outdistanced | turbo heaven 🌼 chrono

[ he sinks into his part of the blanket pile a little more. he wasn't doing this distraction thing very well. shut up, chrono. ]

S'pose not. Wasn't really a smart thing to bring up, huh.

You're fine. I'll have to think about it eventually. [ seems like he's holding something back, maybe, but anyway.

glances at chrono. ]

What about you? You think about that stuff a lot?

[ it takes him a moment to respond, feeling awkward, but eventually nods. there's a lull in the movie's action, anyway. ]

Yeah. My friends have theirs pretty much all planned out. Shion's got his family's company, Tokoha's off in Europe doing pro player stuff before she's even graduated. I thought maybe I'd work for the Vanguard Association, but I really don't want Ibuki [ (derogatory, affectionate) ] to be my boss.

Sounds right for you, though. That Vanguard stuff is pretty much your whole life, isn't it?

No judgment if you're not sure, though. [ nudges him with an elbow. ] We can figure it out later.

I didn't really have one before it. [ shrugs. ] And I'm happy with it, but I decided I just want it to stay a hobby now that things have calmed down.

[ he smiles, but glances away. ]

Nah, that's the thing. I made up my mind - I want to be an astronaut. [ it sounds childish, to say out loud. ] Problem is I'm an idiot, so, y'know.

[ that comment draws a look?? what does that mean? ]

Guess that's understandable. I wouldn't want to go running everyday for a job, either. [ gotta have hobbies.

but... wow. astronaut? i really had to sit here for a minute and debate if he knows what that is but they probably have history books so. ]

Like, going into space? That's insane. I knew about the moon, but I didn't think they still did that. [ he surprised! but doesn't look that judgy about it, just a little confused, if anything. ] Why would that be a problem? It hasn't stopped you before.

[ rolls his eyes. ]

Not literally. I just didn't have any friends or interests. Gettin' into fights was the closest thing until Vanguard came along.

[ pff. okay, that earns laurence a more bodily sideways shove of faux-irritation, but he's laughing mildly. ]

Whatever, man. No, there's a ton of tests and stuff you gotta pass before even beginning to train for it. Physics, mathematics, chemistry, all that.

[ so... kind of like iris, before he left the tower? hm. he chooses not to think about that too hard. ]

Good thing it did, then. Getting into fights is a terrible hobby, man.

[ is shoved, but he laughs a little, too. ]

I didn't know it was that complicated. [ math is one thing, but physics? chemistry? laurence only knows the bare minimum. you only learn that stuff if it's going to be part of your job in the tower, like being a doctor. ] So it just means you have to study a little more. So what? If it's what you want to do, you'll make it work somehow.

To be fair, I wasn't the one pickin' them. Attitude problem, or something.

[ it is why he talks like a delinquent though. ]

I'm trying. My... [ hm. ] ...teammate, he's super smart, so he's been tutoring me for a while. It's helped a lot.

You do have that.

[ an attitude problem... as if laurence is one to talk.

noting the hesitation there and raising an eyebrow. ]

Teammate...? [ me, ray: boyfriend? is he your boyfriend, chrono? ] There you go - a tutor. So those tests won't be that hard.

Hey. It was way worse before.

[ aaya voice look,

huffs and turns his attention back to the movie!! ]

I'm bad at studying, so I'm worried all the time even with people helpin' me.

You haven't started any fights with me yet, so I'll give you that.

[ nods i can't believe snow wants me to homewreck those boys ]

Studying sucks. [ thinks of his stupid book on demiflora with all his notes. he hates every second of that it fries his brain so bad. ] But I think you'll be fine. You don't really half-ass it when you care about things anyway, right? Never seemed that way to me, anyway.

[ to be fair they're doing it to themselves so like. anyway

this half-praise that makes him feel weirdly perceived isn't helping!! he sinks even further into the blankets. ]

W-well, what's the point in half-assing things anyway? If you're gonna put the effort in, it may as well work out.

[ BECAUSE THEY'RE STUPIIIIIIID bongos their heads

it's a little funny to see him get all nervous like that. laurence gives him an amused glance before turning back to the movie. ]

Yeah. So you'll do fine. Don't be such a worrywart about it. [ a beat, then he adds, thoughtful, ] I bet the stars look even cooler from space.

Mmh.

[ he's going to keep worrying anyway but thanks, is what that noise means probably.

oh. chrono blinks, and nods. ]

Yeah. It'd be quiet up there, but real pretty.

Mm. I always liked looking at the stars, but I never really thought about what it's like outside of the Tower until we got here, let alone out there.

[ this has nothing to do with their action movie ]

...you sound like Rapunzel, dude.

[ this is said with about half the usual snark. he's contemplative, eyes on the tv but not really absorbing anything. ]

It's scary, that openness. But it's not empty. There's a lot to learn and explore.

Wha- Hey! Can you guys all stop saying stuff like that?

[ it's starting to get tiring. or maybe embarrassing. it does bring a faint flush to his face. MOVING ON, ]

...You would be the type to want to check that stuff out, though, wouldn't you. Especially with your whole [ gestures vaguely ] thing with Dran.

[ HEH!!!!!!!!! he's not even surprised this isn't the first time. all that tower talk.

for the second time in as many comments!! oh!! yeah you hit the nail on the head with the part he wasn't explaining, laurence!! ]

--yeah? Yeah. That's why I wanted to go. [ he blinks the surprise away, shaking his head. but he looks a little happy. ] It's just a dream. There's no way that level of space travel will exist in my lifetime, but... it'd be the only way to see him again. To find Cray out there.

[ surprise he's perceptive when he cares enough to be ]

You never know. Maybe there'll be another way you can see him again and you just don't know it yet. If you could make the connection once...

[ he shrugs. probably not. laurence doesn't know what it's like, and that feels a little too hopeful, but it's nice to have something to look forward to even if it isn't necessarily real, right? ]

It's too bad teleporting doesn't work between worlds.

Hmm. Maybe. I'll always have him with me if I keep playing Vanguard, but it's not quite the same.

[ the connection's too dangerous to selfishly think of opening again, though... the thought had crossed his mind before.

...........raises eyebrows. ]

You'd wanna come over and help?

Guess not. Maybe better than nothing, though...?

[ he doesn't know exactly how dangerous this connection is to say.

...shrug? ] I don't think I could. I'm just one Daphne.

It's definitely better than nothing.

[ his deck's sitting on the nightstand, so he kinda. glances in that direction with a vague smile. ]

It's the thought that counts. Appreciate it.

[ the way he still barely knows anything about this deck ]

Yeah, yeah. It's not like you'd need me to figure it out, anyway.

[ it's awkward to just card loredump!!!!! ]

Havin' you around wouldn't make it any worse.

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