[prp] give anything to hear [Chris & Thorne]

[grayseasons]

Chris took a long time to push himself up off the ground after that, to get himself going. He had taken a lot of himself in getting himself this close to the front and this was the price he was paying for it, a full bodied exhaustion that he had to push through. For a moment he reached for the magic he used to summon spirits, but what he found was what he expected, only a weak sliver of something that wouldn't be any use. He would only have to follow the aster's advice and go left.

He stumbles his way forward carefully, trying to keep up a decent pace without risking collapsing. He knows it's probably not likely to happen, but he's still wary of it all the same. There was still a scar on his arm from the first time, when he scared Thorne, and he can still feel Thorne's worry on him like a rather shameful memory. He didn't want to make Thorne worry again, especially not now.

God, he hadn't meant to get Thorne in his mess. He hadn't at all and Chris frowned as he pushed forward, lips pulled into a dull frown.

Thorne, he thought, keeping himself going. Thorne, he said again like a stubborn chant. It was the only thing keeping him going, the idea Thorne was still trapped here, still lost. He needed to find him.

elkbones

 

[moonjavas]

Thorne had somehow clawed his way out of the rotting grove. He wasn't sure how, only that he had, once the shadows had gotten bored and he had gotten so angry at them that he'd started to shout and their confidence had wavered enough to let him go when he'd unfurled his wings. He'd thrown his jacket away back there too, the scent of rot still clinging to him as he stumbled through the ivy maze, his body aching all over like a truck had decided to come along and hit him.

He looked like it too, half of his right arm covered in cuts and scrapes and bruises, the other arm purple at the shoulder like a starburst of grotesque color. He didn't know where he was going and the smaller shadows that trailed after him now, swimming in the darkness that his own body cast offered no help. They only whispered quietly at him, sweet nothings now that they were no longer part of the hive.

A voice kept echoing in his head, eerily familiar to Chris's. It kept saying his name, and Thorne kept pressing back against it, the scent of rot and apples crushed in their decay, ivy trellises and shadow dwellings. I'm here, he thought to the voice, because what harm was there to talking to illusions in his head?

Come and find me, I am here.

PeanutButterPies

 

[grayseasons]

It's a testament to Chris' exhaustion that he doesn't react outwardly to the voice that echos back to him, sounding like Thorne's, like a call he needs to answer to. He must be so tired that he's imagining it, must be making things up to keep him going. Well, if that was the case, there was no harm in keeping it going. No harm in giving himself motivation. The path ahead of him was long and he couldn't see a left branching off for the foreseeable future, although maybe it was just the pace he was going. He wasn't sure.

Where, He asked, Where? I need to find you.

elkbones

 

[moonjavas]

Thorne begins to notice something that feels like a handprint along the small of his spine, the curve of his back, heat pulsing, when the voice in his head actually answers him. He stops, stumbles, realizes he is in one of the intersections of the ivy maze where the shallow lily ponds lay. He stares into his own reflection, the dried blood from the cut sliced into his upper cheek beneath his eye, the dirt and grime.

He looks up, around.

Chris? he thinks, tentative, a question, reaching out, reaching out, I'm here. I'm in the ivy maze.

He closes his eyes.

Maybe the rotting orchard had made him hallucinate as well.

PeanutButterPies

 

[grayseasons]

Thorne? Chris echos back, equally as confused, not expecting the... whatever it was honestly to respond back. Not with such a detailed explanation, not with a location that he knows of, not with anything really.

On his own small of his back he feels a warm sensation, different from his exhaustion, from his aching muscles. He pays it a second of attention, but focuses back on what's going on.

Where in the maze? He asks, and then pauses, voice a tremble when he asks Is this a hallucination?

elkbones

 

[moonjavas]

Thorne thinks, for a moment, that the universe is entirely a mystery to him, because he is having a conversation in his head right now - only, he thinks the conversation is with Chris.

Chris, he says, and his emotions slide along a spectrum - concern, worry, love, unbridled, ferocious desire to protect - all for the voice in his head to feel in a way that words cannot express.

The - the place with the lily pond, Thorne returns, and then - I don't think so... unless you are just the voice in my head. But then, you would be a very realistic choice.

A pause.

If you aren't a hallucination, come and find me, I was not lying when I said my sense of direction is worthless.

PeanutButterPies

 

[grayseasons]

Chris wants to think that this is maybe just a hallucination, that this is a trick his mind is playing on him to keep him going. A good trick admittedly, one that's giving him motivation since he's moving a bit faster, but just a trick. Nothing to get his hopes up.

But then Thorne says his name and there's a sudden rush of emotions, something powerful and strong and so real that Chris knows he couldn't make it up. Not with the way he is now, not with his exhaustion and he gives a little sob of relief.

Thorne, he repeats, feeling relief and warmth and love and worry, knows that it's actually him there. That he didn't lose him forever. He frowns at Thorne's words, charts the place in his mind. He's familiar with it and it's not too far in the maze, enough that he can get in and out.

I'm coming to find you, he says, I'm not a hallucination. Just don't move, unless you absolutely have to.

There's a beat of silence and then - Your sense of direction really is that bad, you ended up in the ivy maze. That'd almost be impressive if I didn't have to track you down.

elkbones

 

[moonjavas]

You'll never guess what else I ended up in, Thorne retorts dryly, and toes the lily pond, watching the ripples spread out. It is all he can do to stop himself from crumpling in relief that Chris is alright, that he is not hurt or injured. He gently prods this strange connection that blossoms within him like a light, like a starburst, something radiant and warm.

I'm not moving, he responds, his body aching, the shadows here more docile, sleepier than the ones that pooled and swirled and sang to each other in the rotting orchard. I'm glad you're safe, he adds, and every word is imbued with the feeling of it - relief and love and worry, written directly into the sound.

It is all he can do. It is all he can give.

PeanutButterPies

 

[grayseasons]

I'm starting to think I don't want to know, Chris says and it's with a sigh, but a good natured one. Still unbearably fond, almost sickening sweet in nature. Tell me anyways though, maybe you've had a better time than me.

He doesn't want to mention to Thorne that he's overexerted himself again, doesn't want to have him worry so he just shuffles forward, finally finds the turn in the path. He makes a left, blinks and realizes he knows this path. Knows where it'll lead and he moves forward with more confidence now, a little bit more hope.

Good, he responds, and then adds himself, Me too. He can't help the worry tinging his words and he tries to keep it back, tries to keep it to himself. He just prods at the bond himself and feels the warmth of the connection between them, like the spot on his back.

elkbones

 

[moonjavas]

You really don't want to know, Thorne rebukes, growing more comfortable with the voice - Chris's voice in his head. I doubt I had a better time than you. Actually, I'd bet money on it.

He shakes himself out, his skin rippling with gooseflesh from the loss of ruined jacket, his boots caked in mud and his pants cinched to his skin in wet-damp snares. He looks like he needs a bath. He looks like he needs a lot of things.

Are you close? Thorne asks, looking around the ivy maze that shelters him, quiet and serene now that the shadows have gone back to their orchard to sleep. His back feels warm still, even though the rest of him is cold. He wonders what it is. And waits. And waits.

PeanutButterPies

 

[grayseasons]

How much? Chris asks, but it's teasing, comfortable now. I'd like to hear anyways though, you can't just leave me hanging. It's rude.

He's moving faster down the path even with his exhaustion now that he has the hope of Thorne, the chance he can find him. He makes another turn, moves down familiar rows of plants, tries to ignore his body complaining at his actions. Finally he enters the maze, blinks at the green and then carefully maps the place in his mind. He'd have to be slower here.

Somewhat, He says truthfully, I'm in the maze, at least. It'll still take me a little to find you.

He pauses and then says, Tell me something. Anything. A dumb fact, if you want. He doesn't want silence in this place.

elkbones

 

[moonjavas]

A small fortune, Thorne answers, sitting down in front of the lily pond and playing with a pooling shadow cluster there. These ones whisper and n** at his fingers. Harmless.

Don't push yourself, Thorne retorted wryly, I can survive a while longer on my own.

He paused, hands fluttering along the waters edge where the lilies clustered and coiled, their white petals fanning out over the clear surface. Chris asked him for something, anything, and Thorne wondered what there was left to say. What things Chris could still learn about him.

Oh, he hums, considerate, I don't know. My mother was a pianist. I learned from her, but I'm very bad at it and my finger position is awful. Declan was better than me all the time, and now my niece is too. She wants me to play with her all the time though, and she always laughs when I miss a note. But I sing better than her, I guess, so there's that.

PeanutButterPies

 

[grayseasons]

You're out a bet then, I barely scraped enough for my formerly terrible apartment, He laughs then, pleased, What kind of salary do you think I have as a teacher and a college student?

There was a huff of breath and a spike of irritation there. Even if he was exhausted, he most definitely wasn't going to stop. Be quiet, I'm coming as fast as I can and you can't stop me. He turns in the maze, fingers brushing the hedges. He was going a little slower to keep the path in his mind, but he was still making good progress.

Even though Thorne's unable to see him, Chris tilts his head all the same and laughs a little. I'll trade you then, He says, My mom calls me Hoseok. It's technically my middle name, but it's what everyone called me in Korea. Well, everyone but Hyejin, she calls me Hobi.

He wasn't quite to the pond, but he could smell the water. He was close.

elkbones

 

[moonjavas]

Thorne laughed openly at that, the sound spilling out into the ivy maze, an echo, a whisper that threaded through the green, the deep heart of the Garden where everything became lost.

And here I was, believing that you were simply rolling in it, Thorne remarked dryly. He paused though, simpering slightly, and adding, if you collapse on me, I'll be extraordinarily displeased with you. The truth was that Thorne was concerned that Chris was overexerting himself for him and if anything were to happen to him -

Well, who's fault would it be but his own?

But Thorne didn't say any of that out loud - or through the connection that might or might not have been hallucinated. Instead he listened to Chris speak to him from somewhere far away.

Hoseok, he sang back, tasting the name like a lyric. I love it. My middle name is Esen, after Esen Taishi, a Mongolion ruler. My mother only ever called me it in private, but sometimes I miss the sound of it. And Alexander is for my grandfather on the other side of the family. He liked me more than my other relatives, I think.

Thorne leaned back and let his back hit the ground, laying flat down and closing his eyes. Every part of him still ached, but there was a warmth spreading across his back, and the pond rippled with soft noise as koi came to the surface and splashed. He closed his eyes.

Tell me more, he thought softly.

He wondered if Chris could hear.

PeanutButterPies

 

[grayseasons]

Chris smiled broadly, crooked but pleased, glad he had Thorne back. Glad he had him there while he was navigating the hell of this place, somewhere he had thought was maybe a little safe but was still against them.

Nope, sorry, I guess you'll have to find someone else to be your sugar daddy, He retorted back, teasing. There was a very long and pointed silence before Chris finally, finally answered back, Well you'll be some level of displeased, but I don't know if I'll collapse. Yet.

Already he didn't want to know the answer but he wanted to give Thorne the truth and well, he'd find out soon enough anyways. Might as well give him a heads up before he appeared feeling like hell. He probably looked fine though, which was something (being that it was a lie, he looked like he had taken a bit of a tumble through the garden which he kind of had).

Alexander, he repeated, trying it out, I can't believe you introduce yourself by your last name. I understand missing it though, sometimes I want to hear her say it. My mom or Hyejin, or anyone. I can call them though, at least.

He rounded the corner, trying to think of something else to give Thorne and instead found himself at the pond already, looking at him. "Thorne!" He yelled, relief coursing through him rapidly. He rushed forward, uncaring of anything, grabbing Thorne and pulling him tight to him. Reassuring himself that he was there.

elkbones