tlv inbox

[superniceone]

Hey, uh. It's Gustave. I'll get back to you when I can.

[ic inbox for thelastvoyages - happy for comm threads or action spam if you're catching him around the barge.]

Comments

[superniceone]

[gustave just shakes his head again, clearly dismissive.]

And? 'Needing a reminder' makes you terrible, now?

[escapeartiste]

Yeah? It's kind of basic stuff.

[She understands what he's trying to do. Maybe. But seriously?]

Besides, how would you know? You haven't even seen me paint.

[superniceone]

No, but I read what you wrote about it. [is he trying to hype her up? obviously, yes, but he's absolutely genuine, too.] Even Lune has to warm up before she starts singing, you know. It's okay to be a little proud.

[escapeartiste]

[You get a shrug. Just a shrug. They certainly got off-topic real quick.]

[superniceone]

[gustave shrugs in turn, leaning back with his coffee now.] Suppose this is your way of telling me I haven't been bragging about you to the neighbours enough.

[escapeartiste]

[C R I N G E]

You wouldn't.

[Don't you dare.]

[superniceone]

I'm not your warden. I'm not obligated to behave with any sense of decorum. [it's an empty threat, but it's one he's allowed to make as a proud big brother, ok.]

[escapeartiste]

[She rolls her eye and shakes her head.

So about that topic.]

Speaking of wardens

how's your temporary inmate this time?

[superniceone]

I'm starting to feel like I should have finished my coffee before I sat down.

[which is probably answer enough.]

[escapeartiste]

[It's not an interrogation!]

That bad, huh?

[superniceone]

I think he's a recent arrival? I reached out this morning.

[anything can be an interrogation when you're a white man with a guilty conscience.]

[escapeartiste]

I guess it'd be a bit harder when they're new.

I don't really think there's anything I can do but, if there is something

tell me, okay?

I want to help.

[superniceone]

[he resists the kneejerk urge to insist that he doesn't need it — that he should be the one helping her.]

I'm sorry, could you please go back to being a bratty fourteen year old? I don't know how I feel about you growing up. [but he gives her a little nudge to indicate, yes, of course I will.]

[escapeartiste]

[COMPLETELY ignoring the conundrum that is the barge.]

Yeah, sorry. I'll try not to.

[She offers the device and nudges him right back.]

[superniceone]

[gustave chuckles at that, sipping again at his coffee, before he hums.]

I've been getting back into fighting shape recently, you know. Figured out how to call up the Academy in the Enclosure.

[escapeartiste]

[She smiles a little, breathing a raspy laugh.]

Are you expecting a Nevron to show up or something? We don't really have to fight here.

Most of the time.

[Says the child who regularly finds people to fight for funsies.]

[superniceone]

I'm not not expecting a Nevron to show up, and I feel like that's a perfectly reasonable expectation, considering everything else. [he gives her a pointed look, come on.] I was trying to invite you along.

[escapeartiste]

I know.

And I was trying to be a bratty teenager.

[Which CLEARLY worked.]

[superniceone]

[he's cracking up slightly and doing his best to hide it behind his coffee.]

Good point. Probably best not to let you around me and a sword.

[escapeartiste]

[HOW DARE YOU.]

Too bad you already invited me.

Unless you're afraid to lose to a teenager again.

[superniceone]

I'm not worried about that. [he pauses for dramatic effect.] I'll just make the enclosure give you a really, really bad sword.

[escapeartiste]

[She rolls her eye, maybe at the dramatic pause or maybe at his threat. It's a mystery.]

That's fine. I have my own.

[At least she's nerfed into the ground. She can't embarrass you that hard, Gustave.]

[superniceone]

You want me to let you bring a real weapon in there? [he's getting up, but only to refill his cup.] Sounds a bit boring for you, honestly.

[escapeartiste]

If you want to duel with sticks we could just go to the gym for that.

[She's already grumbled at Vaggie several times about the gym not having any real weapons. Why it has to get limited to the Enclosure seems silly to her.]

[superniceone]

[he slides in across from her this time when he returns with a refreshed cup, shaking his head.]

Not a chance. Far too public. You realize the optics are terrible wherever I fare extremely well or extremely poorly against you.