[TLV] IC Inbox

[palissant]

[No response can be gained via comms. He isn't interested in making himself available that way.

If you want him, come find him.]

Comments

[superniceone]

[seeing old lumière firsthand is— well, basically a dream for him. but it's not firsthand, not really, so he'll tamp down his own opinion about the matter.]

If I'm driving, then you're navigating. Which way?

[palissant]

[He knows Gustave wants to see Lumiére in its prime. Before its heart was ripped out and before it was destroyed utterly by Simon's rampage. Yet, still, he... thinks about it.

He thinks about it because he's not sure if his own heart can take it.

But... he sighs quietly, and faintly smiles.]

... Go right.

[superniceone]

[gustave doesn't know verso well enough yet to know the shape of his baggage — but he's aware of the pause, can hear the little sigh, and he makes an executive decision to steer the train left.]

Sorry. Took too long, had to make an executive decision.

[palissant]

[A soft grunt. He lightly cuffs the back of Gustave's head.]

Hope you brought your swim gear.

[superniceone]

Not a chance. I'll burn to a crisp. [it's wry, irreverent. he doubts sunburn is an actual concern here, but he's also less than jazzed about visiting the coast. he's not had great luck near the water on the continent.]

[palissant]

You look like the kind of person who would have all their freckles join up in the sun.

[Just saying.]

[superniceone]

[gustave turns in his seat to squint at him.]

I genuinely have no idea if that's a compliment or an insult.

[palissant]

[Grin.]

A completely harmless observation.

[superniceone]

Doubt we'll get much sun on the Barge. It'll have to remain a mystery. [he's... never really paid enough attention to his own reflection to know if that's a thing or not :')]

[palissant]

Tragic.

[Verso is not one of those people. He tans.]

Getting up to speed, pull the Johnson bar back, but not all the way.

[superniceone]

[look, gustave is just here to fill the scrawny nerd quota.

but he follows the instructions before flicking his eyes back to the window.] You've got a knack for instruction.

[palissant]

I'm really old.

[So, you know, experience.]

You get used to giving instructions to people who don't know the things you know. Especially when it comes to trains.

[superniceone]

Right, right. Easy to forget. You don't look a day over sixty, for the record.

[gustave won't admit this under pain of death


but he's definitely gonna come back to drive more trains]

[palissant]

Oh, yeah, it's the white hair isn't it.

[He gives his hair a brief flick.]

I could tell you a secret.

[superniceone]

[and, when he's sure he doesn't need to immediately tend to the controls again, he twists in his seat to look at verso with his eyebrows up.]

Go ahead, then, you've got me curious.

[palissant]

[Leaning by the window, Verso thiiiiiinks about it.]

I dye my hair. It's entirely white.

[superniceone]

[gustave stares at him for a moment, deciding not to ask the first question that comes to mind: does he dye his beard too??]

So the streak—

[he sort of waves at his own hair, as if to indicate verso's.] This is— fashion?

[palissant]

[Best not to ask.]

Gestral fashion.

[He has to shoo them away from actual styling.]

They don't do too badly if they have strict instructions.

[superniceone]

[he can't help the way he actually looks horrified here.]

You let a gestral dye your hair?

[palissant]

[Verso laughs.]

They can manage simple tasks! You just can't give them creative freedom. They're like children.

[superniceone]

I've never met a child eager to rip my arm off for parts. [he's so!! beleaguered!!!!]

[palissant]

[Don't mind the glance he gives to your arm, Gustave.]

They wouldn't have actually done that. Probably.

[superniceone]

[gustave isn't self-conscious at all about the arm, so he really doesn't mind the glance. he will frown!! though!!!!]

Optimistic of you.

[palissant]

I've spent a long time with the gestrals. I like to think I know how they operate. Mostly.

[Look, he's not going to promise anything...]

[superniceone]

[gustave has spent... less time with gestrals, but still.]

And you've never once wound up with pink hair?