tfln overflow / open post

[superniceone]

(open / overflow)

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[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.

[recreatable]

They already have a dog, and it's Monoco!! But Monoco's presence does significantly improve his mood, and by the time the next day rolls around, Verso's hair is brushed and clothes are unwrinkled, and he's even trimmed his beard.

Also, he's wearing a hat. The roots are that bad.

Sometime in the evening, he makes his way to Gustave's home and knock-knock-knocks on the door.

[superniceone]

Emma is usually the one who opens the door, because Emma is usually the one expecting guests — but when she sees Verso again, she'll just step back to give him space to come in. "Tell him to let me know if he's planning to disappear again," she says. "Maelle was worried." She'll leave him then to find his own way to Gustave's room.

The door to which is open this time, at least. There's a record playing in the corner, and he's leaning over his drafting table working on blueprints probably I don't know what I was trying to say either??? fully lost in his own little world.

[recreatable]

Verso leans against the doorway for a long moment, watching Gustave as he scribbles. It's good to see him in presumably higher spirits; he's not lying in bed all day, at least. Finally: "Looks like you've beaten that creative block."

[superniceone]

Gustave startles when he hears Verso's voice, his head snapping up to look at him. He's obviously not back to 100%, but there is actually color in his face again. "Hey." He puts the pencil down mid-equation, standing up. "I guess so." He pauses, and then ventures— "Nice hat."

[recreatable]

Touching the hat self-consciously, he says, "Thanks." Don't make fun of him, he'll go into a depressive spiral again. "I can come back later if you're in the middle of innovating."

[superniceone]

He wasn't making fun — he's just not used to Verso in a hat. He doesn't press it, instead just shaking his head, going to stop the music. "I need to take a break anyway. It's good to see you."

[recreatable]

Good to see he hasn't yet fled to the Continent, Verso presumes, but he says, "You, too."

Then, casually, like he doesn't remember Maelle saying that she and Gustave used to go there: "I was just thinking that it's been ages since I've visited the Hanging Gardens."

[superniceone]

Gustave isn't a man used to being duplicitous, isn't used to needing to school his expressions. There's undeniable interest there when Verso brings up the Hanging Gardens, and then he immediately tries to play it cool. "That could be fun— if you're sure you're up to going out? I don't mind staying in with you."

[recreatable]

"I've been stuck in the house with Monoco for the past two days. I'm dying to get out."

Not really, but he can't trap Gustave in the house every time he comes around. Besides, he made himself look nice specifically for the purpose of 'going out' with Gustave, although he'd never admit that he didn't wake up like this, hat and all.

"That is," he says wryly, canting a head toward the blueprints, "if your genius can wait."

[superniceone]

"Very funny." Verso does look nice, and Gustave seems torn for a split second, like he's not sure if he should greet him with a touch or a kiss or— anything at all, really. Finally he just decides to go to his closet, to dig out some clothes more suited to going out than just lounging. "Fresh air will be good for me."

[recreatable]

"I'm surprised you didn't get enough fresh air to last you a lifetime on the Continent." Admittedly, Verso sort of misses all of that fresh air. He quirks an eyebrow, then, asking, "Should I turn around to preserve your modesty?"

[superniceone]

That's like getting enough food to last you a lifetime in one meal, he thinks. Gustave is still struggling with the fact that he finds his home a little claustrophobia-inducing now. "Only if you're trying to hurt my feelings," he says as he starts to change, but he will nod to his bedroom door, silently asking Verso to nudge it a little further shut.