[prp] to even exist [chris & thorne]

[grayseasons]

The next time they visited Other Ashdown, it was Chris dragging Thorne along with them into the rainy, dreary place. Admittedly their visits weren't far apart, since they spent their time in the court garden they were planting, but it didn't matter since this time it was Chris being the one to ask this visit, instead of them both deciding or Thorne asking. This time it was Chris being the driving force.

The reason he wanted to go was simple, and it was for the Garden, the first one. The one that held Wis and her wind, the one that they had spent little time in. This wouldn't be a visit though this time, although they would pass her a hello. Chris instead wanted to see if he could convince the speckled roses to come along, if he could drag along some of them that he knew looked like galaxies. He wanted to surprise Thorne with them, wanted to show him what they looked like since they had a startling similarity to his wings at time. He wanted to bring these into the place they were planting, he wanted these to be one of the things Thorne remembered him by when he was gone.

So he dragged them to the garden and stood inside of it, eyes scanning the path before them. The problem was he didn't quite remember the path and he didn't want to get them lost, so he stood there tapping his chin, thinking. "I forgot how big this place was," He remarked idly to Thorne and then started forward, down a path he thought was the right one. He hadn't told Thorne about the roses yet, just had mentioned a flower he wanted to show Thorne. Maybe he'd summon them too, although he hadn't decided yet.

elkbones

 

[moonjavas]

Thorne had come along willingly, laughing, when Chris had asked him to go to the Garden again. He follows him into the strange dreariness of Other Ashdown where the rain has stopped and the world is quiet but speaking in its own tongue. Thorne is learning the language, but it's a slow process. It is unlike anything he has ever known.

The garden welcomed them back like something that had come from nothing. He stood inside of the gate, eyes flicking up and roving over the ivies, the crawling plants and wandering things. He turned to look at Chris, so fitting for this place that smelled of soil and earth and wild roots.

"I wonder if it ever stopped growing, or if it just keeps branching out with each and every cycle," he responded, curious. And then he gestured for Chris to lead them on. "After you, since I'll only get us dreadfully lost."

PeanutButterPies

 

[grayseasons]

Chris' eyebrows raised at the question, furrowing together for a second as he thought. "I'm not sure, that's honestly a good question," He said, looking around the place. It was large enough that it branching each cycle would make sense, but it also could have just been built that big. He didn't really know and hadn't thought to question it before - too many things to pay attention to that the size of the garden had never really registered on his radar. "I can ask when I get to what I want to show you, although I'm not sure if I'll get much of an answer," He replied truthfully.

He reached a hand out to Thorne, taking his gently as he tugged him along the path. "You wouldn't get us dreadfully lost - maybe only a little lost," Chris joked lightly, smiling. "I'm not sure I trust myself much either, but hopefully I can guide us." The path he was walking did seem familiar, but they hadn't branched off it yet. It was bound to get trickier. Meanwhile, the breeze shook around them and the plants shuffled in it. It seemed a little more menacing than usual, although Chris paid no mind, unaware. He was too focused on leading Thorne.

elkbones

 

[moonjavas]

"I have dreadful directional abilities and you're kidding yourself if you think otherwise," Thorne replied instantly, and smirked at Chris, cat-like and terrible. He ran his fingers up along the nape of the others neck, just against the hairline, and hummed a sweet-soft melody of thought as he did so.

When Chris took his hand, Thorne laughed, easily winding his fingers with the blond and letting himself be pulled forward, wherever Chris pleased to go. He wanted to see more of this Garden that Chris seemed fond of. More than that, he selfishly just wanted to be around him. To know and understand and learn more and more and more.

"Though," he added thoughtfully, eyes flicking to Chris with amusement, "If I were to get lost with you, surely it would not be the worst thing in the world."

PeanutButterPies

 

[grayseasons]

"Lies, such lies, you directed us fine on the roadtrip you liar," Chris shot back, giving Thorne a gentle bump. "I'm surprised your pants aren't on fire." He shivered at the touch but pushed back into it gently, humming his own little melody as a reply, smile softening.

The feeling of his hand in Thorne's, of Thorne following him, it was familiar and calming to Chris. Reminded him of the roadtrip, reminded him of even a time before that, where he was hungry and possessive and wanted something he thought couldn't have been his. Funny how that had changed, how it was wholly his now and he could show it.

"No," Chris said easily, "It wouldn't be at all. I wouldn't mind being lost with you at all."

elkbones

 

[moonjavas]

"I was lost the entire time!" Thorne exclaimed, staring at Chris. "How did you not realize I was lost so much of the time? Did you think I planned to accidentally end up in Arizona instead of Nevada? It's a miracle I managed to find Disneyland, and that was only through the blessing of GPS, which I used because you were asleep."

He laughed then, a deep sound of pleasure and warmth, and squeezed Chris's hand a bit. No, he could think of so many things in the world that he would mind, but none of them belonged to Chris, unless it was his absence or his preference in bread. He did not pay much attention to the Garden, his eyes falling to Chris with amusement.

"Well it is a good thing then," he said mildly, "As I'll be getting lost constantly, and you'll constantly be there with me, or calling out my name."

PeanutButterPies

 

[grayseasons]

"Yes!" Chris yelled back, wide-eyed. He was starting to realize he had navigated a good portion of the trip as well, which had probably led them to less lost. The Arizona Nevada thing had been funny and Thorne had played it off well, enough that Chris hadn't realized it until now. What was that saying, love was blind? If so, Chris had had blinders on the whole trip. "I cannot believe you actually get that lost, oh my god. How did I not realize it until now. How did you even make it to Disney, we could have gotten lost, we could have died." He might have been ******** with Thorne a little at this point.

Chris laughed at little himself, slowed his gate a little so he'd be side by side to Thorne. Still leading, but enough that he could lean into Thorne, could tuck Thorne into the limited space by his side and feel the closeness of their hands and bodies.

"Mm yes," He replied easily, "No need to worry though, I'll keep you on track. I'll guide us forward."

elkbones

 

[moonjavas]

"Oh my god," Thorne said, completely baffled, his cheeks radiating warmth even though he was laughing at the fact. "I thought the entire time you were just gracing me with the kindness not to say anything while I got us hideously lost! Why do you think I had you navigate so much?" His cheeks heated more at the insinuation though. He couldn't help making a sound of distress, keening and wild. "I wouldn't have gotten us killed," he retorted, "Maybe - stuck in the middle of nowhere without gas, but not killed."

He couldn't help another snort though, rolling his eyes at the entire ordeal. He let himself fall into step with Chris, shoulders bumping, bodies leaned against one another. It was this that kept him grounded, like roots, like something dug into the earth to stay.

"Guide me then," he said softly, "I trust you to keep us safe."

PeanutButterPies

 

[grayseasons]

"Thorne I am not nice enough to keep quiet about things like that," Chris said, face bright red anyways and slightly lying. He had wondered what the hell what they were doing at times but well, he had trusted Thorne. "I just thought you didn't want to navigate and anyways that's part of the passenger side's duties anyways!" He laughed gently at Thorne, brought a hand up to cup Thorne's face, thumb at his cheek and the redness. "Thorne that's the start of a good portion of horror movies you know. There's even that meme about it, I know you know, you sent me at least eight texts about it one night. We had a war."

Chris gave a gentle smile at what Thorne said and looked up at the path before them, trying to check at where they were. What they were doing, where they were going to go. His mouth was partially opened in a reply as he stepped outwards from Thorne trying to get a gauge on where they were, their arms stretched out between them and then -

It was like a shift.

The hedges in the garden, the ones that had kept things organized by rows, that had lined the paths, were suddenly in between him and Thorne. One moment he had been holding Thorne's hand and the next it was empty, suddenly gone from his warmth, and when Chris turned to see where Thorne was all he saw was a wall of green. Panic sluced through him hot and quick and he pushed at the hedge but only got leaves for his effort.

"Thorne!" Chris yelled, stopping in his motions. The shout was there but he didn't know if it would carry, if it could carry. He had never head anything from farther parts of the garden, it had always been the same sound in the same place.

He was alone.

elkbones

 

[moonjavas]

Thorne was about to respond to Chris when it all happened, too fast and too quick for him to stop. His mouth had curved around the words, eyes tracing the slope of Chris's back when -

The warmth disappeared from his hand.

It took him a shuttering second to realize what had happened before the fall broke away the train of thoughts. Hard ground ate the impact along his back, shattering through him and making his teeth knock together, scraping against the soft inside of his mouth and gum. He rolled without thinking, belly to the dirt and grime and mud as the light darkened and the Garden whispered all around him, roaring with a new, fettering sort of sound.

And then Thorne realized it was not the Garden, but the shadows within it. He hooked his foot onto the ground ready to push up and surge forward, his mouth caught on the sound of Chris's voice. But something cinched around his ankle, a vice grip, hungry and whole, and Thorne felt it pull with a force that he couldn't struggle against. Back and back and back, the world blurring and burning around him, starbursts of color and sound, before finally it relented.

Thorne breathed in, breathed out, rolled to his hands and knees with slow, animal precision.

It did not take him long to realize he was alone.

It did not take him long to realize he was surrounded.

PeanutButterPies