chatime | ✧ — peach iced tea.

Oh... I'm not sure what to say.

[ he doesn't think enough about his day. ]

I did work. My internship and went to the modeling place. They're mad at me but said they can cover the bruise with makeup.

You can talk about anything else you want if it's too hard. Today's lab results? Tomorrow's expectations? The outlook for your current projects in general?

I really just want to hear your voice, Thorns.

[ thanks for the reminder that he needs to check that out, though. ]

[ ...

this is kind of gay...

but elysium can be serenaded by thorns discussing one of his latest experiments in great detail, going from what the purpose of, the possible challenges, all the different components involved, the different variable and how it affects test results. it's all fairly boring if it's not something you're interested in. ]

[ they are still things thorns is telling him about, so by virtue alone they're things he's interested in. he occasionally pipes up with commentary, asking thorns to explain certain concepts more thoroughly or break them down into more laymen terminology for him to understand, but for a supposed bedtime story—he's surprisingly engaged.

it's maybe thirty minutes of this as elysium's voice (and face!) starts to fade that he goes— ]

Can you end there and continue next time? I think I'm about to pass out…

[ ah... once again, this is cute.

thorns does find himself getting sleepy as well; who knows talking constantly can be so tiring? ]

Hm? Of course.

[ as if this was some sort of adventurous story book and not a boring account of someone's day. ]

Uh huh. It's too bad what I'm doing now isn't so interesting. After high school, I—…

[ he what

thorns will not get to hear the end of this as immediately after, elysium snoozes. ]

[ HELLO!!!!

thorns can't complain because elysium needs his rest but also. he feels ripped off. ]

Goodnight...

[ ...

he will watch him sleep until he also dozes off. ]

[ he loses his chance to ask forever because it is the day before thursday and elysium has so much work to do thanks to their nightly flirting

even waking up early doesn't help… but he will tell thorns that he has a busy night and apologises for it. ]

[ elysium.........

thorns will send a 👍 in response because what else is he supposed to do. ]

[ he's supposed to triangulate his location and save him

it is thursday morning. thorns receives a single 👍 back. ]

[ okay...

well, they're supposed to have their date in the evening, so that's fine? he supposes?? he actually has no idea if the timing for it is different, since their schedule was based on before elysium got kidnapped to work. it might be worse now???

but thorns will go through his day... he will believe elysium will be here when he sees him... ]

[ he will be here

just not in the way thorns might expect. ]

At the library.
Come to the fourth floor when you're done with your classes. I'm at the back where all the cubicles are.

[ you know those ridiculous getups idols get into to obscure their appearance

he is wearing an oversized hoodie, sunglasses, a face mask, and a baseball cap…… ]

[ the way thorns like

fucking walks past him at first and only comes back when he realizes the only other people at the cubicles is a girl and a 60 year old man. ]

Elysium...?

[ thorns you were supposed to recognise him by build

a hand shoots out from a cubicle and starts waving and gesturing wildly for him to come over here… ]

[ sorry but thorns was not going to assume the person dressed as if they have a restraining order against them was his boyfriend...

but he wanders over and just

stares at him. hi? ]

[ nudging his face mask down and sliding his glasses to sit on top of his cap is an entire ordeal that's way more dramatic than it has to be. ]

Long time no see.

[ first order of business is grabbing thorns' cheek and checking the one injury? did it look better on camera? ]

[ yes... but it seems to be healing decently enough, at least.

this is the first time they're touching in ages, wow. ]

Why are you dressed like that?

[ he presses a finger against the wound directly. just to see. an innocent, simple science experiment. ]

I felt like being mysterious. Don't you feel like this adds to the excitement of it?