[ Maybe he'll go on a week-long bender, trying to put some distance between himself and his broken heart.
But he can't, and they all know it. He still has so much work to do on the latest iteration of the Lumina Converter, and he's scheduled to go out to the eastern farms with three of his apprentices in a few days to pilot their design for a high-yield crop harvester robust enough to work through multiple fields in a day while harvesting delicately enough to preserve the plants. ]
I think you'll hurl at the sight of a bottle, so... yeah.
[He's barely managing bread. She looks down at his hands, thoughtful.]
I thought you would marry her, some day. [You and everyone else that ever saw them, Maelle.] You both seemed so happy. I don't understand what happened.
[Maybe he doesn't, either. She's sure her remarks aren't helping him feel any better.]
[ He does feel sick: his head swims and there's a stabbing pain radiating through his temples. His stomach feels the way it did when he and Lucien and Catherine took a tour of Expedition 39's ship, out in the harbor. Everything... sloshing.
Maelle's comment doesn't help. His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows, and he sets the plate and glass aside so he can lean down and rest his elbows on his thighs, face in his hands. He is not, it turns out, too dehydrated for his eyes to prick once more with hot tears, though he wills them not to well out.
Muffled: ]
I thought so, too.
[ He hadn't just thought he would, he'd planned to. There was a ring, down at one of the jewelers in the market... it'll stay there, now. ]
[Oh. Maelle watches him, worried for a moment he may just get sick again, but it's actually worse than that. The sadness is threatening to overtake him. She reaches out to put a hand on his back, but a moment later thinks better of it and just scoots in closer to hug him.]
You always do what's best. Even if it hurts you. [He never complains about anything. So, maybe he earned the right to get absolutely trashed last night, and now he has the right to be sad. There's a lot to be sad about, and Sophie is a terrible loss, however it's happened.] It'll be okay.
[ She curls around him, small and warm, and he takes a deep breath, lifts a hand from his face so he can slip his arm around her, holding onto her like he used to hold onto his stuffed animals as a child. ]
Always, huh?
[ He certainly doesn't feel that way right now, but Maelle's looked at him with near-hero worship almost since she came to live with him and Emma. He'd rather flay himself alive than disappoint the belief she has in him, even on his worst days. Even today. ]
Yeah. It will.
[ It's an effort, but he manages to find a shadowed semblance of a smile for her. ]
How could I not be okay? I have you and Emma and my apprentices and my work. I'm a rich man.
[If Maelle is sure about anything, it's him. From the day they met, he felt like what she'd imagine home to feel like. It was such a strong and loud feeling, and it hasn't faded at all since. In fact, it's only grown. She adores him. It's there in the way she squeezes him, as if she could rid him of the heartache that way.]
We'll help you be okay. [Starting with this: keeping a hangover from taking him, and company so the sorrow doesn't suffocate him.] I don't have anywhere to be today. [And given that he's newly single--] Neither do you, so...
[ He grimaces, but she's right. He usual plans can safely be set to the side to begin gathering dust. ]
We could go down to the harbor.
[ It isn't yet being decorated for the Gommage or the festival, which he prefers. They'd still be staring out at the Monolith, too far away to hit with stones or even a shot from his pistol, but the sound of the waves might be soothing and he knows Maelle enjoys prowling among the ships. ]
Yeah? You think you can manage being out and about?
[It's a gentle tease, but with some real concern behind it. And what if, against all odds, they bump into Sophie? Or someone else that's curious about what happened decides to pry when Gustave seems a hair away from more tears?
Maelle doesn't want to have a bite record. The running away is already something she's trying to put behind her. Would it be worth it? Probably, yet...]
It's that or stay cooped up in here to wallow. And wait for Emma to come back and lay into me.
[ Emma will understand, when he tells her, but Maelle... Maelle is still so young. And she'd been an orphan, herself; he'd never quite been sure how to broach the topic with her, this dream of his, of children. A future past himself.
Who knows? She might agree with Sophie, that it's cruel to bring children into this world only to leave them a few short years later. ]
But no running along the rooftops this time, not unless you want me to lose my breakfast from five stories up.
cries about a timeline where gustave had kids and she gets to be a big sister
[Once he and Sophie became a thing, she did wonder. Long ago, people dated, wed, had children--grandchildren, even. It was simply what people did. But as time went on and there was no mention of children, Maelle simply assumed they had no interest. She could do the math, figure out how long they would have with a baby. Would that child become her responsibility, one day? To raise them in Gustave's stead? It was dizzying to ponder at such a young age, and now... she sees there would be no point. It didn't happen. Won't happen, now, given the time left to him.
It would make her sad to know it was something he longed for. He's a wonderful parent. The absolute best. As fortunate as she is to not have to share him, it's tragic that she's the only one to be raised by him.
Some time is better than no time at all.]
You're gross. [She says with a laugh.] No running. A slow walk, for your health. Emma will be impressed you got outside.
[ At least he can still make Maelle laugh. That's one small sliver of brightness to an otherwise gloom-ridden day. ]
Emma will just be happy I'm not making a mess of her living room.
[ His memories of the night before are... hazy... but he's reasonably sure it had involved stumbling around their home, stomach lurching, with a strong possibility of ruining the carpet or sofa.
He does his best to give her his usual teasing, disbelieving look. It falls a little flat, but maybe she won't mention it. It's far easier to rally for Maelle than it is for himself. ]
You can go slow? You could probably get there and back before I've even made it to the market.
[He's not himself. She can tell, even through the hangover. He's trying his best, of course. It didn't take long for Maelle to realize that he always put her first, protecting her from worry. But worry is inevitable when you care for someone.
He'll be okay. He may not have Sophie, but he has her and Emma.
Maelle leans into him harder. She has to remind herself to not jostle him too much, lest she want to see him make a mess.]
I have to make sure you don't pass out on a bench. I'll go slow.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ Maybe he'll go on a week-long bender, trying to put some distance between himself and his broken heart.
But he can't, and they all know it. He still has so much work to do on the latest iteration of the Lumina Converter, and he's scheduled to go out to the eastern farms with three of his apprentices in a few days to pilot their design for a high-yield crop harvester robust enough to work through multiple fields in a day while harvesting delicately enough to preserve the plants. ]
Water's probably a good choice for right now.
no subject
[He's barely managing bread. She looks down at his hands, thoughtful.]
I thought you would marry her, some day. [You and everyone else that ever saw them, Maelle.] You both seemed so happy. I don't understand what happened.
[Maybe he doesn't, either. She's sure her remarks aren't helping him feel any better.]
... are you really sure it's over, Gustave?
no subject
[ He does feel sick: his head swims and there's a stabbing pain radiating through his temples. His stomach feels the way it did when he and Lucien and Catherine took a tour of Expedition 39's ship, out in the harbor. Everything... sloshing.
Maelle's comment doesn't help. His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows, and he sets the plate and glass aside so he can lean down and rest his elbows on his thighs, face in his hands. He is not, it turns out, too dehydrated for his eyes to prick once more with hot tears, though he wills them not to well out.
Muffled: ]
I thought so, too.
[ He hadn't just thought he would, he'd planned to. There was a ring, down at one of the jewelers in the market... it'll stay there, now. ]
But I'm sure. We need to... go our separate ways.
no subject
You always do what's best. Even if it hurts you. [He never complains about anything. So, maybe he earned the right to get absolutely trashed last night, and now he has the right to be sad. There's a lot to be sad about, and Sophie is a terrible loss, however it's happened.] It'll be okay.
no subject
Always, huh?
[ He certainly doesn't feel that way right now, but Maelle's looked at him with near-hero worship almost since she came to live with him and Emma. He'd rather flay himself alive than disappoint the belief she has in him, even on his worst days. Even today. ]
Yeah. It will.
[ It's an effort, but he manages to find a shadowed semblance of a smile for her. ]
How could I not be okay? I have you and Emma and my apprentices and my work. I'm a rich man.
no subject
[If Maelle is sure about anything, it's him. From the day they met, he felt like what she'd imagine home to feel like. It was such a strong and loud feeling, and it hasn't faded at all since. In fact, it's only grown. She adores him. It's there in the way she squeezes him, as if she could rid him of the heartache that way.]
We'll help you be okay. [Starting with this: keeping a hangover from taking him, and company so the sorrow doesn't suffocate him.] I don't have anywhere to be today. [And given that he's newly single--] Neither do you, so...
no subject
We could go down to the harbor.
[ It isn't yet being decorated for the Gommage or the festival, which he prefers. They'd still be staring out at the Monolith, too far away to hit with stones or even a shot from his pistol, but the sound of the waves might be soothing and he knows Maelle enjoys prowling among the ships. ]
The fresh air might help.
no subject
[It's a gentle tease, but with some real concern behind it. And what if, against all odds, they bump into Sophie? Or someone else that's curious about what happened decides to pry when Gustave seems a hair away from more tears?
Maelle doesn't want to have a bite record. The running away is already something she's trying to put behind her. Would it be worth it? Probably, yet...]
I'm in if you are.
[She'll protect him.]
no subject
[ Emma will understand, when he tells her, but Maelle... Maelle is still so young. And she'd been an orphan, herself; he'd never quite been sure how to broach the topic with her, this dream of his, of children. A future past himself.
Who knows? She might agree with Sophie, that it's cruel to bring children into this world only to leave them a few short years later. ]
But no running along the rooftops this time, not unless you want me to lose my breakfast from five stories up.
cries about a timeline where gustave had kids and she gets to be a big sister
It would make her sad to know it was something he longed for. He's a wonderful parent. The absolute best. As fortunate as she is to not have to share him, it's tragic that she's the only one to be raised by him.
Some time is better than no time at all.]
You're gross. [She says with a laugh.] No running. A slow walk, for your health. Emma will be impressed you got outside.
they would both love it so much!!
Emma will just be happy I'm not making a mess of her living room.
[ His memories of the night before are... hazy... but he's reasonably sure it had involved stumbling around their home, stomach lurching, with a strong possibility of ruining the carpet or sofa.
He does his best to give her his usual teasing, disbelieving look. It falls a little flat, but maybe she won't mention it. It's far easier to rally for Maelle than it is for himself. ]
You can go slow? You could probably get there and back before I've even made it to the market.
no subject
He'll be okay. He may not have Sophie, but he has her and Emma.
Maelle leans into him harder. She has to remind herself to not jostle him too much, lest she want to see him make a mess.]
I have to make sure you don't pass out on a bench. I'll go slow.