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
She does feel guilty. Even stepping away from Gustave to have this conversation feels wrong, in a way. And she doubts Verso is entirely sincere in his words.
"I always thought you and Gustave would be fast friends."
Gustave got along with nearly everyone. Or so she thought. That conversation earlier has rattled her, expectations met with an ugly reality: Gustave doesn't trust Verso.
"Well--" His shoulders give a little shrug as he isn't quite sure how to respond.
"It's all right, though. We'll eventually figure it out." Verso isn't sure if that's true. It may just be comforting words for Maelle so she doesn't have to worry.
They may only end up being cordial with each other than anything close.
Verso wants to say, does he now? But he knows better, knows he won't say it.
His eyes search hers; he feels that cognitive disconnect. He feels how his heart lurches and aches at seeing her upset. She loves you. She really does.
Verso gives her a little smile as he nods along. "I will. I'll tell him."
"It's all right. You don't have to do all that for me, Maelle."
Although, he wonders if it'll be considered voluntarily giving information if someone has to ask him. But he'll leave that point aside; he understands where her heart is, and that is what matters.
"I know." A pause. "It shouldn't have happened."
There is no "but" to add to that statement, because it is the truth.
"I'll volunteer more than what you're asking me to, as well." He smiles, small, reassuring. But he's certain there will still be omissions to what he says. Yet that's not something for her to worry about; it's not something she should burden herself with, at all.
Another pause. "Anyway, you're right... none of it is something you're all used to, but I do want this new chance for you to be one where you're happy. I also know to get there... it'll take some time."
"I want you to be happy, too. Even if Renoir is here and things are difficult with Gustave. You have me and Sciel. I know I don't have to do anything for you, but I want to."
She gives him a small smile in return. She's sure Sciel has given him a pep talk, and Maelle isn't very good at them, anyway.
"Gustave is my family, but so are you. Sciel, too."
She knows families don't always get along--as Verso is painfully aware, she's sure--but she hopes that maybe one day this one can. They all deserve it.
It's an odd feeling to be called her family. His eyes drift away as he doesn't think that would be good for her in the long run; yet he doesn't know if he has it in him to hurt her. But a laugh sneaks its way out his nose; he's already hurt her in ways that she'll never know.
Or perhaps, one day, she will know all the ways he's betrayed her trust.
"You haven't known me for that long." He uses words he heard earlier, uses them here, even though they were spoken kindly, sympathetically. "Gustave and Sciel are yours. You shouldn't place me as high as they are."
It's not fair. It's not fair to them, to him. To him.
Kneeling down, he looks up at her as he did once before. "You don't have to do that for the two of us to remain close, Maelle. I'll still be here, okay?"
It's a gentle rejection, but there's no masking the hurt in Maelle's eyes. An overstep on her part, and she feels equal parts embarrassed and childish.
She felt like she's known Verso for much longer than the span of their broken Expedition. She blinks, swallows, and takes a step back. Get up, please, she nearly says, but clears her throat instead.
Verso notes the heard in her eyes, but he has to swallow down the desire to console her. If one day the veil lifts, he doesn't want to be the reason she's tied down.
His hand flexes involuntarily like he will reach out to take her hand to apologize, but he stills that want, as well. It's all right. He doesn't say. He can't say --
-- "Hey." He calls after, like the step is too far. "I meant what I said before about you being our heart." Resting his hand on his knee, he slowly rises.
He breathes out, realizes that he hasn't been breathing at all.
"It's just... family's complicated for me." And you're more important than that to me. "I'm sorry, Maelle."
"You don't have to say 'sorry.'" He does shift so that he can look at the wall rather than at her; doing his best not to add to her embarrassment. It's understandable. She offered him something so precious and he has to turn it down -- for her, for him, for him.
He doesn't have any right to take any more places that were never meant for him. You didn't do anything wrong.
"I think you do quite well with people. You're better at it than you think." He smiles at the wall rather than at her. "The wall agrees with me."
"I don't know who you've been traveling with all this time, but it's not me," Maelle laughs, self-deprecating. She doesn't get most people and she's not the heart of the party. That was always Gustave, on both counts. Gustave wouldn't embarrass himself like this. He would know how to read the room.
All the wall has seen is her making a fool out of herself, and she crosses her arms as she stares at it.
"It is you." Verso corrects her readily. It is how he sees her even if she doesn't see that herself. Maybe it's because of the Axon that she's never seen. He also wants to see her fly; he believes in her and her chance here. Everything before, he's been trying to prepare her but it feels like he might have to start from scratch.
At least it's easier to have the conversation with the wall than looking at her.
"You don't need me, Maelle. You never did." A little smile that he offers the wall ahead of him. "I truly believe you all could've done it on your own... I only lent a hand but that power was yours and that Lumina Converter. It was Gustave that really did everything. I just was filling in his place -- and now he's here."
He holds his index finger up, swinging it lightly in the air. "But I will be around playing my songs whenever you need to hear one, yeah?"
Maelle's mouth hangs open, ready to argue and point out that this is a miserable time to start an argument, but each statement makes the crease between her brows deepen more and more.
"You weren't a replacement for Gustave," she says, finally, because that's what bothers her the most. He could never be a replacement for Gustave. It's insulting, and Maelle struggles to find the words without being hurtful. "You're not some... some wind-up toy, here to play a tune when I'm bored. You're Verso. And I.. I don't understand why you keep trying to get away."
Because that's what this feels like.
"Do you want us to leave you alone?" No. The real question: "Do you want me to leave you alone?"
Verso tries not to click his tongue as he said more than he meant to say. He realizes he let too much of what he believed out as he tried to reassure her. But something inside of him does feel soothed to hear that he wasn't a replacement; he feels something ease but something else tremble and hurt.
His jaw works side-to-side. It doesn't matter what's inside him.
"No, I don't want you to leave me alone." He almost smiles to himself. It's a shadow of the feeling as he adds: "I chose your side and I don't regret that at all."
Shifting on one foot, he pivots so that he is facing her once more. His arms drop down at his side; his fingers lightly twitching. "But I understand right now I hurt those that I deeply care about, and that's not fair to you, to Sciel, to Gustave." A warmer smile.
A step closer to her and holds his hand out to her. "None of you did anything wrong. I'm only wanting to make space for you all to be able to heal together. Okay?"
She looks at him, frowning. She wishes he wouldn't smile. She's seen what a true smile is from Verso, and she doesn't think this is it. It just unsettles her.
Maelle's eyes drop to his hand. She doesn't reach for it. She looks back up to Verso's face.
"You have a bad habit of disappearing on people." Regardless of what he says.
"I do." It's best to just admit that much than act otherwise.
"That's why I want you to know that--" He points over her shoulder, like it'll be a proper indicator. "--I'm going to be living just right down the hall from you all."
Certainly, it was Sciel's idea but he agrees with it. This seems like a good way to segue into that explanation with Maelle. He wonders if she would feel troubled if it was someone else's idea, but he thinks this might be the best way forward.
"Because it's like I said, I just want you all to have the space to recover and heal." Another smile follows. "And Gustave and I will figure things out. I'm sure of it." He isn't. He shouldn't lie so blatantly. But he hopes that they'll figure something out, but that'll be on the man's terms rather than his own.
"Then we'll see about letting me come back." He teases softly. "I am the unfortunate stray that you all happened to come across."
"It's not across the continent. I'm still quite close."
He gives her another smile; he steals the words from Sciel yet again. Sciel and Maelle want him to still be with them; he appreciates the reassurance. And it was briefly nice to be invited in, but he agrees it isn't where he's needed right now. And he doesn't think that's wrong. It's not wrong when he knows the truth of things.
"You can come wake me up every morning, even." His eyebrows lift. "Or perhaps, I'll play some music loud enough to disrupt all the neighbors."
A casual reminder, a casual joke. He reaches out so that he could give her shoulder a little squeeze. It's about time that he headed down the hall to look at the new place he'll live. His smile is filled with fondness, because --
-- well, there is no because, he simply does feel that way.
Maelle thinks about brushing him off, because if he finds being considered family so offensive, he shouldn't touch her. But even she can recognize she's just sore, and she doesn't want to make things worse, so Maelle allows it. He's about to make an exit.
Distantly, she wonders what life would be like had they not been hit by the Gommage. Would Verso have found a place to live in Lumiere? Would he ever be comfortable there? Would she? Lumiere without Gustave was bleak, and she's not sure how she could ever endure Emma's grief or the tears of his apprentices, so maybe in the end the Continent would have been the only answer for her. Maybe Verso, too.
She doesn't know and it's pointless to dwell on it now. Maelle steps back and away, so Verso won't have to move around her when he goes.
"'Course you will. Every day, even. We will still be neighbors."
He does what he can to keep his voice as easy as before; his smile returns. However, he did share a bit too much with her rather than take away her guilt and burdens. It came out wrong, and he knew it's because of how he feels off-put by Gustave. Although, that isn't the man's fault; he doesn't think that he could find reason to blame him for anything, anyway.
Another light pat -- this time in the air, close to where she is -- and he slips past her to exit the apartment.
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"I always thought you and Gustave would be fast friends."
Gustave got along with nearly everyone. Or so she thought. That conversation earlier has rattled her, expectations met with an ugly reality: Gustave doesn't trust Verso.
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"It's all right, though. We'll eventually figure it out." Verso isn't sure if that's true. It may just be comforting words for Maelle so she doesn't have to worry.
They may only end up being cordial with each other than anything close.
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"You need to tell him about the Paintress," she says quietly, eyes searching his. "I haven't told him. He needs to know that, too."
If there's any hope for them.
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His eyes search hers; he feels that cognitive disconnect. He feels how his heart lurches and aches at seeing her upset. She loves you. She really does.
Verso gives her a little smile as he nods along. "I will. I'll tell him."
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Maelle frowns. She feels like she's disappointing someone no matter who she speaks honestly to, now. It's strange.
"He's just... not used to it. I mean, outside of you, none of us really have experience with dying and coming back. And for him, it was..."
Bad. Verso saw it.
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Although, he wonders if it'll be considered voluntarily giving information if someone has to ask him. But he'll leave that point aside; he understands where her heart is, and that is what matters.
"I know." A pause. "It shouldn't have happened."
There is no "but" to add to that statement, because it is the truth.
"I'll volunteer more than what you're asking me to, as well." He smiles, small, reassuring. But he's certain there will still be omissions to what he says. Yet that's not something for her to worry about; it's not something she should burden herself with, at all.
Another pause. "Anyway, you're right... none of it is something you're all used to, but I do want this new chance for you to be one where you're happy. I also know to get there... it'll take some time."
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She gives him a small smile in return. She's sure Sciel has given him a pep talk, and Maelle isn't very good at them, anyway.
"Gustave is my family, but so are you. Sciel, too."
She knows families don't always get along--as Verso is painfully aware, she's sure--but she hopes that maybe one day this one can. They all deserve it.
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Or perhaps, one day, she will know all the ways he's betrayed her trust.
"You haven't known me for that long." He uses words he heard earlier, uses them here, even though they were spoken kindly, sympathetically. "Gustave and Sciel are yours. You shouldn't place me as high as they are."
It's not fair. It's not fair to them, to him. To him.
Kneeling down, he looks up at her as he did once before. "You don't have to do that for the two of us to remain close, Maelle. I'll still be here, okay?"
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She felt like she's known Verso for much longer than the span of their broken Expedition. She blinks, swallows, and takes a step back. Get up, please, she nearly says, but clears her throat instead.
"Yeah. Okay."
Maybe they just forget she said that at all.
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His hand flexes involuntarily like he will reach out to take her hand to apologize, but he stills that want, as well. It's all right. He doesn't say. He can't say --
-- "Hey." He calls after, like the step is too far. "I meant what I said before about you being our heart." Resting his hand on his knee, he slowly rises.
He breathes out, realizes that he hasn't been breathing at all.
"It's just... family's complicated for me." And you're more important than that to me. "I'm sorry, Maelle."
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"I get it," she says. "I'm sorry. I don't know if you've noticed this yet, but I'm not really good with people."
She forces a laugh, awkwardly lifting and dropping her arms. Her face feels like it's on fire.
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He doesn't have any right to take any more places that were never meant for him. You didn't do anything wrong.
"I think you do quite well with people. You're better at it than you think." He smiles at the wall rather than at her. "The wall agrees with me."
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All the wall has seen is her making a fool out of herself, and she crosses her arms as she stares at it.
"Guess we both misunderstood."
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At least it's easier to have the conversation with the wall than looking at her.
"You don't need me, Maelle. You never did." A little smile that he offers the wall ahead of him. "I truly believe you all could've done it on your own... I only lent a hand but that power was yours and that Lumina Converter. It was Gustave that really did everything. I just was filling in his place -- and now he's here."
He holds his index finger up, swinging it lightly in the air. "But I will be around playing my songs whenever you need to hear one, yeah?"
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"You weren't a replacement for Gustave," she says, finally, because that's what bothers her the most. He could never be a replacement for Gustave. It's insulting, and Maelle struggles to find the words without being hurtful. "You're not some... some wind-up toy, here to play a tune when I'm bored. You're Verso. And I.. I don't understand why you keep trying to get away."
Because that's what this feels like.
"Do you want us to leave you alone?" No. The real question: "Do you want me to leave you alone?"
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His jaw works side-to-side. It doesn't matter what's inside him.
"No, I don't want you to leave me alone." He almost smiles to himself. It's a shadow of the feeling as he adds: "I chose your side and I don't regret that at all."
Shifting on one foot, he pivots so that he is facing her once more. His arms drop down at his side; his fingers lightly twitching. "But I understand right now I hurt those that I deeply care about, and that's not fair to you, to Sciel, to Gustave." A warmer smile.
A step closer to her and holds his hand out to her. "None of you did anything wrong. I'm only wanting to make space for you all to be able to heal together. Okay?"
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Maelle's eyes drop to his hand. She doesn't reach for it. She looks back up to Verso's face.
"You have a bad habit of disappearing on people." Regardless of what he says.
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"That's why I want you to know that--" He points over her shoulder, like it'll be a proper indicator. "--I'm going to be living just right down the hall from you all."
Certainly, it was Sciel's idea but he agrees with it. This seems like a good way to segue into that explanation with Maelle. He wonders if she would feel troubled if it was someone else's idea, but he thinks this might be the best way forward.
"Because it's like I said, I just want you all to have the space to recover and heal." Another smile follows. "And Gustave and I will figure things out. I'm sure of it." He isn't. He shouldn't lie so blatantly. But he hopes that they'll figure something out, but that'll be on the man's terms rather than his own.
"Then we'll see about letting me come back." He teases softly. "I am the unfortunate stray that you all happened to come across."
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"Okay."
Maybe this way they can forget what she said. He and Gustave may never get along, and if so, it's better for them all to be apart.
"If you say so."
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He gives her another smile; he steals the words from Sciel yet again. Sciel and Maelle want him to still be with them; he appreciates the reassurance. And it was briefly nice to be invited in, but he agrees it isn't where he's needed right now. And he doesn't think that's wrong. It's not wrong when he knows the truth of things.
"You can come wake me up every morning, even." His eyebrows lift. "Or perhaps, I'll play some music loud enough to disrupt all the neighbors."
He tosses out a quick chuckle.
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"Yeah," she agrees simply to not leave him hanging. "But I don't think anyone would be upset to hear your piano."
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A casual reminder, a casual joke. He reaches out so that he could give her shoulder a little squeeze. It's about time that he headed down the hall to look at the new place he'll live. His smile is filled with fondness, because --
-- well, there is no because, he simply does feel that way.
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Distantly, she wonders what life would be like had they not been hit by the Gommage. Would Verso have found a place to live in Lumiere? Would he ever be comfortable there? Would she? Lumiere without Gustave was bleak, and she's not sure how she could ever endure Emma's grief or the tears of his apprentices, so maybe in the end the Continent would have been the only answer for her. Maybe Verso, too.
She doesn't know and it's pointless to dwell on it now. Maelle steps back and away, so Verso won't have to move around her when he goes.
"Guess I'll see you around."
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He does what he can to keep his voice as easy as before; his smile returns. However, he did share a bit too much with her rather than take away her guilt and burdens. It came out wrong, and he knew it's because of how he feels off-put by Gustave. Although, that isn't the man's fault; he doesn't think that he could find reason to blame him for anything, anyway.
Another light pat -- this time in the air, close to where she is -- and he slips past her to exit the apartment.