outdistanced | turbo heaven 🌼 chrono

[ he does not know what a car is but he's getting self-conscious about asking questions again. ]

I guess it's different if you're not used to it.

[ cannot say with confidence that it wouldn't take him an embarrassingly long time either. thank god they don't need to buy tickets here. ]

Just because I grew up with it?

[ he'd usually put a hand on his shoulder to encourage him to Stop That but they're gross right now... hm. ]

I can show you in the cloud cave sometime, if you want. I showed Maomao was a plane was there, too.

[ egh wait he doesn't want to explain this reasoning. sighs. ]

Well, that, yeah. And because you're tall, and the running means you have to move well anyway, right?

...I haven't seen an airplane before, either. [ thoughtfully. ] Sure. When we're not covered in sugar.

I'm not that much taller than you. [ maybe he just has tall energy? i wish i knew how tall he was actually shakes vel please give me stats

can't deny the running thing, though. ] Dance lessons started before I really got into running, but yeah, I guess I do.

[ nods. correct priorities.

chrono just shrugs. taller than him is "tall", even if he's just painfully average in height. but laurence kind of does have tall energy?? who knows ]

Right, it just kinda fits. I dunno, learning properly might not be so bad. It'd probably help with physical training to know how to move better.

[ shrugs. ]

If you try some of the tougher ones, maybe - those really need good coordination. Depends on what you're training for.

Space stuff.

[ he still feels sort of vulnerable, having talked about that. very few people took his goals seriously. ]

Physical training's the one bit of all that I can do without too many problems already.

You need physical training for that?

Oh yeah, absolutely. Gotta be in shape given all the weird shit your body's gonna have to deal with. Lack of gravity, artificial atmosphere, quick movement in emergencies... stuff like that.

Wow. Okay. Space travel sounds harder than I realized.

Yeah, man, it's not easy at all. But that part's kinda fun, so it's fine.

[ train's here. please let's go and get clean. ]

Why'd you decide to start running?

It'll just make it feel better once you get there.

[ that's how laurence felt when he first summoned a portal leading outside the tower. ]

Oh, that's nothing special. [ it's not like trying to reunite with a friend or anything. ] The Tower has a big race every year for everyone under twenty-one. I wanted to give it a shot, so I started running and I just liked it.

Hope so. And hey, it's useful outside of that, anyway. Being strong and stable. [ ... ] Should probably be keepin' up with it better here, but...

[ he's been depressed sooo

oh it's not like that is it laurence. uh huh. well we don't have to bring up iris and that race again but he's definitely not forgotten about it. ]

Good enough reason as any. Probably really a fortunate choice, if you're makin' portals, right? Get through 'em faster.

Probably. But we don't have a gym or anything here, so it's harder. I kind of miss it, too. [ jock life...

ALSO STOP IT REALLY WASN'T ABOUT IRIS THIS TIME!! sometimes you really just like to run. ]

Mm, definitely. It's actually helped me a couple of times already - they had me practice by going out into some back alleys in Seattle? I came really close to getting caught by spawncampers a few times.

Wonder if that's something we could request. Sanada does training, too, right? It'd be useful.

[ jock life...!!

HEH ]

--hey, what the hell. Surely there's safer ways to get you to train?

I think he's been training with Marcoh? I don't think the angels control the locations, but maybe we could order some equipment if we really want it.

[ shrugs...? ]

Using my power is already dangerous. It's not like it matters now.

Guess getting a decent rope and some weights wouldn't be that hard.

[ just gives him an entirely flat look. ]

Unbelievable. You are such a hypocrite. Why wouldn't it matter?

I did get a jump rope the other day.

[ ???? ]

What? I can't practice while we're stuck here, spawncampers or no spawncampers.

I got onto it pretty recently. It's fun.

[ rolls his eyes ]

Not here, dumbass. When you get back. You've gotta stay safe enough to actually complete your big rescue, right?

It's fine, I guess. Just a different kind of cardio.

[ frankly he could take it or leave it but he has the rope now for reasons. he is immediately distracted though wtf? don't insult him? ]

Don't say it like that... [ that makes it sound like he cares about iris as more than just some dude who's in trouble? ] Anyway, it was about distance. Trying to go as far as I could. There's not always spawncampers in the alleys, anyway, but it's not like they can just predict where they'll be.

Sure, but...

[ why does he always say things that can be taken badly. there's a flicker of doubt, then he breathes out with a frown, thinking hard. ]

Just- I mean, stay safe, okay? I know that's priceless coming from me, but I mean it. [ sorry he only knows how to shounen speech about this so uh ] The kind of determination you had, even after finding out everything you suddenly had to deal with, it's important. And hard, to find the strength to not give up on everything after being deceived. But you can do it, y'know? You've got the power - literally, too - so... yeah. And it'd be cool, to see you with your powers at full strength someday.

[ kind of a lame ending, but ]

That's what I was tryin' to say.

[ not this shounen speech help me. laurence stares at him for a moment, stunned, and can't help but think for a second that it sounds a little familiar, though he hasn't heard anything similar in over a decade. he busies his hands with trying to remove the rest of the frosting from his hair. ]

It's not like I'm going to go running into danger first chance I get...

[ he feels a little awkward now... someone actually caring about his wellbeing outside of their job? encouragement for using his powers? unimaginable. what's he supposed to do with that?

...it's nice, though. a pleasant, warm feeling, to believe that someone actually cares. he might miss it, once they leave heaven. ]

Don't worry about me. I'll figure things out. And once I leave the Tower, I'll be able to go whatever I want, so there'll be tons of opportunities to practice.

[ not that it's special enough to show off... but part of him always wanted to try. ]

[ i'm sorry he's embarrassing but also i'm not sorry shounen's gotta shounen

despite that, he does almost immediately feel selfconscious about pretty much everything he just said, like he'd overstepped a boundary. last time he'd messed that up by running his mouth, he'd been punched in the face, and that doesn't seem entirely off the table if he messes up badly enough with laurence, either.

so it's a relief that awkwardness is the worst reaction, and surprising when the emotional echo turns unmistakably positive. he breathes a gentle laugh, and thinks at least he got something right. ]

Sorry, always gonna worry. Here, after we get back, whatever. [ sighs. ] But yeah, you'll figure things out. You're sensible, unlike a lot of us.

That's a low bar with some of you here.

[ a little exasperated, maybe, but fond. as if laurence doesn't have his moments, too. (who knew pop rocks would explode in soda?) ]

We can save worrying about all that for after we get out of here. One thing at a time.

[ gotta survive first. ]

[ haha yeah..... who knew.................... sweats ]

Mm. [ there's a contemplative, melancholic edge to the affirmative sound, chrono stretching his arms above his head. ] Y'know, maybe between the two of us, there could be a way to connect again. I've reached my hand out before and grabbed one I wasn't supposed to be able to, who says it couldn't be yours if I tried again?

[ hm ]

Or Jiaoqiu's, or Taair's. You get the idea.

Maybe. If it was the same world, that'd be one thing, but I don't know how it'd work with different versions of the same place.

Then again, Ms. Needle did say I might be able to jump right to people we care about, if I get strong enough...

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