werites | bursts into tears

[ thorns kills the vibe so quickly with that one, a blank look washing over his face the moment his parents get mentioned. oh boy. ]

They're fine. [ … ] They think you're a phase.

[ a phase elysium has had for five years and counting but.

anyway. ]

Are you?

[ a phase... the way that thorns can't tell if they are homophobic or just don't want elysium to date poor people.

he squeezes his hand. ]

I don't know, am I? Are you over me before we go to Denny's?

[ they are not going to denny's ]

If you want Denny's more than sushi, we can go for Denny's…

[ he squeezes thorns' hand back. not the homophobia and/or classism… he frowns. ]

But at that point, I'd rather make you a Grand Slam myself. Is that answer enough for you?

[ thorns deserves everything and anything elysium can give him… ]

No, let's get sushi.

[ they can eat at home whenever they want for the next week, so it'll be fine to do something nice now.

... ]

They'll have to accept that it's not a phase.

[ will thorns take care of him if he gets disowned? he can barely take care of himself. elysium's gaze flits over to thorns briefly before he just breathes an embarrassed laugh, leading them both to the car.

does thorns know what he'd said sounded like a marriage proposal…? ]

That's what I told them. After you.

[ opens the door for him. romance. but has thorns been using it. is he going to find out the hard way what happens when a car is not turned on in months. ]

[ it may be naive, but thorns isn't remotely thinking of things like breaking up. yes, there were moments where he wonders if getting together might have been a bad idea, but those moments are overshadowed.

he likes to think that they're here for the long run. whatever that means.

anyway he has not been driving this thing ]

[ oh my god

the battery is dead but elysium is not savvy enough for this as a trust fund kid. he continues turning his key in vain. ]

… Do I need to get a new car?

Why is that what you're immediately jumping to?

[ at least ask if you need to send it to a shop first!!!

... ]

I'll call an Uber...

[ he doesn't know where they are going but he is pulling out his phone. ]

I don't have time to get it fixed. How're we going to get our groceries? I'll look into renting something tomorrow.

[ just as unhinged, but slightly less so. his rationale almost makes sense? at least to him. listen, he's trying to min-max his time with thorns.

but he pushes thorns' hand and phone back down into his lap. ]

You don't even know where I had in mind…

[ pulls out his phone. ]

[ when a trust fund baby and someone who doesn't own a car collide and have no idea how to check for a dead battery.

his expression turns into the tiniest of pouts before he leans in to snoop on what elysium is typing. ]

[ look, in another timeline thorns could have his big revelation and then accidentally electrocute himself or something, effectively ending their lovey-dovey vacation. he's a chemist not an engineer? this is working out for the best.

anyway, he might be able to note that there's a closer location, but he's steering them toward a nicer area instead. he just wants his romantic walk under seasonal lights…. ]

Looking like another five minutes. [ turns to stare directly at thorns. ] Promise me you won't worry about the car.

I'll try.

[ he is looking at the car though... ]

How do you get around over there?

[ in his mind palace: an image of thorns up at the middle of the night, staring at the engine with his flashlight… and then exploding. his stare intensifies. ]

The same way I get around here? [ why is he asking this. ] By car…

[ that someone else drives…

…

he's realising if thorns ever visits him he probably should pretend to be more of a normal person. hm. ]

… You're free to use mine when I'm not here, you know. Given it isn't totally busted [ IT'S JUST THE BATTERY!!! ] like it is now.

Don't worry, I'll look into it.

[ him saying this is not going to make elysium worry any less. but thorns is like, how hard can this be? he is going to watch so many youtube videos later.

he does remember that elysium mentions being in cars often while they text... but he obviously does not text and drive so he is a passenger... ]

You must pay a lot in ride shares.

[ NO!!!!! he is going to explode this car himself if it takes away thorns' time away from him. he's going to get an insurance payout like the cheesecake factory. ]

If I can put things on the company card, why wouldn't I? But I'm serious. If you can avoid taking public transit in this weather, you should. Otherwise you'll get sick.

I don't get sick.

[ this is so blatantly false considering their dating origins.

... ]

Do you have to... pay back what you put on it...?

Were you pretending to be sick that one time, then?

[ just

calls him out on it. ]

… And I never thought about it that far, but even if they did, it's not like my salary won't be able to cover it. [ … he leans over to thorns' side to open the door for him. don't think about it! don't think about it too hard!! ] Look. [ points. ] Our ride's here.

[ how absurd they must look, getting out of a car just to get into a ride share. but it's fine, the driver can judge... ]

I'm afraid to ever find out what your salary is.

[ thorns won't ask because it is both none of his business and also he does not think he wants to know.

...

if they get more serious it will probably become his business eventually. but they are not at that level yet. they haven't even kissed... ]

It's not as high as you might think since a lot of it is paid out from our portfolio. But whatever you decide to do, Thorns, I'll do my best to support you.

[ this could mean just about anything. thorns could quit his job and become a chemistry youtuber? the possibilities are limitless.

but the driver does ask what's going on with the car… elysium answers offhandedly that it's busted. the driver seems interested in the problem…? thorns can engage him if he wants; elysium genuinely sounds so ready to sell or scrap the thing. ]

[ elysium you can afford a mechanic. he really is so accurately giving off the vibes of a rich person. him no longer having to hide it is so funny.

but thorns will explain the situation... no there's no smoke, there weren't any weird sounds... since when? well no one has used it in months. the driver wonders if anyone can be this stupid but explains they might need a new battery so they should check that out...

thorns pulls out his phone to google car batteries. ]

[ thinks about how this au started solely to fuck up flat and with 0 planning and wipes tears

again, elysium doesn't have the time or the patience for anything or anyone that isn't thorns, so he thinks he's being perfectly reasonable about his actions considering his priorities. except, the longer thorns keeps talking to this guy, the more elysium's mouth quirks downward. he's only just gotten here, after however long they've been apart, and thorns is giving more attention to his car?

okay.

he kicks thorns' foot. ]

I can get someone else to look at it.

[ the uber driver looks at him in disbelief from the rearview mirror and says he'll do it in ten for fifty and gas. ]

Deal.

[ OKAY.

the driver is just happy to have just made some easy cash while thorns squints at elysium. he reaches over so he can pinch elysium's thigh.

and then gets shy at touching his thigh... ]

[ he pinches thorns' hand pinching his thigh in retaliation, and

also gets shy, but grabs onto his hand anyway. is this pda…? wow, bold. thinks about how they are probably a middle seat apart. ]

Why are you acting out?

[ hehe… ]

[ this is the tamest form of pda. the driver has definitely seen worse, and yet these two are acting as if this is deeply scandalous. ]

You deserve that...

Deserve what? For wanting more time with you?

[ he teasingly

scratches the back of thorns' hand.

it's probably even more annoying to watch this kind of behaviour from two supposedly grown men. what are they, high schoolers? ]

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