tfln overflow / open post

[superniceone]

(open / overflow)

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[superniceone]

Gustave takes a bite of egg, decides he's hungry enough that they're actually pretty good, and cuts his eyes up to Verso. "I'm about to say something cheesy." This is his warning.

[recreatable]

Verso chews on a forkful of egg. These are not good enough to incite cheesiness, but all right. "Uncharacteristic of you," he says, dryly.

[superniceone]

Gustave makes an offended sort of noise. He'd probably be self-conscious if I'm crazy about you wasn't still knocking about in his head. "Okay, nevermind then. It can wait," he says, just as dry.

[recreatable]

Gustave is ridiculous. Verso has been sweet to him all morning, but he makes one (true) comment and Gustave cops an attitude. He's lucky that Verso is crazy about him!!!

Putting his fork down, he shoots Gustave a pointed—and slightly amused, despite his best efforts to be annoyed by this—look. "Cheese goes great with eggs."

[superniceone]

He ducks his head, laughing at the both of them. "I was just thinking that the one nice thing about living apart is the fact that I get to look forward to seeing you again." He cuts his eyes to Verso. "Too much?"

[recreatable]

What the fuck! That's very cute! He's flustered!

"I—" He laughs, a little disbelieving, shaking his head. What does he even say to that? It's impossibly sweet, and he feels his heart speed up despite all of his best efforts. "I bet you say that to all the girls, Casanova."

[superniceone]

"Yeah, that's me. Leaving a trail of broken hearts in my wake." Gustave's tone is flat, but it's clear he's pleased with Verso's reaction. "Just looking for the silver lining."

[recreatable]

Verso pokes at his eggs again, grateful that his fuckass bob (Gustave has a type, obviously) hides the way his ears are growing pink. He can tell, because they feel increasingly warm with each passing second. "I guess I should give you something to look forward to, then. As a favor."

[superniceone]

Gustave gestures to Verso's plate, silently asking if he's finished so he can clear the table. "Such a generous man, monsieur."

[recreatable]

Miraculously un-Gommaged even at the 2,000 comment mark, Verso slides his plate over to Gustave. There's still quite a bit of egg on there. The morning's activity works up an appetite, but also, he's kind of picky and those eggs—despite being made with love—were pretty gross.

"That was me asking you on a date," he clarifies, because apparently Gustave is incapable of picking up on his oblique attempts at flirtation.

[superniceone]

Gustave takes the plate, not sure if Verso disliked them or if he's still just in possession of a failing appetite. Regardless, he'll go to scrape the plate into the trash.

"You don't need to ask me for anything," he says lightly. "Beck and call, remember?" He had, apparently, been absolutely serious.

[recreatable]

"I'm being serious," he scolds, because Gustave is not being serious!!! He is an important person with lots of obligations, as evidenced by the fact that he was literal hours late last night. Verso still had sex with him anyway, which probably says something about his self-respect or lack thereof. "When can I see you again?"

[superniceone]

"So am I." Gustave gives him a slightly baffled look, moving to wash up the pan, too. "I told you — I agreed to yesterday because I'm tapping out of responsibility for the month." He shrugs one shoulder, dismissive. "The girls are way better at handling the whole... people thing. Tell me when you want me, and I'll be there."

[recreatable]

Verso stands to hover around Gustave while he works, although he doesn't offer to help. Look, he's tired. He's accomplished more this morning than he accomplished in his whole first week back in Lumière.

"You're not going to just wait around until I want you," is another scold, because he should probably try to be, you know, slightly responsible here. You know the situation is bad when the centenarian who can't stop fucking thirty-year-olds is the voice of reason. "You have a city to reintegrate to."

Besides, he doesn't trust himself not to get greedy and want Gustave around always.

[superniceone]

It's like, three whole dishes, he's fine without assistance. He's incapable of keeping a straight face beneath the scolding, though, and he only barely resists the urge to flick sudsy water at him.

"Verso." Even, measured. "No one else gets to set my priorities for me." And no one else is able to understand why he isn't overjoyed just to be alive.

[recreatable]

Verso makes an disapproving little noise. Pretty sure his opinions about Gustave's priorities are objectively correct, actually! There's something unpleasant about someone shaping their life around him, even if it's only for a few weeks. Historically, that sort of thing hasn't gone well.

"Now I see where Maelle gets her stubbornness from." It wasn't from him, that's for sure!!

It only registers that he's conjured a deeply unpleasant topic after the fact, but as soon as it does, he frowns. "What happened to wanting to be productive?"

[superniceone]

"I can't keep trying to pour from an empty cup." Gustave can tell that Verso is genuinely bothered, and he hesitates, tries to reframe it. "Look, I really just— I need some time off for once in my life. I'm not going to be waiting around on you. I'm going to be taking a break, and you're the only person I'm happy to let interrupt."

It's not like he's got a job to get back to, or an Expedition to prepare for.

[recreatable]

He doesn't want Gustave to have regrets. The best way to avoid those would be to encourage him to reenter society, to rebuild his bonds with the people he belongs with. Otherwise, Verso is liable to get selfish and want to interrupt him all the time; he's liable to get crazier and want to stay, or equally as terrible, want to ask Gustave to come with him.

But what is he going to do, deny Gustave? He's not very good at that, clearly.

"Tell me when I'm allowed to interrupt you next, then." He refuses to have Gustave at his beck and call. Maelle might get a teeny, tiny bit of stubbornness from him after all.

[superniceone]

"There's going to be music at the harbor tonight." Dancing, too, to celebrate in a way people haven't had cause to celebrate for decades. "We could find a roof nearby to sit and listen?"

He very much doubts that Verso will have any interest at all in actually being around the other citizens of the city. Maybe 'close enough to watch' will do.

wtf i wrote "an disapproving" please freeze the thread i'm so ashamed

[recreatable]

No, Verso doesn't have any interest in being around the other citizens of this city. In another world, he might have—Verso is nothing if not lonely and desperate for the sort of human attachments he eschews. But there's too much wrapped up in it: guilt, resentment, guilt again. He already feels all of those things enough with the people he already knows and loves. 'Making new friends' will never work.

All the same, he says, "Or we could actually go to the harbor and participate." He will happily go and be among people and pretend he's having a good time, if it's for Gustave.

no singing chickens for you

[superniceone]

Gustave gives him a slightly funny look, turning off the water at the sink; he'd assumed there was no shot Verso would want to participate in something like that. "Esquie hasn't given me those dancing lessons yet," he deflects after a pause. "So I'd probably be in over my head."

[recreatable]

Oh, there is no shot. But wanting to participate and being willing to participate are two very different things, and Verso is nothing if not willing to self-sacrifice. Gustave should be among his people, and he should be happy. If Verso suffering through socializing is what it takes, then—

"Luckily, I'm quite the dance teacher myself." A crooked smile, meant to be irresistibly charming. "I have many as-of-yet unknown talents."

[superniceone]

They're going to both be on the Harbor, miserable and pretending not to be because they think it's what the other person wants. Gustave laughs softly under his breath, conceding. "Fine. Let's go for a little while, then."

Dancing in public sounds absolutely fucking horrifying, thanks. "—I think Esquie might be there, actually," he realizes.

[recreatable]

He hopes that's true. Esquie has been the one big, fluffy constant in his life—someone he's always been able to depend on being there. Someone to go on adventures with, who always made him feel less lonely. Actually, he feels like he might be able to confide some of these feelings in Esquie, if not anyone else. It's difficult to bring Esquie down, whereas he always has to worry about making things unpleasant for anyone else.

However: "Is this your attempt at getting out of dance lessons with me?" He can't go back to Esquie now that Verso has offered!!

[superniceone]

Gustave is fully aware of the special relationship that Esquie and Verso have; he wonders if they've spoken much at all, or if he and Monoco both are just biding their time until Verso is ready to leave.

He scoffs, idly going to retrieve his shoes. "Sciel and Sophie both did their best with me. I'm afraid I'm a lost cause, mon chéri."