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[ thorns could be polite and pretend he didn't hear that but he's going to be rude and acknowledge it. ]

I was not flushing at the thought of him. That entire part of my thing was weird. Don't listen to anything Hak says.

[ ughhh

he sighs. ]

... I mentioned him since you asked about familiar faces showing up, and he was the first one who did. That's all.

[ he was going in chronological order in his initial retelling... ]

You saying that just makes me want to hear what Hak has to say even more.

[ Thorns… The Streisand Effect…

Elysium is not convinced. ]

My first encounter with him was him asking if I was pregnant and that he wasn't going to take responsibility if I was. I was under the influence that we were together.

[ He is no good. ]

[ he snorts. ]

... It really wasn't anything. I was investigating, so I went to get information from some dancers. He was one of them.

[ who he apparently banged in his brothel backstory but thorns isn't counting any of that because he didn't do it, the other him did. ]

It was just bizarre and memorable.

[ No sympathy for his fatherless non-existent child? Okay… ]

Uh huh. Who knew. You were getting up to deviancy far beyond anything I could have imagined…

[ It is strange, being this open with Thorns. Not as strange as it would have been before the past five weeks, but still.

A wry smile. ]

Were you forced to make a choice at the end, too?

[ he just really need it to be known he isn't fawning over sylus... the guy is so annoying...

he nods his head at the question though. ]

I knew it was you.

[ This tells him nothing. ]

Knew what was me?

[ he opens his mouth, pauses, then shakes his head. ]

... Later.

[ he sounds apologetic, at least. ]

If you continue to check on anyone after this, it should be Yuma. He's... Well, he needs it.

Later. Sure.

[ Like sealing a promise. Except, that promise is only as real as Thorns intends to make good on it. Some habits die hard, like the one where he holds very little against Thorns. ]

… When I checked in on him, he had me noting the number, quality, and placement of the plants and benches around Arcadia, as well as the fruits and their shapes, and whether there was a sign for each of them.

I didn't do that exactly, or course, but I still had to get a estimate to give a believable measure for every metric. That was the most moved I'd ever seen him.

[ "When was the last time I was this desperate? When I crashed your lab everyday?" ]

I don't want to get too into it since it's his personal business, but he handled the situation the worst out of all of us.

[ which is saying something considering thorns has been having this crashout since returning. but he doesn't know yuma well (who does he know well, anyway?) so it might be better if someone he's more used to checks in.

...

he lays down so his back his against the bed, staring at the ceiling. ]

Who do you talk to here? Your friends.

Who do you think isn't my friend? I think that's the easier starting point.

[ Idly, he reaches for the covers to tuck Thorns under. What a mysterious question…… why… but he answers it anyway. ]

[ it goes into, again, really sitting back and noticing the distance between them. enough people have asked him about elysium that it's obvious people are concerned about him, and thorns has no idea if they're just acquaintances or close.

he hasn't been a good friend. it's probably why he was doing so poorly in the maze at first, until he forced himself to start interacting more whether he wanted to or not. ]

Sylus, apparently.

[ tis a joke... ]

I think it's just Sylus.

[ LITERALLY JUST SYLUS!!!!!! Thorns really named the worst name back there. ]

Medea and Mitsuba may think otherwise, though. But I like them both well enough.

That makes sense.

[ he can especially see why medea might find him annoying. ]

... I'm glad you have people.

[ elysium did not actually answer whether he's close to any of them, but he's been putting himself out there enough that there has to be some bonding. ]

[ Stop… answering questions about yourself is hard. He isn't even doing it intentionally; it's truly just habit. ]

You must've had a lot of people coming to check in on you too, right? I figured you'd be well taken care of, with or without me. The people here are kind.

[ well, that or they were just fishing for information but he is aware this is not the time to be a pessimist. ]

They feel a little too nice sometimes.

Does it make you feel like they're being disingenuous?

... No.

[ maybe. hmmm. ]

I don't think I know them well enough to say. But it doesn't matter in the end as long as it's helping people.

So that's how you felt about me at first…

[ He's just kidding around. Maybe. ]

[ he kicks him.

or tries to. it's awkward from this angle. ]

Annoying.

Ow.

[ All everyone does is bully him……

There's a small pause. ]

Are you feeling better now?

... Yes.

[ elysium leaving when he did hurt because he was the only person thorns had wanted to be with after returning. but it's a consequence of his lack of openness; they were a let to get away with skirting by certain conversations at home without difficulty, but purgatory is a place that forces you to let others in to try to progress. his normal method of getting by would never be enough here, and thorns realized that a little late. ]

You?

[ If there's one thing Elysium has been good at, it's been giving objective accounts. Adding how he personally feels about something is trickier—but being open is a start, especially for Thorns, and while he knows that 'yes' is not the whole truth, it is still more than they'd ever disclosed to each other than before. ]

Yeah.

[ Maybe if it were a day earlier, he would have caught the 'not really,' but he knows, now, to force thoughts back. He is better now, technically, knowing Thorns is back with them. But that does not change what they both went through.

If he had killed Thorns, would he be able to face himself? Would he still be able to reach for him, to hold onto him now? No. It took him a full week to face Dahut properly, and he still hasn't quite forgiven himself, what more the person he thinks he'd do anything for. ]

… Do you want to check out the maze together later? It feels like we haven't really since the first week.

... We can.

[ next week because thorns is already on one this week. he doesn't icly know there's an ooc limit.

it's difficult, because he knows their problems aren't solved, and there's the chance they'd just revert to how things were. but even if it hurts to try, that pain is worth it if it's for elysium. ]

Is there anything else you need to tell me?

[ For what it's worth, Elysium actually seems to be thinking about the question instead of immediately trying deflect it with a 'not really,' closing his mouth when it instinctively opens to form the sound. He closes his eyes for a brief second, then shifts just enough for his hand to find Thorns' bangs, brushing them aside gently. ]

… I'm not as close with anyone as you might think I am. There are people I worry about more than others, but you're still my best friend. There isn't really a comparison.

[ Read: in a place where they are constantly forced to make hard choices, there is one thing Elysium has always reminded himself of. If he is ever forced to choose between people, he isn't someone who can afford to consider a third option. Not here, not in this situation.

That is why Thorns is kind and he isn't. ]

[ he's not sure how he feels about that, coupled with not knowing exactly what elysium means. but he can understand the general message of what elysium's priority is, for better or for worse. ]

Mm. [ ... ] Remember to work towards your happiness, too.

[ whatever that means to him. ]

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