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[superniceone]

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[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!!

[superniceone]

He's here because he hasn't seen Verso in a week and he's worried, god!! Monoco scoffs. "I told you: I'm bored. Decided to come see what trouble you were getting yourself into."

Or: he wanted to give Verso some time to grieve.

[recreatable]

Verso wonders if he should tell Monoco not to sit on that divan, given that two people were naked on it somewhat recently. Probably better to keep that to himself. Monoco doesn't like to hear about the 'weird' bodily functions of humans.

"You know me. Sex, drugs, and music," Verso says drily. Then: "I missed you, too."

[superniceone]

What Monoco doesn't know won't hurt him (probably). He hums at Verso's statement, as if to acknowledge that yes of course he missed him. "Really set up with your own little place, then. Cozy. Didn't ask me if I wanted a room."

[recreatable]

'Cozy' in that it's small, maybe. His male living space hut was cozier. Still: "There's only the one room, but you're free to curl up at the foot of the bed."

[superniceone]

He's trying to be complimentary, thank you, and he makes a noise like he's considering the idea, like he's not already chafing to go back; he's willing to deal with Golgra to check on Noco. "You sticking around long enough to for me to settle in?"

[recreatable]

That makes two of them who are itching to go back to the Continent. He used to love it here, but the place he loved is long gone. "I've got a pretty busy schedule," he says, like he doesn't have the look of someone who just crawled out of bed for the first time today. "If you want me to stick around, you'll have to arm wrestle me for it."

[superniceone]

Monoco is on his feet instantly at the whiff of a challenge and, apparently, plans on using the top of the expensive, unused piano as their arm wrestling arena. "Come on, then. Bet you haven't even lifted your sword in a week."

He would fix it for you in a heartbeat if he could, man. :(

[recreatable]

"Bring it on, old man." Just don't point out that Verso, too, is an old man.

Performer that he is, Verso makes a show of really trying hard but tragically succumbing to Monoco's superior strength. It's a show he's put on plenty of times before, when he'd felt Monoco needed the win or his heart just wasn't in it enough to truly compete. "Damn. Best two out of three?" he asks, knowing Monoco will probably just crow about what a sore loser he is.

[superniceone]

Monoco makes a dismissive sound, and apparently he's moving to snoop around the kitchen next. "No satisfaction in beating someone who hasn't left his bed for a week," he says, "but I'll take it to mean we're halfsies on this place for now anyway."

[recreatable]

This snooping!! It's much more embarrassing in the kitchen, because Verso still hasn't cleaned up the plates that they ate breakfast on 24 hours ago. Once Gustave left the building, he sort of gave up on pretending to be a functional human. "I've left my bed. This is just the way I'm styling my hair now."

It looks like shit. :(

[superniceone]

"Don't lie to my mask." He actually sounds a little affronted now as he picks up and inspects a plate. "You'd never have roots on purpose."

[recreatable]

Verso slaps a hand over his roots!!!

"They don't look that bad." They do. Uncovering his hideous roots, he plucks the plate from Monoco's hand and finally goes to put it away like he should have done yesterday. "Are you just here to criticize my hair and look at all of my things?"

[superniceone]

"I'm not criticizing, I'm just observing." And also criticizing tbf, but it's from a place of love. "And I was also wondering if you wanted to head back with me. Just for a few days. Weeks, maybe."

Months? Human society is a lot.

[recreatable]

Years? Forever?? He's down.

"A week, and you're already sick of humans?" Same. "Give me three weeks, and we can go back for as long as you like."

Oh, merde. That first week 'didn't count'. If things with Maelle haven't changed by then, he really should return to the Continent. Remove one of the reasons she has to stay here — namely, the opportunity to pretend her brother isn't dead.

"—Four," he corrects. "I have some things to take care of here first."

[superniceone]

If Monoco is shocked about anything, it's that Verso might let his roots grow out another four weeks before he heads back for a touch up — he's not sure he'd personally trust a human barber.

"Well, alright, if you insist," he says, like he's heavily put upon, and then he will promptly spend the rest of the morning trying to convince Verso that they should get a dog. You know, just for the month that they're going to be there.