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[ thorns just ignoring there might be healers back there

But if Thorns had inspected him carefully at any point before or during this, he'll have found the faint, dried traces of blood trailing from Elysium's ears. So, it's fair question. Still, Elysium manages a tiny nod, as if that's all his body can give.

For his spurt of energy earlier, he's fading fast. ]

[ healing is nerfed they are all useless to him...

but that's concerning. he vaguely recalls what he overheard the others say while they were being questioned, but the truth of the matter is that as soon as it became clear it was elysium who was also involved, thorns' focus narrowed. it should be fine, the others were being swarmed by people trying to help them.

for now, he's just focusing on getting him away from the crowd. they can stumble onto the healing water... if you'd like... ]

[ they can stumble into the healing water so i can kill you a second time i guess

As this happens, Elysium will just begin to doze while mumbling the occasional intelligible thought. ]

… You really saved me back there.

[ he glances down at him, unsure if elysium is simply talking because he is delirious or if he's actually speaking to thorns. ]

I didn't do anything.

[ besides moisturize a corpse... ]

[ he is just a curled up pillbug nothing to see here ]

No, you did. [ He sounds pretty confident of it, actually, despite not being entirely there consciousness wise. ] You stopped me from doing something I would've really regretted.

... I don't know what that could have possibly been.

[ they stumble onto the river. since thorns isn't the one injured, he just peers in confusion at it while wondering if it's always been here. ]

[ How does Thorns not know what he's done? He opens his mouth, only to find himself voiceless. He tries again—except he coughs with more blood and phlegm this time.

Where words fail, this is how he struggles to lift his hand——all to hold it out. ]

… Your hand.

[ oh.

this just raises his concern even more. he almost wants to just keep walking, but whatever elysium is doing seems important to him. he carefully shifts so that he can take elysium's hand in his without dropping him. ]

Yes?

[ Oh.

He can't replicate the exact gesture if Thorns is holding onto him. But he can get close, wrapping his hand around Thorns' to touch the back of it gently. ]

Like that. …and in so many other ways. You were my guiding star.

[ ... he must really be delirious.

he thinks of the voice that spoke right before elysium woke up. he wonders again what exactly happened. ]

... As long as that brought you back to me, amigo. But I should have been with you.

I'm the one who failed you first, bro. [ well. now that he has his hand, he's just going to hold it close to his chest, i guess. ] But it worked out. Somehow——it did.

... We need to get you taken care of.

[ he does not pull his hand away, even if it makes it a little more inconvenient to handle him.

thorns wants to ask what happened. ]

And don't say you failed me.

[ Thorns can say whatever he wants. It doesn't erase what Elysium saw or what he'd experienced. The wounds speak for themselves; that world was real, tangible, and had existed.

But he leans in anyway, pressing his forehead to Thorns' arm, the sleeve there growing damp for reasons far removed from the blood soaked through his clothing. He trembles, like he might lose that arm if he dares to let go, and he tries, truly, to hold on. But eventually his body gives out, surrendering despite his stubbornness.

He really does need to be taken care of. ]

[ it's an odd situation to be.

elysium is thorns' closest friend, despite their personalities being so apparently far from each other's. but they both share similar habits that aren't always the best or healthy. it's why he isn't sure how to react to this moment of emotional openness, and he doesn't believe elysium would want him to be a witness to this.

... well, he still needs to take care of more urgent matters. elysium has to somehow get into this damn water even though thorns doesn't know this. makes them trip and fall ]

[ I FORGOT ONLY ELYSIUM WOULD REALISE THIS

lets go as he's feverish and dying that's the new reasoning now. And although he's doing his best to keep his head bowed, the streaks along his ducts and cheeks are probably noticeable enough from Thorns' periphery. ]

We really aren't going to get anywhere if we keep blaming ourselves. [ will it stop either of them from doing it, though? absolutely not. ] But I mean it, Thorns. I would've been lost without you.

… Do you mind putting me down?

[ he won't argue with someone who is so injured (ignore that he was arguing a bit earlier). although hesitant, he will see elysium down, still hovering and keep his hand against his injury. ]

Do you need something?

[ yeah.

He will attempt to roll into the river. ]

[ OKAY

goes to jump after him to fish it out!!!!! oh my how he drowned his bestie ]

[ are we going to have to ask the mods what happens when someone who is perfectly fine jumps into the river

okay

But his wounds! Look! They're healing. ]

[ in tears

well, thorns isn't really noticing the miraculous healing because he is still panicking and trying to grab onto elysium to get him out.

YANKS HIM... ]

[ He yanks him, but it's a little like the river fights back—he's just so heavy, like Thorns is fighting against the most viscous fluid he's ever encountered in his life.

For all his valiant efforts, Elysium's body still completely submerges in the water, Thorns' hand suddenly holding onto air. Spooky. ]

[ it's like his heart drops down to his stomach, and all he can think of is all the ways he failed him. he thinks of elysium just, a few moments earlier, calling him his guiding star.

anyway he's just going to keep looking for him while elysium peaces out ]

[ Thorns…

The interminable amount of time passes. Elysium himself finds it difficult to stay awake through it, or maybe he is and he's just long lost all feeling. Somehow, it's comforting more than anything else. The numbness; the loss of self. It'd be nice to fall asleep forever. But he thinks distantly that he can't——because there's someone out there who'd blame themselves for something that was never their fault.

He might not be granted his wish, but his body does, eventually, bob up in the same place he'd initially disappeared. honk shoo… ]

[ ah. he immediately swims over to him and grabs onto him to bring him back to the shore.

unfortunately. unfortunately!!! thorns has no way of knowing he is simply asleep instead of being a drowning victim, so thorns will just start doing cpr as soon as he has elysium settled back on land. please wake up. ]

[ CPR? IN THIS SOCIETY?

The first compression pulls a crease across his expression, like he can't quite tell if the sensation is real. He'd been dreaming of something just out of reach, and with a few more seconds, he's sure he could've caught it. But then there's weight on his chest, a breath against his mouth, and whatever he was grasping for slips away entirely.

The second compression hits, and— ]

Woah, woah, woah—! [ —his eyes fly open to mid-third, expression almost comically surprised. ] What are you doing, man?!

[ lively for someone who'd just been at death's door! ]

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