bursts into tears

[oversea]

Comments

[oversea]

[ the way that elysium really had to have been thinking about this... what was he going to do if thorns already ate.

but he'll follow elysium's lead for speed. ]

Mm, I think we can. It'll be... festive.

[ ... ]

A real one?

[transmit]

[ well

they could've still gone on a nice walk… he keeps his gait at a leisurely pace. ]

Do you wanna do a real one? They're probably all on sale considering the day. We could do that.

[oversea]

[ ... he is thinking of how annoying it is to get rid of them afterwards.

...

no, he should for... romance? ]

Yeah. We can decorate it.

[transmit]

You don't look super convinced.

[ he stares… ]

Should we get a fake tree?

[oversea]

[ he opens his mouth to say something, and then at the last moment decides against it.

'who knows when we'll get to do this again?'

by next christmas, elysium is going to be on the other side of an entire ocean, after all. ]

We can do a real one.

[transmit]

We'll have to get all the lights and tinsel.

[ with thorns' hand tucked into his pocket, he can't exactly swing their arms, but his grip tightens anyway, his whole mood brightening considerably. ]

Ornaments, hot chocolate, stockings… we have a lot to catch up on. I already have things I wanted to fill them up with. The flat wasn't decorated at all!

[ as light as the atmosphere is, it's solely because he's trying not to think about how, if they'd done this any earlier, they could have taken their time and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. he's still enjoying himself now, but there is that wistful aspect of it that this is far from the ideal relationship anyone would ever want.

…

can he make thorns happy like this? he can only hope so. ]

[oversea]

[ it wasn't decorated because thorns was not remotely thinking about any of that on his own, if elysium leaves while the decorations are still up, it will take thorns a while to get them all down.

but he does want to give this a try. and spending a holiday together is a big step, even if it's something they might have done if they weren't together. maybe. ]

I forgot to.

[transmit]

You don't have to lie to me. I know you're just going along with it because I want to.

[ just calls him out. with this, he dares to step a little closer, until all that's left between then is the smallest sliver of space. ]

But that's why it means a lot. I'll make sure you have fun.

[oversea]

[ they are..... so close...

truly the timeline of them being innocent virgins forever. but it's funny, since even things that thorns would normally want nothing to do with sounds fun if elysium is involved. is that what it means to like someone? their presence is enough to lift your mood? ]

I will. Don't worry.

[transmit]

[ who needs k*ssing or whatever else to define how much they like each other? they can just hold hands and go on cute dates for the rest of their lives, it's fine. it feels strange to ask for anything more when elysium is already happy, beyond happy, doing what they are. ]

Mhm. [ they tuck in to the building on their right, and elysium pulls open the door with his free hand. ] After you! We're here.

[oversea]

[ whoa... a gentleman... but in they go. thorns walks inside, tugging elysium in after him. it's the level of lateness that the group of patrons inside are varied and would be fun to people watch if thorns was into that. which he isn't. ]

Have you been here before?

[transmit]

[ there's a group of teens trying to see who can stack the most plates… elysium remembers those days fondly and would be nostalgic about it if he weren't so thoroughly thorns brain. ]

This specific location? A couple of times. It would've been nice to walk through the mall if it were earlier…

[ their conveyor belt sushi… ]

Have you? Or the one closer to our place?

[oversea]

The one closer to us.

[ it is very much the mentality of 'why would i go over there when there's one closer to me' even if this area is nicer...

but hmmm. ]

You go with your friends?

[transmit]

Sometimes it's the one in the area, yeah.

[ but he just goes out of his way to explore in general, gesturing for thorns to start ordering. ]

What other places do you normally go to?

[ he doesn't know what thorns doesn't like other than his smoothies, apparently. ]

[oversea]

[ his lab...

he knows not to say this because elysium is already aware of this fact. ]

I don't know. The park?

[transmit]

[ he asks this as kindly as possible. ]

… And when was the last time you went there?

[oversea]

Uh.

[ there's a too long pause.

before he shrugs. ]

I don't know. Does it matter?

[transmit]

Not really. There's nothing wrong with being a homebody.

[ he sends his order in and settles back… they're getting their own looks from how overdressed elysium in comparison to thorns, but he couldn't care less about what's going on with other people. ]

I'm just trying to catch up on lost time and learn more about what you like.

[oversea]

[ people will think this is a pretty woman situation...

thorns isn't even sure what he can say that has been interesting. when school was still in session, his life was going to class, to his internships, to the lab–and now quiet. granted, the only reason he is not still going to the lab is because the campus has shut down entirely for the holiday break, so he can't get in... he has tried... ]

Oh. I'm not great at answering vague questions.

[transmit]

[ thorns can stop being lawless for the holidays okay ]

That's fine. It just means we can pick up where we left off before I got busy.

[ and if thorns is confused by what he means by that, he won't be for long. all those conversations they once had as pillow talk—about his experiments and papers, surface again, elysium deliberately circling back to them just to hear thorns speak of what he's passionate about.

he is heart eyes. this is the look of someone deeply in love, wanting to be part of thorns' world in any way he's allowed. ]

[oversea]

[ elysium... is so cute.

but thorns will answer any question, perhaps in way too much technical detail about certain things involving his work, but at least it is definitely the easiest conversation topic for someone who is generally antisocial except for when he is forced to touch grass.

when he is in the middle of explaining how something blew up– ]

Wait. You haven't said how work is for you.

[transmit]

[ help

at this point, at least a few plates of sushi have already arrived. he takes a piece and casually tries to feed thorns with it by holding it up to his mouth. that is distraction attempt #1.

distraction attempt #2: ]

Can you finish what you started first? You were saying something about a chemical reaction?

[oversea]

[ sometimes you realize mid-conversation that the other person has not said anything about himself.

he eats the sushi... chews... ]

Uh. Yeah. It made the fire alarm go off.

[transmit]

And then what? Did you get in trouble for it? Did you figure out what made it explode to begin with?

[ it may seem like he is trying to stall indefinitely but he genuinely wants to know these things, okay… ]

[oversea]

I added too much of...

[ and he will explain the process, pausing every now and then to eat some sushi. if anyone is eavesdropping, this conversation is so boring. but it's fine. ]