oversea | purgastory inbox

[ thorns thinks elysium forgetting her is kinda funny but he realizes now is not the time to mention that considering the news he just dropped.

that is... concerning. ]

She's been making no progress then?

It's more than that. Miss Mostima's condition deteriorated after she died.

[ … ]

So you can't just let anyone kill you, yeah? If you've decided to get out there more… don't be reckless about it. Or, do. I just thought it should be something you know.

[ ignore the optics of elysium being serious about it for a real hour back there despite knowing this

it's fine. this place has so many fucking conditions. ]

... Mm. I don't plan on dying.

[ he says this while also being okay with elysium killing him. but that was in the past (extremely recent) so it doesn't matter. ]

That is good to know though. I wasn't aware our physical conditions could also have an effect like that.

[ It's really funny that by killing Thorns he'd technically just be griefing himself more. But that's exactly why he would've been fine with it to begin with… totally sane behaviour. ]

If I had to guess, it probably has as much to do with self-preservation as it does with opening up.

That goes for you too. Don't do anything stupid.

[ he knows elysium has a tendency of jumping headfirst into things if it means helping. ]

It's a little different now. Don't worry.

[ 'A little.' Meaning, he would've, but that's not anymore, so!! It's all good. ]

—We're here! Yours has always been upstream and I've never seen mine, so I'm guessing it has to be farther down?

I'll take you to it.

[ he'll tug on his hand, taking the lead as they walk. ]

Have you been nosy?

[ Hmm. ]

That is one of the prerequisites to being on my squad. What do you want to know?

[ he doesn't answer right away, instead looking at the ground ahead until they come to a stop in front of a box. ]

I–– [ he stops himself to rethink this. ] Is there anyone who hasn't opened one of these yet?

Oh. I haven't been that nosy. Did you want to help those people in particular?

[ no he just changed his actual question in the middle of his sentence. ]

... No.

[ it took him ten years just to work on his own..... ]

I'll ask around. It'd be easy if the boxes had their own names on it, but unless we know who the people in their shards are the labels are pretty useless…

[ But he still did it… Elysium's proud… ]

Do you want to do the honours?

[

he has to let go of his hand. there's a pause before he does so, reaching down to open the box. he wordlessly straightens himself back up to hand it over to elysium. ]

Here.

[ sniff

His fuckin autograph…… he peels back the flap and just looks. Astounded. He might've had a reaction to seeing the transceiver, but that's only because of the realisation and association that came along with it. If they're strictly comparing item to item, then

yeah

It isn't an exaggeration to say that it means more to him than any piece of equipment would've. ]

[ this is funny since both then and now, thorns does not see the point in an autograph so he has to just stand here while elysium has a moment, meanwhile he's like 'that's it???' ]

Oh. That PUS thing?

[ that is not what they're called. ]

[ "PUS?!?!?!!??!"

If thoughts could screech, they're screeching. ]

It's AUS! A.U.S! Alive Until Sunset! It wasn't even that long ago and you've already forgotten? Or did the river take that away from you, too?!

[ This is not even remotely as important to Thorns as it is Elysium. Okay.

'Not even that long ago,' can range from a year to ten years because of how dramatic he is, so it really does not matter where it actually falls in the AK timeline. He hates Thorns so bad. ]

Oh. Yeah... I guess.

[ he's going to forget the name again in about an hour.

but he'll give elysium a friendly pat, as if that is all that is needed to smooth this over. ]

Congratulations.

You should at least remember the things you went out of your way to get for me. This and the salt shaker… I haven't forgotten, you know?

[ So Thorns shouldn't… wtf… he trails off. AK really chose such interesting things to define their early friendship. ]

I remember.

[ he just doesn't think he needs to remember the particular band name. ]

Do you still have it? Back home.

Of course I do. Or, I did. I think it's the same one.

[ He takes it out of the box and hands it over. It's framed and in perfect condition—but there's more than one reason now why he's glad it's kept so well. ]

[ he looks it over. it really is a reminder of how something that can seem so small to you can mean a lot to someone else.

... ]

I wonder which task got it to open...

Is that the scientist in you speaking? If there are more next week, we can give it a thorough testing. Maybe what we find will help the people who are more reticent.

[ They don't know they don't have many more weeks left here… ]

... Mm. We can. If I thought of it, we could have tried last week...

[ well, it doesn't really matter, but he is curious to see what gets judged as okay or not. ]

I could've and should've thought about it too. It's on both of us to make up for our shortcomings.

[ But with that, he's just going to take the autograph back to tuck it into the box again. Tucking it under one arm, it's all to pick up Thorns' hand. He really isn't going to let go until Thorns decides he's tired of it. ]

Let me just drop this off and then we can check out everything else that's showed up together?

[ he nods his head in agreement.

life is funny when something clicks into place, but it's not a realization you are able to vocalize. so he just squeezes elysium's hand, tightening his hold of it. ]

Mm. At least it's not as weird as before.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject