"Yeah, kiddo. I'll see you at home." Gustave gives Maelle's shoulder a little squeeze, and she's mollified for now. It's true that their... thing is still kind of weird, but they're both good men who mean the world to her— so, whatever, as long as they're happy.
And, privately, she wouldn't mind if they started spending more of their time at their house instead of Verso's. Having her whole family in arm's reach again was the ideal.
Gustave nods for Verso to follow him, his pace casual, and he won't elucidate until Maelle is way outside of any possible hearing distance. "I was hoping to get your opinion on how much it'd be practical to bring," he confesses. "I can't pack the whole thing up, as much as I'd like to."
Yeah, that would explain why Gustave didn't want Maelle around. Verso wonders for a moment if it's weighing on Gustave to have to keep this secret from her; for him, it's just another in one long line of secrets, but surely Gustave's relationship with her has been based in more authenticity. He feels guilty, but not guilty enough to come clean to Maelle before the last second.
"And here I thought you were so attracted to my art prowess that you needed to get me alone instantly," he remarks, dryly.
"There's hardly a dearth of load-bearing surfaces at the workshop," Gustave says, his tone equally dry. He casts a quick sidelong glance at him. "And you know nothing gets me going as much as planning logistics."
It's a weird thing, knowing he's down so bad for Verso that he's actually willing to defile his workshop for him if he seemed to suggest in earnest that's what he wanted to do there. Instead of mentioning that, he just leans in to take hold of his hand, casual.
It feels good, but he still has to shake off residual strangeness when Gustave is openly affectionate in this way. There'd been such a long stretch of time in which there hadn't been any affection outside of sex at all, and even once there had been, it had been faltering and awkward and unsure. Then again, the whole relationship had been faltering and awkward and unsure then. How very odd to have any confidence in the fact that Gustave isn't going to wake up and realize what a huge mistake he's making, now.
(That probably says more about Gustave's low standards than about the strength of their relationship, but whatever.)
Feeling very bold, like he's doing something really radical, Verso squeezes Gustave's hand. "Yeah? I can be very detail-oriented."
There is an unavoidable anxiety still that Verso is going to, somehow, reveal that this is another long con. Another you're too distracting, or an after the paintress, though he can't imagine to what end. Realistically, they have to run out of secrets eventually—but Verso had nearly a century to stockpile them.
Walking through Lumière with Verso's hand in his own was easy. Trusting that it was going to last was less so. For years leading up to Expedition 33's departure, he'd reminded himself daily that not trying was the only way to guarantee failure; he finds himself holding onto that mindset now, but with Verso and in the hopes of finding a way to save Maelle's life.
"Oh, I know. It's what drew me to you in the first place," he says. He casts a sidelong glance at him, squeezing his fingers in turn and looking amused. "What did you talk to Maelle about?"
Not at all detail-oriented, he responds, "You know. Stuff."
Part of him feels embarrassed to tell Gustave the truth of their conversation; it had been so avoidant, more interested in keeping the peace—and keeping Maelle happy for just a few more days—than honesty. He hadn't lied. Not outright. But she'd definitely inferred a future for them all that he hadn't dissuaded her of.
"I just told her that I'm... finding ways to make my peace with her staying in the Canvas." He just didn't mention that the ways he's finding involve going far away from her. "She'd seemed happy." And of course he couldn't pop that bubble so soon. Not yet. Not until the last possible second.
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superniceone) wrote2025-06-23 06:53 pm
no subject
And, privately, she wouldn't mind if they started spending more of their time at their house instead of Verso's. Having her whole family in arm's reach again was the ideal.
Gustave nods for Verso to follow him, his pace casual, and he won't elucidate until Maelle is way outside of any possible hearing distance. "I was hoping to get your opinion on how much it'd be practical to bring," he confesses. "I can't pack the whole thing up, as much as I'd like to."
no subject
Yeah, that would explain why Gustave didn't want Maelle around. Verso wonders for a moment if it's weighing on Gustave to have to keep this secret from her; for him, it's just another in one long line of secrets, but surely Gustave's relationship with her has been based in more authenticity. He feels guilty, but not guilty enough to come clean to Maelle before the last second.
"And here I thought you were so attracted to my art prowess that you needed to get me alone instantly," he remarks, dryly.
no subject
It's a weird thing, knowing he's down so bad for Verso that he's actually willing to defile his workshop for him if he seemed to suggest in earnest that's what he wanted to do there. Instead of mentioning that, he just leans in to take hold of his hand, casual.
no subject
(That probably says more about Gustave's low standards than about the strength of their relationship, but whatever.)
Feeling very bold, like he's doing something really radical, Verso squeezes Gustave's hand. "Yeah? I can be very detail-oriented."
no subject
Walking through Lumière with Verso's hand in his own was easy. Trusting that it was going to last was less so. For years leading up to Expedition 33's departure, he'd reminded himself daily that not trying was the only way to guarantee failure; he finds himself holding onto that mindset now, but with Verso and in the hopes of finding a way to save Maelle's life.
"Oh, I know. It's what drew me to you in the first place," he says. He casts a sidelong glance at him, squeezing his fingers in turn and looking amused. "What did you talk to Maelle about?"
no subject
Part of him feels embarrassed to tell Gustave the truth of their conversation; it had been so avoidant, more interested in keeping the peace—and keeping Maelle happy for just a few more days—than honesty. He hadn't lied. Not outright. But she'd definitely inferred a future for them all that he hadn't dissuaded her of.
"I just told her that I'm... finding ways to make my peace with her staying in the Canvas." He just didn't mention that the ways he's finding involve going far away from her. "She'd seemed happy." And of course he couldn't pop that bubble so soon. Not yet. Not until the last possible second.