✧ — peach iced tea.

[boba]

this post is so clean

Comments

[transmit]

[ lmao

elysium knows thorns wouldn't dare.


he turns his attention back to the conference while imagining thorns pouting. thorns doesn't really pout, but elysium's perspective always has been kind of off. he hehehehehes here, too. stop him. ]

[oversea]

[ elysium... is the worst? thorns needs to study this further.

but he does have an exam, and then a few classes after that, before he drags his body back to the apartment to do more work. the longer elysium is gone the weirder it feels, but he also realizes that he has absolutely no idea what the situation is. at first thorns assumed it was a death in the family, but then it's odd that elysium didn't just flat out say that was it? hmmm ]

[transmit]

[ he is trying to keep thorns fed so he's less lonely? him having an actual diet is also a plus but why is he catching so much flak for this…

dating is hard……


later in the evening, thorns gets a picture of a snail in the middle of the road. the next picture is it safely moved into the grass… ]

🐌

[oversea]

[ ... thorns thinks this is adorable. he is literally never going to type these words or say them because he is not crazy in this timeline. ]

Making friends?

[transmit]

It's rough out here, you know. My best friend won't talk to me…

[ literally whose fault ]

How was your exam?

[oversea]

I think it was fine.

It was on the things we learned while I was out.

[ he types something. stops typing. starts typing. stops typing again. ]

Can I call you now?

[transmit]

[ you know what's funny. they are somehow talking more distances apart than when they are living in the same building!! okay!!!

elysium is not thinking about it this way, however. he is only thinking wow… they're talking everyday? without making that association.


he goes ahead and calls thorns first… ]

[oversea]

[ who knew that they just needed to not be around each other. maybe they should be long distance forever.

thorns picks up the call. ]

Hey. [ smooth.... ] What are you doing?

[ where did he encounter snail. ]

[transmit]

¡Hola!

[ this is so pathetic. who knew banging would be the cause of and solution to so many of their problems?

elysium immediately turns on his back-facing camera. it's live footage!! of snail!!! ]

Just trying to expand your social circle. Say hi to your new friend, too?

[ elysium waves his hand in front of the camera… from food to whimsy, he has to make sure thorns gets his enrichment. sniff. ]

[oversea]

[ this is the equivalent of trying to entertain a toddler.

thorns looks at the snail... and waves at it. the snail has no idea this is happening. ]

Are you done for the day?

[transmit]

[ i see you are taking the no banging personally. is thorns' camera even on… can elysium see… ]

No, but I have a few minutes before——dinner.

[ what a completely normal pause. … time to cover it up with aggression. ]

You better not have called just to complain about our war. I don't think Escargot should be dragged into this, either? She's innocent.

[oversea]

[ hm. he is about to comment on the pause when elysium keeps talking. ]

Hm, is there a war? Are you fighting against me?

[ he waits for elysium to explain his position. ]

[transmit]

Aren't we? You keep being stubborn.

[ strangles thorns with his mind. ]

[oversea]

I think you're being the stubborn one...

[ elysium won't let thorns just eat ramen every day? hello? ]

What are you having for dinner?

[transmit]

What's so stubborn about wanting you to eat properly? Answer me.

[ he is holding his answer hostage. ]

[oversea]

You're spending too much money on it.

[ he's going to k word you, elysium. ]

And shouldn't you be focusing on... whatever it is that you're doing?

[transmit]

Stop worrying me so much and I will.

[ he has moved on from strangling to smacking. ]

I don't want to hear it from someone who got sick taking care of me.

[oversea]

You should be thanking me for getting sick...

[ it's muttered, but also it's the only reason they started dating!!! a good(?) thing came from it. stop using it against him. ]

I should be worried about you. Not the other way around.

[transmit]

[ ARE THEY EVEN DATING!!!!!!!!!!

elysium doesn't catch the first part; it's too loud out here. he would be more focused on asking thorns what he said if he weren't so intent on winning the argument. ]

Okay. Give me your reason, then. You're the one who's all alone.

[oversea]

Well, I didn't always live with you, and I survived, didn't I?

[ he has proof that he has not starved to death. ]

You never answered me.

[transmit]

[ he knows thorns struggles to accept love and care, even from his own family.

and even then.

even then, elysium can't help the genuine frustration that rises in his chest. ]

That's like me insisting you were never part of my life before, so there's nothing for you to worry about either. Are you listening to yourself?

[oversea]

That's not the same thing at all–

[ it sounds like he's about to keep speaking, but then he cuts himself off. thorns' expression turns into one of surprise, then annoyance, before he looks back to the screen. ]

Elysium, I have to talk to you later.

[transmit]

[ thorns has never been a convincing actor; that much is undeniable.

and as much as elysium hates the idea of shelving their conversation, especially now that there's something clearly going on with thorns— he can see the way they're skidding toward an argument. disengaging, for now, feels like the only wise choice.

he exhales. ]

… Sure. I might be busy later, but I'll let you know.

[oversea]

Okay.

[ there's a pause, as he isn't really sure what to say after that. he's aware this is an uncomfortable place to hang up on and elysium is already busy enough doing who knows what that he doesn't know when he'll catch him next.

... ]

See you.

[ he hangs up. ]

[transmit]

[ they are making their lives hard for no reason other than they're both stupid and stubborn. he could be the bigger guy and say his bye without sounding terse back, but emotions are high. stress is high. it would be so much easier to just run from all his responsibilities…

later that night: ]

I don't think I'll have time tonight. Sorry.