tfln overflow / open post

[superniceone]

(open / overflow)

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[recreatable]

And, just like every time Gustave has ever scolded her, Maelle hangs her head — half in genuine contrition, half to try to make Gustave feel bad for scolding her!!!

"Don't reprimand me in front of Verso. He'll think you're mean."

He didn't say anything, for the record.

"I was just worried," she continues, eyes big and blue as she pouts. "I wanted to make sure you didn't skip town or something."

[superniceone]

"Not yet," Gustave says dryly. He leans his shoulder against the doorframe, reaching out to fix Maelle's collar in a gesture that is fully fatherly reflex, before he folds his arms loosely at his chest. "But I am sort of thinking about running off to the Continent with your brother. Maybe eloping in the Grandis settlement? Not sure yet. He listens to me." He'll apologize to Verso in a minute for including him in the stupid sibling squabble he's having with her. "Go home, I'll come back later."

[recreatable]

Maelle makes a face, clearly wanting to say that she does listen to Gustave but also knowing that she can't rightly argue that after everything. "You swear?" she still says, only partially ribbing. Verso isn't the only Dessendre with neuroses; it runs in the family.

Then, sighed: "Fine. But Emma's serving tartines, and we're not saving any for you."

Her eyes flick behind Gustave to Verso, and they share the sort of strangely intense gaze that only two people with the eyes of Husky dogs can before she steps back. "...Bye," she says, a little lingering.

When the door is finally closed again, Verso rubs his face. "Sorry."

[superniceone]

"Goodbye, Maelle," Gustave says, his voice both quiet and somehow firmer then it's been at any point in the previous twenty-four hours.

He turns to face Verso, leaning back against the door. "What are you sorry for? I should have left her a note, I knew you don't want to see her yet."

[recreatable]

Verso lives in a constant state of sorriness, but this time it's for selfishly inviting Gustave to stay over, for drooling on him in his sleep, and for shrinking away from Maelle like she's a Nevron and not his teenage sister.

"I should've said something," he argues. As in, anything at all. "But every time I see her, I—" Feel like he's killing her. Feel like she's killing him, by keeping him here. He cuts himself off, running a hand through his hair, which he hasn't even gotten a chance to comb. He can only hope it's closer to charming bedhead than rat's nest.

"We didn't leave off on the best of terms," he finishes. Then, awkwardly, "...Morning."

[superniceone]

As if Gustave hadn't been the one to ask to stay literally twice. He straightens up, shaking his head at Verso's argument, and he reaches to try to gently catch his wrist, to squeeze his hand. "Hey. It's alright. We've got a little time. I told you: we're going to figure this out." They've got vast stretches of time, but he means until it's an active crisis.

The pang in his chest is only growing more familiar. How do both of the Dessendres have him wrapped around their fingers? How does it feel like second nature to want to keep them safe and happy? Maybe it's the creepy blue eyes.

Verso's hair is a complete rat's nest, and charming on top of that. Gustave likes getting to see this part of him that he doubts very many others have, and he chuckles sleepily at the sight. "Good morning, mon beau. I'm not sure I'm ready to be up yet."

[recreatable]

Time. All Verso has ever had is endless swathes of time. He frowns; now is probably not the right time to bring up that his 'plan B' is to get Gustave to convince Maelle to erase him from the Canvas.

"No," is his tired agreement. "Me neither."

He pinches the bridge of his nose, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. Although his heart isn't wholly in it, he nudges Gustave with his elbow. "Crazy night last night?" Reading a book and having Verso drooling on him by 8 P.M. is pretty wild!!

[superniceone]

Well, Verso is in luck, as far as Gustave is concerned: he fully does not believe that Renoir is going to allow Maelle to kill herself in this canvas. If they end up needing to expel her like her mother, he's sure they'll end up as nothing more than ash the second she's safely out.

Anyway, he gently swats the elbow away. "You were extremely cute, I'll have you know. Very sweet looking."

[recreatable]

When your 1,600 comment thread just abruptly ends with them both fucking dying.

Anyway, the swatting doesn't faze Verso, and the complimentary teasing doesn't seem to, either, although inwardly he's a bit mortified at the way he fell asleep in Gustave's lap while being read a bedtime story like a child. "Oh, I know. I'm very cute."

The embarrassment doesn't show on his face, but he does say, a little sheepishly, "Sorry for crashing like that." That definitely wasn't good host behavior. "Just tired, I guess."

[superniceone]

"Verso." The way Gustave looks at him is genuinely a little bewildered. "Stop apologizing to me. That was— maybe the best night I've had since before the Expedition left. I don't want you to be sorry for any of it."

[recreatable]

Guilt is a reflexive response to happiness at this point, but he acquiesces. "I'm especially unrepentant, then." It does feel gratifying to know that he'd given Gustave a good time, at least. Goal achieved. "So," he continues, "you think I listen to you?"

[superniceone]

Gustave glances at the kitchen, thinks about making breakfast, and then decides that he really does want to try to get a little more sleep first. "I think you're exceedingly well behaved, considering you've probably spent more time around gestrals than people."

He's just going to head back to the bedroom and hope Verso follows.

[recreatable]

Verso does follow, even though it sort of makes him feel like a little kid begging for attention. "Exceedingly well-behaved. Do you have to make me sound like a stray dog?"

[superniceone]

"What, you don't want to be given treats and told you're a very good boy? That sounds like the dream, honestly." Gustave please stop talking. He takes a seat, yawning into his arm. "Come back to bed? Just give me half an hour, then I'll make breakfast."

[recreatable]

Verso blinks a few times. Are you asking me to call you a good boy??? is probably not an appropriate conversational turn this early in the morning, and besides, Gustave shifts subjects so fast that he doesn't have the chance to respond. He swallows that particular question.

Maelle's appearance has fully broken the calming spell that the evening with Gustave had put him under, and there's no chance that he'll be able to relax enough to fall asleep again. He obeys the request regardless, perching on the edge of the mattress. "I have pajamas," he says seemingly apropos of nothing, before following up with, "if you wanted something more comfortable to wear."

He'd planned to offer last night, but he hadn't quite gotten the opportunity.

[superniceone]

Gustave!! Just meant!! That snacks and validation seem nice!!! Dogs don't have to worry about the end of the world!

When he lays himself back down, it's on top of the covers, one hand out to sort of just vaguely make contact with Verso's leg. It's less that he's necessarily sleepy himself; he's just reluctant to start the day. "I appreciate the offer," he says, closing his eyes, "but I'll spend the rest of the day here if I change into pajamas just after waking up." It sounds extremely indulgent, lazy. Tempting. He does also feel like he's about to hit the upper limit of the amount of time he can linger here without irritating Verso.

[recreatable]

Irritating isn't quite the right word, but Gustave is steadily approaching the upper limit of how long he can spend here while Verso acts like a normal human being who doesn't need intensive DBT. Seeing Maelle made that time limit inch closer. Guilt and resentment and guilt over the resentment swirl together in his gut, shoulders tensing.

"Yeah," he says distantly as he lies back, pulling the covers up over himself. "You look more devilishly rumpled this way." Then he closes his eyes and pretends to sleep.

[superniceone]

Gustave reaches over for his hand, just in an echo of the way they once slept out on the Continent, but he won't chase if Verso resists. He dozes more than he sleeps; true to his promise he'll get back up after another half hour or so, murmur a few words of affection to Verso, and then make breakfast for them both before reluctantly starting the walk of shame home.

Verso will get a solid twenty-four hours to be miserable in private before there's a stubborn clanking at his bedroom window. If and when he opens the curtain enough to see outside of it, he'll find Monoco peering through the glass.

[recreatable]

It's a little startling to see a furry mask instead of the human face he expects, but it isn't unwelcome. That's his boy!! Still, as he opens the window, he snarks, "There are these new things called doors. Very helpful in situations like this."

[superniceone]

"This is the fourth house I've been to this morning," Monoco grumps. It's not his fault they all look the same!! "Faster this way." Though he'd been fairly certain he was in the right place when he found a tidy looking little home with all the curtains fully drawn. He jerks his staff to indicate the front of the house, turning to head that way. "Well, let me in, then."

[recreatable]

Somewhere there's a group of terrified Lumièrians who've been traumatized by Monoco at their windows. But Verso complies, holding open the door and saying, "Did you miss me already?" He missed Monoco, but whatever!!

[superniceone]

"Nah." Meaning yes, of course he did. "Just getting bored." Meaning there are very few things worth fighting on this little island. He strolls in, nosily checking out the sparse decor. "Seems like you've kept busy."

[recreatable]

Verso kicks him in the shin (affectionately). "Yeah, I've been investigating reports of a horrifying creature who's been peering in through windows and terrifying children."

[superniceone]

Monoco swats his leg with his staff (also affectionately), before he waves his hand dismissively and parks on the divan. "Hey, I leave the children here alone unless they talk to me first." He's not worried about scaring them, it's just— "They all seem so... fragile." His tone is slightly disparaging.

[recreatable]

"Not every human can be as sturdy as me." Which is why he's Monoco's favorite, ✨️ obviously ✨️. "...If you're trying to hide here because you've ticked someone off, I'm not getting involved."

He would. Obviously. But Monoco can't just use him as backup forever!!