#esp after they start adding in double entendres and friendly potshots to the mix

[icarusatmidnight]

11, 15, 19 for the LI questions? For Oleander and Thyme :3

:D :D :D! Thank you, thank you!! These were really fun questions for them too, heh.

11. Do they have any inside jokes?

They have a bunch, maybe too many at times?? Looking outside in at their relationship, I’m sure some people get the impression it’s extremely superficial given how much these two just joke and screw around~~

One of the more common ones is ‘so, hey. do you wanna go [blank]’ though. Like it starts after Oleander has a bad day and just spills a lot of his feelings all over the floor and he’s not an emotional person by nature and everything just feels too raw and surface-level and he doesn’t know how to move on to the next conversation because direct and honest is how he talks but not when it concerns himself soooooo~. He just turned to Thyme and in the most monotone voice ever, goes:

‘So, hey. Do you wanna go make out?’

Was it the best way to kinda ask out his kinda crush? Absolutely not! But~! It worked for them and now they use it as a kinda jokey ice-breaker after awkward moments, both intensely emotional ones or like massive second-hand embarrassment, always in a monotone voice and generally detached from the previous situation at hands. It’s not really chuckles kind-of joke either, but it puts a smile on the other’s face when they’re down and that’s what counts, yeah?

15. Does their view of themselves differ from their partner’s view?

Of course! TToTT! Both of them are definitely better at seeing each other’s strengths than their own, and both are better at highlighting their own flaws too.

Thyme sees Oleander as a snarky solid rock, someone who is nothing short of himself but also still tries to improve himself too (which is so stupidly attractive to him?? Like fuck people who think they know the right words, the right acts, the right ideals and never apologize because they’re simply right. He’d so much rather someone who fucks up and who can knowledge that and learn to do better next time.) Oleander though only sees him as a weird sarcastic ball of bitter rage and a freakin’ abomination too?? He doesn’t have a damn what he is, let alone who he is and that’s just a shit feeling all around.

On the other hand, Oleander sees Thyme is just bright source of warmth, someone is just hopelessly kind and who always tries his damn best to add a dose of good to the world every day. Yeah, sure, he fails and probably fails a bunch but how can you not be in complete awe of someone who tries and doesn’t give up even when people keep shoving you down! Thyme however only sees someone is an anxious wreck, a complete idiot who hurts things because he just can’t stop and just think, nope! He needs to do instead.

And neither of them is wrong in their views either, it’s just different sides to the same coin.

19. Describe how they communicate

Oh!! I totally answered this before! :D However, let’s continue with this because I have a lot feelings about how these two talk and try to talk to each other.

In public, they joke around. Intensely. Always. There’s lots of snickering and playful taunts and stupid harmless friend fights because they don’t feel like they really have to act around each other. They just like to have fun together, so fuck it. They’re doing that.

Thyme is pretty touchy-feely with Oleander too. He just loves hanging off the kid, holding his hand, slipping his fingers into Oleander’s belt loops or even just resting his chin on top on his head because the height difference between them is perfect. Every touch is like it’s own secret message: I’m here. I like you. I hope that’s okay. And of course, it is. Oleander likes his quiet presence because Thyme never demands his attention. It’s just there when he wants it.

In private, the joking still exists but it tones down. It’s quieter joke, idle chit-chatting and much more silence because they’re both comfortable just hanging around each other. The touching tones down too at least on Thyme’s end, probably because Oleander gets more physical when they’re out of sight of other people. He just… really likes showing Thyme how much he likes him, to be kisses and shoving him back against a couch or just curling up against him and poking Thyme like an annoying little gnat. It’s fun and he knows Thyme likes to be wanted, so he gives him lots of kisses and pokes that say ‘Hey. Hey. Hey. Listen. I love you’.