aerodynamic | INBOX for purgastory

[ The first sensation is one of burning, centralised at the upper arm. For a while, it is only this—tolerable, like a simple wound. Then the lake opens, offering up a memory:

13:19 - 17:17; transcription — CTRL + F "The Liberi passes through the crowd of townsfolk crammed into this dark shelter."

Elysium has always done whatever he believes can be done with his power. Oripathy, a disease steeped in stigma, carries its boons alongside its banes. A collapsed cavern, no signal, no rescue coming. There is only one thing left to do.

The burning intensifies. It floods his veins like fire, then gathers in his lungs, stealing the air from them entirely. The skin of his arm hardens, lesions bloom. Crystals follow, slow at first, then branching outward in radiating lines. This sensation repeats as the Originium coalesces in other parts of his body, as if transforming him from outside in.

But it's worth it: the pain, the breathlessness. Because he gets out. Because everyone gets out.

Treatment takes two weeks. The symptoms recede, piece by piece, until only a mild difficulty breathing remains, something that should ease with time. When he returns to town to say his goodbyes, he is met with wary eyes and careful distance. There is an ache in his chest, but it is fine. It is always fine.

--

Then, a little more recent. A familiar-looking resort, a less familiar-looking cave. A story so similar it borders on déjà vu. Only this time, the pain is worse. Everything that had been paused surges back at once, as if repression has only sharpened it. As if restricting his lungs wasn't enough, lesions creep up his neck, seeking to choke him outright.

But this time, Fiammetta arrives like dawn. Elysium is breathless again, for an entirely different reason. From below, she looks like the sun.

And that is when he realises: he can rest again. Still, one thought surfaces, heavier than the others. It carries a distinct, visceral fear.

"If the river couldn't take away my Oripathy… does this mean I'll just die?"

Well. That's mean. His gaze flicks up to Yosuke and just smiles a small little smile, helpless.

give me something light-hearted or equally depresso i leave fate up to your hands 🥺 ]

[ he's told yosuke about this before. about what oripathy and how people are wary about it, and he's seen the crystals for himself. and he puts together a few pieces of what tsukasa told him about his own adventure and he frowns a little.

more than that though... it all comes back to elysium doing what he has to for others at the expense of himself. and it feels thankless, in a way, for elysium to save these people and still be met with distrust.

it isn't fair. he doesn't care if it's understandable where they're from, he just thinks it isn't fair. more than that, though, he thinks... ]

... dying from something that's slowly killing you doesn't feel like an appropriate ending for you, I think. [ he says this carefully, but there's tension in his tone like just thinking about it is enough to rattle him. ] It can't end like that.

[ i will give a memory in return but i need to be sad about this first and so does he. ]

If people had their choice, I'd imagine a lot of us would choose to go out as heroes.

[ Harder than having to reconcile with his own mortality is seeing others affected by it. His hands flex, unflex. Unfortunately, death is a common thing, and letting someone ride out their grief is the responsible thing to do, isn't it?

He stays close to Yosuke, close enough that their shoulders bump. ]

In a way, I'm glad. It makes the decision easier. If this is how I have to go, if this is the amount of time I have left, then I should probably spend it on what matters most to me, instead of pretending I can come back to it later and somehow have both.

[ … ]

Thorns and I are together now. I still feel this is the crueler path for both of us, but we've chosen it anyway. And we're going to try.

[ now, isn't this a light spot? ]

[ there's a small wave of guilt coursing through him, if only because it's hard to think about going back to his perfectly happy and normal life while elysium will suffer to the bitter end. maybe there is relief in knowing how it will end, and yet...

he settles for leaning into his side a little anyway. ]

Of course people would choose to go out as heroes, or at least go out having done something for the world. I guess it's just... important still. That the time's also given to the right places.

[ which is why he lets his eyes widen a little with this news. ]

Wait, seriously? [ he's still depressed but the tailwagging energy is there. ] I'm... really, really glad for you. Both of you. I know it feels cruel because you don't know how much time is left, but don't you think it's better to have the time together anyway than not? That much has to be worth it.

[ … Yeah, he figures this conversation would be something like throwing a bone. Oh, the dangers of getting close to people. Their concern warms your heart, but it also it drags you down into an unfathomable abyss of guilt and self-loathing. ]

If I answer that question, he'll sense it and snipe me where I stand. Even so, I am happy, happier than I've ever been. I'm sure he is, too. It doesn't change the fact that the future's scarier than ever, but I figure the solution to that is to just make him so happy he has no regrets.

How does that sound?

[ well no don't you feel guilt too, elysium. no!!! only happy!!! ]

It sounds very cute and very sweet and very much like I told you so weeks ago. [ said like a bratty teenager. ] ... I want you to be happy. For as long as possible. I think it's good for both of you, you obviously care about each other. Which of you finally made the decision anyway?

I tell you one thing and you run the entire distance with it. You're such a brat.

[ Says the brackets and noogies him, and just kind of keeps him in place even long after he's done. He sighs, eventually using Yosuke as an some kind of rest. Arm rest? Chin rest? All of the above. ]

And my selective amnesiac self did. [ He looks so chagrined thinking about this. ] I started all sorts of trouble and things just happened from there.

[ under his breath, ]

This place makes it kind of hard for things not to happen…

[ he can't even be mad, he just laughs and makes the most minor efforts to push elysium's hand out of his hair before letting himself become a resting post. ]

Ah... you mean back when you didn't actually remember who he was? Or did something new get forgotten? I guess it doesn't matter, whatever. [ he raises an eyebrow though. ] ... either way, he reciprocated. That's good. That's better than good.

You got it right the first time. When I was saying something about things probably changing… I meant this.

[ He trails, laughing, waving it off. You do stupid things like crossing boundaries that can't be uncrossed, leaving things that couldn't just be left unaddressed. ]

It's weird, losing such a big part of yourself. Slowly realising how little like yourself you feel as time passes, then repeating it all over again when you get the full context of it.

… But because of that, I'll be fine. A big part of Oripathy is your mental willpower, and I've got loads of things I want to do still. Even more so, now.

[ Ignore the teensy tiny emotionshare of melancholy, as what overwhelms it is conviction. ]

[ he thinks about this... ]

Yeah, if you didn't already know your relationship with him but you just felt a way about him anyway, I can see that setting some things off. [ he hums a little. ]

... but I get it. Losing your sense of self and then going backwards and rebuilding. You do seem to have a really strong willpower. You're stubborn like I am, that's part of what I like about you.

[ he will not ignore the melancholy, but what he will do is try to make things a little lighter. ]

So, that means you should take him on a lot of nice dates while you can and make a plan for what to tackle first. What kind of stuff are you thinking anyway?

[ uuuuugh YOSUKE!!!! Despite everything, he really does feel unbelievably lucky. For all the things he's done that make him feel undeserving of this happiness, he knows that for the sake of the people he cherishes, he has to keep moving forward and actually live his life.

It's the least he can do if he expects others to do the same. ]

I'm gonna be so real with you, Yosuke. When you look at that guy, do you see someone who enjoys leisurely walks through a garden or a meal at a nice restaurant? He'd be far more interested in figuring out which plants are poisonous, or having an entire head of cabbage before stopping to admire flowers for their aesthetics or fine dining.

[ He sounds like he's complaining, but the fondness in his voice is unmistakable. Emotionshare, sensationshare, none of those are needed to see the affection seeping through him. ]

… That said, he'd still make the effort. Wherever I'd take him, he'd go if he thought it'd make me happy. Idiot.

What I'm saying is, I've got my work cut out for me if I want to think of places that aren't a lab or the beach. But there are a few things I had in mind that I'd know he'd appreciate. [ He gives Yosuke a sidelong glance.

"The expression he'd make if I told him what would probably be pretty funny." ]

[ sorry this is the funniest thing in the world, wait a minute. ]

Cabbage...? [ thorns? ] Anyway I said nice, not schmoopy. Nice can mean different things to different people! If that's what Thorns is into, then you guys just trade to do things you both like.

[ the affection's so cute... he's so soft about this actually because yosuke is a bit of a romantic and he thinks they both deserve something nice together. ]

He does seem to like you best, so that's not surprising. What's wrong with the beach though? [ he does raise an eyebrow though. he already knows more about elysium's sex life than he ever wanted to know in the first place and that is in fact his first assumption but... ] I'm probably better off not knowing, huh?

That's true… but I really had to hammer home what I'm working with. It's hard. And when I said I had a few things in mind, I didn't mean the beach. Luckily, he's pretty normal about enjoying those.

Maybe I'll tell you when you're older?

[ the way he has no idea that yosuke knows about him and tobari. and sorry, but

He's about to get thoughtshares of racy maid dresses and lingerie, mostly because it's hard not to think about now that he's been reminded. "Long skirt or short skirt…?" ]

Yeah, fair enough. I shouldn't be surprised with what I know about him. You guys are kinda opposites. At least you know what you're getting into?

[ unfortunately he catches that thought, and he knows too much, so there's a thoughtshare of thorns in a short maid dress before he just makes an agitated and scandalized noise. ]

Dude! Keep your thoughts to yourself!

[ …

Sends back another thoughtshare of this Thorns in a short maid dress except better characterised because he is ill. He looks like he's about to kill someone. He nods sagely… all is right with the world. ]

Nice. [ NICE!!!!!!!! Like he is hearing none of Yosuke's protests. ] Except I was thinking about it the other way around.

[ Elysium in a maid dress… ]

[ WHAT DID HE JUST SAY, NOW HE'S THINKING ABOUT ELYSIUM IN THE SAME DRESS? he's busy scrubbing his hands over his face. ]

Okay! [ a little too loudly. AHHH. ] ... wait, is that what he's into? I guess maids aren't a bad choice...

Right? I didn't think he'd care about that stuff, but he really is a pirate now… wow…

And if you're putting it like that, what would you say is a better choice?

[ THEY'RE JUST HAVING THIS CONVERSATION ]

Oh. Yeah , that would do it. [ pirates seem horny, sure. WHY ARE THEY HAVINF THIS DISCUSSION. ]

What makes you think I have a preference? [ ignore the thoughtshare of rise kujikawa in a nurse outfit that he is desperately trying to stamp out. ]

[ they are two boys ]

Oooh… that would do it, too.

[ Repeats his words as he places a hand on Yosuke's shoulder.

Thumbs up. ]

[ now they both know too much... ]

It's just... the shape. [ why are you explaining. stop that. ] N-never mind, anyway! I don't need to know, but you're adults so whatever. Have fun while you can.

You mean… the figure?

[ GO ON ]

What about you? Have you been having fun while you can?

Yeah? I mean with any short skirt it's the legs. They always look good. [ rise would oscillate between being annoyed and being flattered if she heard this and she's right. but he sputters a little. ]

What do you mean? I've been hanging out with people and stuff so yeah I guess? [ IMMEDIATELY PLAYS STUPID despite blushing immediately. ]

[ It is about the legs… He gets it, he gets it. ]

Woah. Look at you. You're all red. If you're too shy to share, that's fine.

[ every day i have to live with the fact he goes on to talk about rise's legs and also has a nurse kink and it destroys me. don't look at him. DON'T LOOK AT HIM!! ]

I'm not, like... [ his hands are still over his face. ] It's just kissing, it's not whatever the hell you two are doing.

[ If he wasn't so funny, Elysium would not be looking at him… ]

What do you mean by whatever the hell we're doing?

[ peers at. ]

It's not that big of a deal to have an interest in it—and I'm not talking about my situation specifically. What's there to be so shy about? It's normal.

INBOX for purgastory

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