werites | bursts into tears

What do you mean? Is your transmission getting blocked?

[ it's easier to jump to the conclusion that something is wrong on their end instead of it being on r.i.'s side. ]

I just——can't. Like it doesn't—…

[ … ]

I'll leave the message with Miss Ch'en in Lungmen. That's… probably the better idea and should achieve the same effect.

[ ah.

copes while he tries to not think about what this means while also constantly going back to it. he's fine. ]

[ ...

okay, well, now they have two problems. but thorns will wait as elysium sends the message along to its new recipient. he continues to hold onto elysium.

while they are both attached to rhodes, thorns is aware that elysium's attachment is greater. yes, he chose thorns over the organization, and would probably keep choosing him, but that doesn't mean it's a particularly easy decision. if anything, the fact that they can't just reset things again is probably making that even worse right now. if something horrible happened before, they could just try again. they're now stuck with whatever mess that occurs. ]

... We should find somewhere we can set up camp for now.

[ the real problem is that as long as elysium exists, resetting the timeline is always on the table. no matter how firmly they've agreed to shelve it forever, that agreement is only verbal and fragile because of it.

he doesn't realise his hand is shaking until well after the transmission is over. pointedly, he keeps his gaze away from thorns. ]

… Yeah. If their sights are on Yan, then we should head toward Kazdel and Siracusa.

[ which

are significantly less friendly places to roam, but options are a luxury that don't have. ]

[ ...

he turns his attention to docybara as he speaks, as if that makes it any easier. ]

We can try to find out what's happening over there. It shouldn't be too difficult to get information.

[ the hard part is that once they do it'll likely be harder not to get involved, even if that involvement is only reestablishing contact. ]

Is that what you want to do? Find out what's happening?

[ there is a faint tension in his voice—something he can't quite hide. elysium is already bracing to plug his ears and cover his eyes; hadn't that been what they agreed on from the start?

his questions aren't an implicit agreement to go along with it, but he does want to hear thorns' answer. by their sides, docybara lets out a low whine. the vibes do not appear to be vibing. ]

[ he takes a deep breath. ]

... No.

[ and lets it go.

he just thinks of them getting into fights, which ends in them splitting up, and then elysium dies. he needs to avoid that no matter what. ]

Come on. I think I found a good spot.

[ this doesn't feel right.

but at the same time, it feels like the only way forward. h lets that single word sink in, along with everything else the brief flash of terror had stirred up. he left. what's in the past is in the past.

he draws in a deep breath, then tugs thorns in, kissing him hard and long. when he finally pulls back, he breathes easy. he feels like himself again. ]

Yeah? Where to?

It might take us slightly off course, but it's far enough from anyone nearby that the likelihood of running into anyone is relatively low. We can reroute our course once we're settled if we need to.

[ hopefully they won't actually have to, but it is good to have backup plans to be safe. ]

As long as we manage to get out of here, I know better than to be picky. You're the one with better coverage.

[ so very glad their timelooping bs has kept thorns' cheat codes in tact. ]

Do you want me to keep listening in on their lines just in case?

[ if they ever decided to just skip the pale sea arc then thorns would be so nerfed...

but hmm. this again gets into tricky morality territory since the more they find out the worse it will get about not helping. but they did notify someone who is just as capable of providing assistance... ignoring the fact that they have no idea how quickly ch'en can send someone over. ]

... Periodically.

[ if elysium* decides to ever take a walk back into the past, then he will get cuter thorns… the thorns who still gets 90% of the ship art. clearly that matters more than some cheat codes.

unsurprisingly, what waits for them is a return transmission from ch'en. there is a tense edge to her voice as she talks, something along the lines of him being on supposed leave so what is doing in lungmen—before he skips it entirely to begin passively listening in for other line.

nothing to pick up for now, it seems. ]

[ hm...

he won't be surprised if they get more messages from her later, but this was at least useful info to have. it makes sense as to why others that they know haven't seem to be searching for them; they simply were told a lie regarding their disappearance.

the spot they settle at is a small forested area. due to the circumstances, it's best to not go hunting or anything that would have them wandering off, so he will just grab some protein bars and hand one to elysium. docybara can munch on some grass even though he now knows tastier food... ]

I can take first watch when it's time to sleep.

[ docybara is a simple soul and is just happy to be with elysium and thorns… this is the most he's seen of either of them since they started staying in the town? woah. his ears seem to flick happily as he eats baldspots in this grass.

it doesn't feel good to take watches alone anymore, but that is the nature of the beast. he sighs. ]

Okay. You have to wake me up when.

I will.

[ he kisses the corner of his mouth. ]

It'll be easier once we've gotten enough distance from here.

Mm.

[ he tilts his head to meet thorns' mouth. ]

And with how much we've saved, we should be solid for wherever we end up next. When you set-up camp later, I'll go ahead and do traps.

[ both of the wild game and of other people variety… ]

Maybe next time we should invest in an actual vehicle...

[ although that might get tricky over certain terrain... you can see him deciding against the idea he just asked about in real time. ]

Well, we'll work it out. Eat your dinner.

The Doctor makes a lot of things trickier…

[ have you seen how huge the burdenbeasts are… he is not blaming docybara for anything but he is most certainly glancing at docybara. ]

You too. Ah.

[ open your mouth he needs to flirt to heal ]

[ unfortunately at this point losing docybara would be like losing an arm... that's their son. he would still put elysium first but it'll be very upsetting to have to choose between the two. ]

Ah.

[ opens his mouth... but only a little. ]

[ is this solely because we made him as needy as ely

…

kisses him to coax his mouth wider. this is normal. ]

[ elysium may not be docybara's biological father but he might as well be.

sadly this works. ]

[ okay… thorns needs help. for the first point, not the second.

he enjoys the kiss for a while longer before he replaces himself with the protein bar. stupid. ]

[ they have the same personality!!! like father like son...

thorns munches on this bar that is not a kiss. ]

You eat too.

[ no… he's clearly better behaved.

exhibit a: he obediently puts the protein bar in his own mouth. wow. he can follow a simple order!!!!!!!!!! like docybara currently isn't… okay. ]

Yup.

[ he pats elysium like you would a dog who did a good job. ]

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