WHO: Expedition 33 (Gustave, Maelle, Sciel, and Verso) WHEN: post-mingle, pre-mission WHERE: the apartments WHAT: the remaining members of Expedition 33 NOTES\WARNINGS: spoilers for Acts 1&2 of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
"Thank you." He can't help but make a bit of a face about being told that he wouldn't be him if he wasn't odd, but he accepts it all the same. And the face he makes is more comically accepting than anything else.
"I've met people. I don't know if they're friends." An honest answer to a complicated subject for him. People enjoy his company but he knows that he keeps a distance with almost everyone that he knows. "We're just friendly acquaintances, at best."
Maelle presses her lips together in favor of frowning. Verso, asking the difficult questions.
"Not really. I haven't gone out much," she says honestly. And when she does, she's often glued to Gustave's side, unwilling to go too far for too long. She shrugs.
He, at least, understands why she wouldn't. 'Course, he does humor the idea of telling her that she met him just fine, but that doesn't seem like the right thing to say.
"Still, it's a fairly big place. Not as big as the Continent but reasonably sized." His smile widens as he shifts so that he can properly look at her, again. "I hope you'll be able to go out when you feel up to it."
Better to put it like that, he thinks, than push to meet people. People will be there as she goes to be part of the world, after all.
Verso's no idiot. She knows he can guess why she hasn't been itching to go out and explore on her own, or approach too many people. Why, when she's just gotten Gustave back? How could she ever peel herself from his side, or willingly choose to approach a stranger on her own?
She decides to be honest.
"... it's difficult to be away from Gustave. I can't stop worrying something might happen."
Not that her being there would make a difference. It didn't last time.
He isn't sure if he can give her any reassurances and in truth, he knows he shouldn't. The fears she shouldn't be reassured away; he tips his chin down as he agrees with himself on a few points.
"And that's all right." To be afraid, to need time until she feels safe, until she feels like he'll be safe. It might awhile but he doesn't see why that has to be rushed.
Everything takes time.
"Don't feel pressured about being away from him until you feel ready." While he can't say that he's completely happy with offering this out for her, he also feels like he forced a lot on her without her even knowing. So, this is the least he can do.
"Everything will still be out there waiting for you, yeah?"
It's strange to feel like she wants to stay put. The apartment, bare and empty save for the people she cares about, is enough. More than enough.
"... what if I never feel ready?" She asks, regarding Verso with a gaze that searches for some piece of wisdom or advice. Even now, sitting comfortably with Verso, some part of her frets.
If they have so much time before them, she can't spend every moment with Gustave. She knows she needs to learn to be okay, trust that he won't disappear (in a different way than she worries Verso might disappear, one unwillingly and one willingly), but it feels impossible.
"You will." This time he does feel like he should reassure her of his hope.
His head does its little bob before he adds, "Gustave also would want you to eventually be part of the world, I'm sure." From the stories that he heard of him, he believes that much about him, as well. He wouldn't want Maelle to be stunted or locked away in fear of the unknown -- unknown of what could happen to loved ones or herself.
"But you also don't need to rush it." Warmer: "You'll get there."
You'll get there. The patience in the words makes her smile, but that might just be the relief. She doesn't itch to get away anymore. Not after losing Gustave. She's happy to stay put.
"You sound very optimistic for someone who hasn't known me very long," Maelle says wryly. "Strange, if you ask me."
"True," she agrees. "Like, actually the strangest person I've ever met."
Immortal, a century old, and constantly hiding the truth in one way or another. Not someone Maelle would ever imagine hanging out with, let alone caring about as much as she does, but here they are.
"And when you meet someone stranger, I truly will be heartbroken."
He clasps both of his hands against his chest like he has been struck. Leaning to the side, he continues to act out being shot before sitting properly on the piano stool.
"You feeling a little better about--" The usual head bob. "--things?"
Of course. Maelle motions between them again, the first thing she'll address.
"I am feeling better. You're strange, but I don't want things to be weird between us."
As if there hasn't been some strange feeling there since they met, one Maelle attributes to how horrific their first encounter was and the fact Verso is... well, weird.
"I understand." A little smile. "I'll do my best to keep things just me strange and not weird."
It's his way of taking accountability for having troubled Maelle, as well. The least he can do in this place is ensure that the relationships she has doesn't feel strained in any way. He should have thought of that first, but could only panic at her feelings.
A panic that she wouldn't understand, and if he's successful, he hopes she never understands where his reaction truly comes from.
"Me, too." No more family talk, even if that's what he feels like to her. Not like Gustave, father and brother and everything she needs all in one, but simply someone she's comfortable with and cares about. That part isn't complicated.
"It isn't." He says; he promises. It isn't that far.
Verso does think of saying that she's welcome to come in whenever she feels, but he pauses almost immediately at offering. His chin lifts as he thinks how that would be very bad actually if she were to visit while he's entertaining.
"Anyway, you're always welcome here, so just knock and I'll let you in. Always."
"It can also be unrespectable if you're truly in need, too."
Since she'll always knock, he doesn't need to worry that much. He thinks -- it certainly would make for a humorous story between a few people, at least. Still, he thinks even those that wouldn't find it funny would be understanding.
A brief frown before he smiles. He'd like to give her that option, as well, but fairly sure Sciel and Gustave will be able to be for her first. Regardless, she should have that sense of safety and security.
Maybe that's wrong with what he's trying to do for her, but well, he still believes in her.
She watches him frown, thinking, but smiles when he does. "Unrespectable will be for emergency purposes, only. And the same goes for you too, you know? Even if things between you and Gustave are..."
Both hands lift and drop back down on her lap. Tense? Who knows. She shrugs and continues.
"Whatever they are, we are just a few doors down. If you need help, or something's wrong, Gustave would want to help. He'd want you to come to us."
Will he actually do anything if an emergency happens? He isn't quite sure, honestly. However, he does think that he has to acquire his immortality back -- much to his chagrin. It's needed more than anything that he wants; he'll be able to do more once it's back. At the moment, all he can do is bluff his way out of any situation.
She won't make him pinky swear on this one, but she does hope he's telling the truth.
"What do you think about that mission coming up?" If there's trouble, it seems like it'll happen then. She feels alarmingly numb at the prospect of going somewhere, searching for answers, because the last time didn't go so well. Before the Expedition, she would have been thrilled, she thinks.
"I think it's quite vague and it means that a lot could happen."
It's best to be honest about his feelings than give any of them false bravado. He remembers what she said before and he feels the same; he misses the days when he knew everything ahead of everyone else.
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"I've met people. I don't know if they're friends." An honest answer to a complicated subject for him. People enjoy his company but he knows that he keeps a distance with almost everyone that he knows. "We're just friendly acquaintances, at best."
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"Family is complicated. Friends shouldn't be."
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His head tilts back toward her as he agrees partially with her statement. "Met any people that you've taken any liking to?"
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"Not really. I haven't gone out much," she says honestly. And when she does, she's often glued to Gustave's side, unwilling to go too far for too long. She shrugs.
"I've never been very good at meeting people."
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He, at least, understands why she wouldn't. 'Course, he does humor the idea of telling her that she met him just fine, but that doesn't seem like the right thing to say.
"Still, it's a fairly big place. Not as big as the Continent but reasonably sized." His smile widens as he shifts so that he can properly look at her, again. "I hope you'll be able to go out when you feel up to it."
Better to put it like that, he thinks, than push to meet people. People will be there as she goes to be part of the world, after all.
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She decides to be honest.
"... it's difficult to be away from Gustave. I can't stop worrying something might happen."
Not that her being there would make a difference. It didn't last time.
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He isn't sure if he can give her any reassurances and in truth, he knows he shouldn't. The fears she shouldn't be reassured away; he tips his chin down as he agrees with himself on a few points.
"And that's all right." To be afraid, to need time until she feels safe, until she feels like he'll be safe. It might awhile but he doesn't see why that has to be rushed.
Everything takes time.
"Don't feel pressured about being away from him until you feel ready." While he can't say that he's completely happy with offering this out for her, he also feels like he forced a lot on her without her even knowing. So, this is the least he can do.
"Everything will still be out there waiting for you, yeah?"
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"... what if I never feel ready?" She asks, regarding Verso with a gaze that searches for some piece of wisdom or advice. Even now, sitting comfortably with Verso, some part of her frets.
If they have so much time before them, she can't spend every moment with Gustave. She knows she needs to learn to be okay, trust that he won't disappear (in a different way than she worries Verso might disappear, one unwillingly and one willingly), but it feels impossible.
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His head does its little bob before he adds, "Gustave also would want you to eventually be part of the world, I'm sure." From the stories that he heard of him, he believes that much about him, as well. He wouldn't want Maelle to be stunted or locked away in fear of the unknown -- unknown of what could happen to loved ones or herself.
"But you also don't need to rush it." Warmer: "You'll get there."
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"You sound very optimistic for someone who hasn't known me very long," Maelle says wryly. "Strange, if you ask me."
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Immortal, a century old, and constantly hiding the truth in one way or another. Not someone Maelle would ever imagine hanging out with, let alone caring about as much as she does, but here they are.
That just makes her stranger, too.
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He clasps both of his hands against his chest like he has been struck. Leaning to the side, he continues to act out being shot before sitting properly on the piano stool.
"You feeling a little better about--" The usual head bob. "--things?"
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"Things?" She asks, pointing to him and then herself, "Or things?"
She makes a broader motion.
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Verso copies her gesturing between the two of them before gesturing broadly.
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"I am feeling better. You're strange, but I don't want things to be weird between us."
As if there hasn't been some strange feeling there since they met, one Maelle attributes to how horrific their first encounter was and the fact Verso is... well, weird.
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It's his way of taking accountability for having troubled Maelle, as well. The least he can do in this place is ensure that the relationships she has doesn't feel strained in any way. He should have thought of that first, but could only panic at her feelings.
A panic that she wouldn't understand, and if he's successful, he hopes she never understands where his reaction truly comes from.
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"Down the hall isn't too far away."
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Verso does think of saying that she's welcome to come in whenever she feels, but he pauses almost immediately at offering. His chin lifts as he thinks how that would be very bad actually if she were to visit while he's entertaining.
"Anyway, you're always welcome here, so just knock and I'll let you in. Always."
Much better way to put that part.
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The invitation makes her happy. It feels more stable and solid than it did before, when he first told her he'd be living here rather than with them.
"I'll keep it to respectable hours. Promise."
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Since she'll always knock, he doesn't need to worry that much. He thinks -- it certainly would make for a humorous story between a few people, at least. Still, he thinks even those that wouldn't find it funny would be understanding.
A brief frown before he smiles. He'd like to give her that option, as well, but fairly sure Sciel and Gustave will be able to be for her first. Regardless, she should have that sense of safety and security.
Maybe that's wrong with what he's trying to do for her, but well, he still believes in her.
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Both hands lift and drop back down on her lap. Tense? Who knows. She shrugs and continues.
"Whatever they are, we are just a few doors down. If you need help, or something's wrong, Gustave would want to help. He'd want you to come to us."
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Will he actually do anything if an emergency happens? He isn't quite sure, honestly. However, he does think that he has to acquire his immortality back -- much to his chagrin. It's needed more than anything that he wants; he'll be able to do more once it's back. At the moment, all he can do is bluff his way out of any situation.
"I know. I'll come if I'm in trouble."
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"What do you think about that mission coming up?" If there's trouble, it seems like it'll happen then. She feels alarmingly numb at the prospect of going somewhere, searching for answers, because the last time didn't go so well. Before the Expedition, she would have been thrilled, she thinks.
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It's best to be honest about his feelings than give any of them false bravado. He remembers what she said before and he feels the same; he misses the days when he knew everything ahead of everyone else.
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