chatime | ✧ — peach iced tea.

[ this also assumes there are people they can foist docybara on during their travels, effectively acting as his guardians at any given time. this argument is so flawed. ]

Do you think we weren't ready?

[ … ]

We didn't even raise him from the start. That sounds more like it—his first parents failed him.

[ okay ]

[ thorns is accepting this explanation despite it not making any sense, but in his mind elysium has a point? it sounds right?

they didn't give birth to this burdenbeast... ]

That's true. I guess we're uncles.

[ thorns' uni would be the most perfect uni out there (six-star delicacies)

but they aren't thorns' uni so elysium just nods sagely. ]

Born to be uncles, forced to be parents. Still, it'd be an entirely different story if you had our children. I know this for sure.

[ he says this despite being wholly unconvinced of thorns' parenting skills now. he can more than compensate for thorns' failings? (no)

do not think too deeply about this. ]

[ he's nodding his head along. so true? so true.

the doctor is starting to get sleepy from all the pets, which is a.... good sign? maybe? maybe the baby can finally rest. ]

... A chicken next.

[ this has been such a long detour and all because they're stupid. docybara doesn't know he can no longer be the favoured child ever. ]

We'll have to raise them from incubation.

[ nods some more. THIS IS EXCESSIVE ]

[ he nods slowly, while still patting. ]

Yeah. [ ... ] Come on, Doctor. Let's get you back to the barn.

[ he needs his beauty rest... ]

[ elysium just watches thorns go… dissociating from his role in this disaster…

he'll just go and put away the medicines they didn't end up using and pocketing what they might. when thorns returns, he'll find elysium and the farmer engaged in conversation. ]

[ it was such a struggle to leave because the doctor wanted more pets... life is cruel.

but thorns will walk over to join them. he never once considers this might be a private conversation because he doesn't think those exist between other people and them anymore. ]

[

elysium's covering his bases and asking if docybara's been getting into food he shouldn't be. elysium is such an earnest worker that he doesn't question this at all?

in a few weeks he might belatedly realise it's impossible, but by then they should be long gone… the mystery can never be solved.

but much like private conversations no longer exist, nor does public decorum. he naturally pulls thorns in his arms as they continue talking, patting thorns' head to express what a good job he's done and is doing (by being right here). ]

[ they are so annoying, everything was easier when they were shy. maybe not easier for them specifically but for everyone else around them.

thorns leans against him, pleased. he is convinced that the farmer is definitely letting the doctor into things he shouldn't be and doesn't want to admit it. he just can't prove it (he's wrong). ]

The Doctor is settling down, it seems like the medicine is working.

[ no, they've definitely made things easier for themselves by being this shameless. somehow, their relationship is doing so much better here than in an au where the world is not constantly blowing up around them and they are theoretically happier for it…?

the villagers have more or less learned to accept their peculiarities; their pda isn't exactly harmful unless you count the potential psychological scarring. the farmer mutters something about conducting an investigation to prevent a repeat occurrence, and elysium just smiles, nods encouragingly, then promptly steers thorns away. it's no longer their problem. ]

When's the earliest you think we can leave? Departing late at night has the same effect as leaving at dawn if we just wait for most people to fall asleep.

That could work. We can just come back and check on him in a few hours and decide then.

[ that gives them some time to be gross.

well, it may be best to take this time to rest and sleep since if they leave at night, they'd probably be traveling for a bit. and while they are used to operating with little to no sleep, it might be best to not immediately jump to doing that on their journey. ]

You should nap.

[ you can take rhodes island and piracy out of the both of them respectively, but you don't just stop being a workaholic. elysium shakes his head as they toddle along to their next destination. ]

We can head back if you're feeling tired. Otherwise, didn't you want to check up on our medicine and see if there was anything we should stock up on?

[ the apothecary is an early riser. leaving thorns alone is not ideal (okay), but elysium will go for the both of them if he has to!! like this is a tough decision that needs to be made. ]

Mm, I did.

[ he looks at elysium, like he is trying to judge how well rested he appears, before deciding that they can push a nap back. it'll probably be fine. ]

Was there anything else that you wanted to do?

[ now that thorns mentions it… ]

Think we can swing the budget to get a camera? An album, while we're at it? [ … ] If we're going to constantly be on the move, I want to commemorate the places we've been together.

What do you think?

[ it's only taken however many months for elysium to accept that maybe there won't be any crazy rewinds anymore. probably. ]

[ this is such a cute ask...

it is also a little more in line to what elysium might normally do, before they went insane, and that actually makes thorns smile. ]

I think we can afford it.

[ they are purposely planning things so that they won't have to make any immediate purchases for a bit. ]

[ look at them, achieving normalcy. he smooches thorns' face because how could he not? that smile… he'll do everything for that smile… ]

Oh, good. If we couldn't I would've had to resort to drastic measures. General store first, or the apothecary? Either or, if we aim to be done by five we can take nice shots with the setting of the sun. Heheh.

[ he has never sounded!! more in his element!!!!!!! explodes in hearts!!!!!!! ]

[ elysium is so adorable what the hell

thorns thinks about it. it may be better to just get the former out of the way first so they can spend more time picking a camera. elysium should be happy forever. ]

I know what I want from the apothecary so let's just get that out of the way.

[ he is happy!! truly happy!! just being with thorns. they both can be content forever so long as they're together. it's unlikely a village in the middle of nowhere would offer anything particularly fancy, but the very thought of being able to take polaroids has him excitable. i think about how the only pictures thorns has of elysium are probably those stupidly h*rny ones he took back on base…

that aside, there's a noticeable skip in elysium's step. ]

Awwwwwright! Since I'm treating myself to something, how about you? Any poisons you got your eye on?

There's a few interesting ones. I want to make more corrosives and there's some things I can collect that would be useful for that...

[ he would not get all of the ingredients for it here, but enough to be able to make a good start. he misses his explosions. ]

[ there's the question of what exactly thorns is going to be using these corrosives for but they make thorns happy so elysium doesn't question it. he just nods enthusiastically. this is like when they were having the conversation about making docybara battle capable; they keep forgetting they're technically retired. ]

Let's do that, then! We've lived frugally enough until now that these purchases shouldn't break out bank.

[ he swings their arms a lil. ]

We need reminders of what we're working for every so often.

[ things that fulfill them outside of each other…? crazy. ]

[ perhaps multiple things can make them happy?

funny how they can rediscover these basic ideas when they aren't ready for something to go horribly wrong at any moment. it's more akin to their early days of dating, after they finally figured out how to make it work instead of the odd situationship they were dancing around.

maybe they can actually have peaceful lives. ]

... You're cute when you're excited.

[ it feels greedy to ask for more than this, yet it's all too easy to imagine what could be and what will be when it feels like they have all the time in the world to envision their future together.

a small part of him does wonder, on occasion, what would happen if the nightmare they've always feared finally came to pass. but that possibility feels too unreal to waste the moment on. thorns had always gotten him for wanting to make the most of their now. and with the both of them on the same path, now…

he can think about it, can't he? the future where they're surrounded by all the things that make them both happy.

he swings their joined hands a little harder. ]

Oh? I'm always excited when it comes to you. [ he winks, the double entendre purposeful. thank god no one's around to hear them flirt. ] When am I the cutest?

[ multiple answers come to mind, some of them extremely nsfw. but instead of any of those (thank god), he reaches for one that's a little simpler. ]

There's this expresssion you get on your face sometimes. If we have to split up for a bit, and then when we reunite. Your face when you see me.

[ funny how life has settled and they no longer have to use h*rny to vent all their stress. they are still all over each other, yes, but they're running errands on their own on occasion and isn't that wild?

elysium expects the risque answer—and when it isn't given, he's genuinely surprised. they have to stop in their steps for him to bury himself in an embrace. ]

I didn't know you were capable of giving such cute answers. That's mean. I want to give you everything you want, but I don't want to separate from you any more than we have to.

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