventional manner despite already doing so much out of order.
he goes ahead and says what's in meta text: ]
When are you free…?
[ thorns your modeling job ]
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[ ...
what is his schedule...? the way he would check his phone but he left it on his desk. ]
I think I have a shoot this Saturday.
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maybe only a little of it slips through, visible at the edges of his eyes. ]
I have group work to do on Sunday…
[ why did he force employment in thorns AAA ]
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[ well...
thorns may have no dating experience other than the time he didn't know he was going on dates with that one guy, but he can tell this is not looking good. ]
The following weekend?
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he coughs into his hand. ]
Think after this week, you'll have anytime after class? I have Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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oh this is so painful. ]
I'm free after nine on Thursday.
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can go night fishing?
[ tears up his first thought ]
Wait, wait, wait. Don't take that seriously. Our first date can't be fishing. Um. What else is open…?
[ —he makes a second realisation. ]
Nevermind. I can't give you any more ideas. We're supposed to competing on dates. —Keep Thursday night open
[ this is getting so desperate ]
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but he has no idea what else might be open. because anything that is might end up closing soon after... hm. ]
Sure. But don't stress out about it.
[ they can go and buy fries and call it a date... ]
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screams ]
Sure…
[ echoes more hollowly.
… ]
Shouldn't you be getting to sleep around now?
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[ thorns has been working but he has at least been working in the comfort of his own room. ]
I'll see you tomorrow?
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[ me checking their birthdays because if they're the same year then one would be older cut and dry. … they are just a haikaveh situation i see ]
… But, yeah. Tomorrow at the library. Don't forget.
[ he lingers a moment longer, then tries to kiss thorns' forehead—only to bump into it instead.
…
promptly scurries away in shame ]
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