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You need to be warier of people. That's how you keep getting yourself into trouble.

[ So he says, but that's what makes Thorns, Thorns. His ability to judge people objectively, his innate kindness that leads him to helping others no matter their background. Elysium should be naturally grandfathered in, of course, because he isn't giving away his advantage regardless of how unfair, but the optics of how they started really aren't great. Still, he keeps making himself more and more comfortable draped over Thorns, entirely at odds with what he says. ]

I didn't want to lose sight of what mattered to me any more than I already had. That's why… I've just been overcompensating this whole time. There probably was a better middle ground we could've found, back when we'd gotten stuck.

[ and then the need to outdo thorns' brothel workers… ]

Edited 2025-12-28 06:43 (UTC)

... It's okay to go more slowly now. Don't stress yourself. At this rate you're going to tire yourself out before the Oripathy does.

[ it comes out more as an order than a suggestion. thorns kisses his cheek, and then lets rests against elysium. ]

We found each other in the end, yeah? The road is never a straight line.

[ Is it okay to go more slowly? When you have a clear sense of how much time you have left? He'd never really given it much thought before; the time he had left was simply that, the boundary of the life he was meant to live. But after every incident, it becomes harder not to feel a little differently. Maybe he wasn't as ready to go as he pretended to be. It wouldn't be the first time he's told himself a lie so convincing he'd start to believe it as true.

…

He's already given Thorns enough trouble. Some things are still easier to feel than to say, and eventually he finds himself curled up in Thorns' lap, exactly as Thorns had said—exhausted. ]

That's true. Sprinting at the start of a marathon is the quickest way to guarantee you won't make it to the end.

[ He blinks up at him, a hand lifting to cup Thorns' cheek. ]

Can I tell you something?

[ like he's ever asked for permission before. ]

[ his hands automatically move to comb through elysium's hair, massaging his scalp in the spots he knows he especially likes.

it's not that he thinks elysium is blameless in what had happened, so he does understand what elysium meant about getting upset at hien for problems that elysium caused. but at the end of the day, they're both adults who need to learn some lessons... and right now only one of them is actively suffering from those lessons.

and all of that isn't even touching the issues that had been brewing between thorns and him, before they finally actually talked instead of both making assumptions on how the other was feeling and getting disgruntled over a lack of communication they were each contributing to. in hindsight it was obvious they were being stupid. but hindsight is never helpful while it's happening. ]

Of course. Tell me anything.

[ he turns his head slightly to press a kiss to his palm. ]

[ As Thorns kisses his palm, Elysium's thumb gently caresses his cheek. ]

I love you. [ clearly and without hesitation. ] I know it's rather sudden, but I think I always have. Since long before we found our way here.

[ oh.

it's funny, since this is one of the less romantic positions they could currently be in. but is romance supposed to be strategically planned settings with a specific atmosphere, or is it just sitting with the person who makes your heart flutter whenever he smiles in your direction?

thorns is silent for a moment as he wraps his head around this. ]

... It must have been annoying dealing with me.

[ thinks about elysium having to explain what having a crush feels like ]

[ what position are they I … not me assuming it's become a lap pillow situation but please feel free to remind me… the post holiday cheese… ]

Was it supposed to be? Qué bobo. If I were bothered by these kinds of things, I wouldn't be with you, much less in love. You keep things fun.

[ its lap pillow...

thorns would flick his head in retaliation but thorns was just punched in the face earlier, so he suppresses the urge to bully. ]

... You are my heart, Elysium. I wish I realized that sooner.

[ maybe they could have skipped some heartache. but the truth is that thorns had been contemplating what having feeling for someone meant since coming here. he's had nothing to compare the emotion to, especially considering he's always been so laser focused on accomplishing goals instead of slowing down and examining certain feelings more clearly. ]

[ WHO PUNCHED THORNS

also, he was punched in the gut so his face is spared. This is why he had to promptly empty out the contents of his stomach, but he's stable(?) now so don't worry about it. ]

Even if you did, I'm not sure if we would've gone anywhere.

[ Elysium, at least, wouldn't want to be a distraction. Before working them out, Thorns had his life as a pirate to adjust to. Being distracted early on in his captaincy sounds like it'd be a disaster and the second coming of a mutiny. ]

Despite everything, I can't help but feel grateful. My perspective now can't be compared to how I saw things even just a month ago.

[ okay. flicks his forehead.

he supposes elysium is right... except thorns has a no mutiny rule so that would never be a problem for him (clearly that's how it works).

he leans down to kiss the tip of elysium's nose. ]

I wouldn't have seen us sitting like this a month ago.

[ well.

he could see elysium jokingly laying in his lap, but there's a difference between purposeful intimacy and what might happen without you realizing it's intimate. which describes a lot of their relationship. ]

[ ah yes it was the lack of a no mutiny rule that made me want to kill javier

But his nose wrinkles at the ticklish sensation. He retaliates by lifting himself just enough to catch Thorns' mouth in a brief kiss. ]

We weren't even talking like this a month ago. We were only ever considerate about the things that we never should've been.

[ truly

what was the point of him pretending to leave when he was planning to show up again to begin with. I guess otherwise we wouldn't have gotten Thorns' gay monologue. ]

[ he thinks of how many people who have asked him if he and elysium were going to talk about an assortment of different topics, and thorns would always answer that no it's totally normal for them to not talk about that it's just how their friendship worked!!!!

idiots. ]

... No, we weren't. But you know, I was asked if we were a couple before we ever were one, so I guess we must have given some kind of impression to others.

… It isn't terribly normal for people to be as close as we are without something more going on elsewhere, yeah. I

[ He pinches Thorns' cheek—just a little. He wonders what he's done to deserve this, as another sharp pang reverberates through his chest. ]

But I am just happy having been able to see you grow into yourself over the years. Even back then, it was obvious you weren't going to stay forever.

Well, I might have.

[ rhodes island was the first place to ever truly feel like home, since the period of time before thorns realized what aulus was actually like. it's easy to think that maybe, this might actually be the place you stay with forever.

but that's not what happened. maybe elysium is right, and if thorns hadn't left now then he might have found another reason to sometime in the future, but thorns can only go by their current path. ]

... Fiammetta is concerned about you going to Rhodes and me being on the ship when we return.

The plan always was to visit you as often as I could.

[ Unfortunately, was really is the operative word, breaking eye contact as he focuses on keeping his breathing steady. So much has changed since then. Rhodes would find its footing again and he could just fall back into step after that, or so he'd thought. With everything that's happened recently… how realistic is that exactly? ]

… She's probably worried because she knows what's going to happen in the future. Are you aware? Of what happens to the landship and Dr. Kal'tsit?

... No. What happens?

[ the way thorns doesn't get any plot, he just gets fia fujoing out on him. ]

[ fia fujo'd on him, too. stop

but here is thorns' handy dandy summary of chapter fifteen and of laterano blowing up, if he's keen. ]

[ he

has no idea what to say for a moment. ]

Should I go back...?

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