[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]

[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?

[palissant]

[The pause is telling.]

Maybe once.