tomorrowcomes

⠀⠀⠀ノ  "  maelle  ?  "  /  "  gustave  ?  are  you  real  ?  "  and  then  the  SPIN.  HE  DOES.  WHEN  HE  HUGS  HER  AND  PICKS  HER  UP??
            
            the  gun  is  gonna  go  off.  godddd...  :(((  my  found  family.  i  am  desperately  missing  rn.

⠀⠀⠀ノ  i  get  so  nauseous  when  i  think  of  how  they  say  each  other's  names  so  tenderly.  that  was  his  daughter  chat  </3  give  him  back  to  her  omfg..

@luminairs   」⠀⠀⠀you  sound  like  you  didn't  expect  to  see  me  again.⠀⠀(  her  tone  was  light  as  alicia's  hands  slowed,     the  chroma  she'd  gathered  still  glowing  faintly  between  her  fingers,  )⠀⠀but  i  am  glad  too,  and  happy  to  have  a  familiar  face  with  me.⠀⠀even  if  i  don't  know  whether  i  should  call  you  agustin  or  gustave  anymore.⠀⠀(  a  lift  of  her  lips  as  she  looks  up  to  him.  )

⠀⠀(     gustave  watched  as  she  collected  the  chroma  from  the  other  expeditioner's  bodies,     feeling  that  weird  attachment  but  also  detachment  for  the  whole  situation.     )     maybe  so,     i  guess  it  just  had  to  turn  out  this  way.     i  am  glad  that  i  could  see  you,     even  if  it's  through  this  canvas.     and  speak  to  you.

@luminairs  」⠀⠀⠀maybe.  but  i  would  *much*  prefer  to  spend  my  time  writing.⠀⠀(  a  frown,  )⠀⠀but,  maman  certainly  seems  happy  when  i  improve.

@luminairs  」⠀⠀⠀clea  sent  you .ᐣ ⠀⠀(  her  voice  softened,     almost  despite  herself.  )⠀⠀why  would  she  send  you  back  to  me  after...⠀⠀(  she  couldn't  finish  it.⠀⠀⠀after  watching  him  die.  her  gaze  fell,     unable  to  remain  on  his  face  for  much  longer.     it  was  still  gustave's  face.     it  was  still  the  face  she  had  spent  so  long  calling  home,     no  matter  how  many  memories  now  told  her  that  agustin  had  been  there  long  before  him.  )⠀⠀⠀why  did  she  send  *you*  into  this  canvas  .ᐣ  i  don't  understand  why  she  would  send  you  for  our  family  affairs  .ᐣ
            
            ⠀⠀⠀ノ  he's  not  even  apart  of  this,,  let  him  be  free  !!!!   zendaya  hat  theory  but  it's  agustin  canvas  theory  </3

⠀⠀um—-     (     a  nervous  laugh  spills  out,     )     okay,     see  if  you  had  specific  questions  maybe  i  could  answer.     i  don't  know  how  much  of  what  your  sister  wants  me  to  say,     i. . .     i'm  / sorry /,     maelle.     you  have  to  believe  me  on  that.
            
            /*     he cant catch a breaaakkk clea pls sobs

@luminairs  」⠀⠀⠀how  am  i  able  to  understand  any  of  this,  gustave—-  tell  me  which  part  i'm  supposed  to  understand  .ᐣ  because  i  *don't*  ׅ⎖
            
            ⠀⠀⠀ノ  clea  when  i  catch  you  for  sending  that  poor  writer  back  into  the  canvas

@luminairs 」⠀⠀(   alicia  went  still  beneath  his  grasp,    the  frustrated  movement  dying  before  it  could  begin  again.  she  looked  up  to  him,     eyes  wide  behind  the  frustration  that  had  already  begun  to  sting  behind  them.  )⠀⠀then  how  am  i  supposed  to  make  them  do  what  i  want  .ᐣ  when  i  paint,    i  know  what  i'm  looking  at,    if  something  is  wrong,   i  can  fix  it  but  if  the  words  don't  listen  to  me...⠀⠀(...)⠀⠀how  do  i  know  when  i'm  doing  it  right  .ᐣ
            
            ⠀⠀⠀ノ  sighs  deeply.  it's  probably  the  first  time  she's  able  to  learn  something  at  her  own  pace  too  because  of  itttt  ughhhahsh

⠀⠀(     a  hand  reached  out  to  stop  her  ministrations,     grabbing  at  her  wrist.     eyes  looking  through  glasses  to  force  her  to  look  at  him.     )     i  think  that's  the  problem,     you  don't  command  the  words  like  you  do  with  paint.     it  doesn't  work  like  that.
            
            /*     UURRGHHH and w!gustave being so patient..... and helping her work through that...... ugh ughhhh

@luminairs  」⠀⠀⠀i  *know*  it  takes  time  ׅ⎖  it's  just—- ⠀⠀⠀i  know  what  i  want  to  say,  i  just  don't  understand  how  to  make  the  words  listen  to  me.
            
            ⠀⠀⠀ノ  she's  probably  so  hard  on  herself  due  to  having  to  reach  her  parents  expectations  so  often

@luminairs 」⠀⠀⠀a  writer  .ᐣ  then  you're  here  because  papa  thought  you  could  help  me  .ᐣ⠀⠀⠀(  her  eyes  lit  up,  surprised  she  had  gotten  through  to  her  parent,  though  excited  nonetheless,  )⠀⠀it's  alicia,  actually..  it's  nice  to  meet  you,     monsieur  mérieux..⠀⠀⠀what  do  you  write  about  .ᐣ
            
            ⠀⠀⠀ノ  i  can!!!   #mae'sdictatorshipwinsagain   !!!   /silly⠀⠀⠀but  we're  normally  down  for  like.  anything  and  everything  so...   please....

⠀⠀well  if  he  didn't,     i  wouldn't  be  here,     would  i?     (     a  soft  chuckle,     )     i'll  be  the  one  to  be  the  judge  of  that,     ms.  dessendré.     my  name  is  augustin  mérieux,     a  writer.
            
            /*     yippie!!!! ^0^  cant believe u persuaded me /silly

@luminairs 」⠀⠀⠀*papa*  said  that  .ᐣ⠀⠀⠀( ... )⠀⠀i  am,  very,  in  fact.  i  don't  know  if  i  would  be  any  good,  though.
            
            ⠀⠀⠀ノ  nd  so  it  begins...

/*     i  giggle  yes  it's  inspired  by  THAT  au......  can  u  just  see  it.....  we  use  our  hc  of  him  being  a  librarian  and  he  would  so  dress  up  all  dapper  for  it.  he's  so  .....   auughhh....

/*     wh :(  i  love  thin  mints....  they're  me  as  a  cookie  :((((  do  u  hate  me...... BUT  YAAAY  im  forgiven  by  my  one  and  only  the  world  shall  rejoice 

/*     THE  THIN  MINT  WILL  CRUMBLE  HOW  I  WANT  IT  TO!!!!  /silly     and  gawsh.... yes  so  sorry  my  amazing  mae....  how  could  i  have  ever....  orz

@luminairs 」⠀⠀⠀gustave..  stop  saying  that.⠀⠀⠀(  the  comment  hit  her  more  than  she  would  have  thought,  the  words,  the  two  names,  said  as  if  he  had  no  idea  who  he  was  standing  in  front  of,  as  if  she  was  merely  a  stranger  whose  name  he  knew.  a  rotten  feeling  crawled  up  the  back  of  her  throat  when  the  name  alicia  slipped  out  —-  memories  of  what  she  yearned  to  be  her  /old/  life  slipping  through  the  cracks.  it  felt  as  if  she  had  just  heard  maman  or  clea  call  out  her  name  in  disdain  all  over  again,  as  if  she  could  feel  their  resentful  eyes  on  her  for  causing  all  of  this,  and  for  a  moment,  maelle  just  stared,  looking  right  through  him.  )⠀⠀⠀i  don't  care  who  else  could've  done  it —-   /you/  were  there,  /you/  fought  with  us,  you,  you—- ⠀⠀⠀(  her  voice  faltered,  closing  up  on  her  like  it  did  when  it  was  swallowed  by  the  flames,  )⠀⠀⠀..  don't  make  that  mean  any  less  just  because  someone  else  might've  been  able  to  do  it.  it  couldn't  have  been  somebody  else,  i  wanted  it  to  be  /you/,  or  what  was  the  point  in  all  of  this  .ᐣ ׅ⎖
            
            ⠀⠀⠀ノ  teared  up  at  your  writing,,  and  then  on  top  of  that,  this  genuinely  killed  me  to  write  myself,  i  think.  wasn't  even  gonna  reply  tn  with  the  lack  of  writing  drive  tn  but  here  i  am  and  im  regretttiinngggg  itttttttt  !!

⠀⠀i  /  was  supposed  to!  /     (     the  male  stressed  the  final  words,     something  akin  to  grief  present  in  his  tone.     he  felt  it  was  wrong,     for  him  to  still  be  here  when  others  couldn't.     it  felt  wrong  to  keep  getting  second  chances  he  feels  he  doesn't  deserve.     )     maelle—-     alicia—-     whoever  you  are.     this. . .     i  did  not  do  this.     everyone  else  did.      the  expedition  would've  succeeded  fine  without  me.
            
            /*     REAAAALLL!!!! also yrah i know. i know now why u hate me so bad for this. i understand and i dont wanna understandzzz.......

@luminairs  」⠀⠀⠀(  for  a  fraction  of  a  second,  maelle's  face  twisted,  one  of  hurt  and  rejection,  though  she  was  quick  to  replace  it  when  her  brother  looked  towards  her  again,  )⠀⠀but  you  didn't,  gustave,  can't  you  see,  we  *made  it*  somehow   ׅ⎖  we  did  what  every  other  expedition  couldn't   ׅ⎖  would  you..  have  preferred  to  die  .ᐣ
            
            ⠀⠀⠀ノ  IF  MAELLE  HAS  NO  DEFENDERS,,  WE  ARE  BOTH  DEAD !!  and  i  hope  you  know  you  became  public  enemy  no.1  for  this  actually.  i'm  after  you  for  your  arrest,  screw  codependent  deathrow,  deathrow  for  THIS  act  of  TREASON  !!

@luminairs 」⠀⠀⠀(  it  was  a  familiar  feeling,  days  when  she  was  younger  that  were  spent  with  her  asking  for  help  with  her  hair,  or  the  mindless  days  in  lumiere  when  they  would  sit  and  talk  about  nothing  and  anything,  his  hands  idling  themselves  by  fixing  her  messy  hair.  )⠀⠀⠀consider  it  payment  for  looking  after  me  so  well  all  these  years,  both  you  *and*  emma..  even  when  you  didn't  have  to.⠀⠀⠀(  the  weight  on  her  shoulders  was  comforting,  a  small  wish  they  could  stay  here  for  a  while,  like   before  the  expedition.  maelle  had  missed  spending  one-on-one  time  with  her  brother,  what  a  shame  it  had  to  end  so  soon.  )⠀⠀⠀you  say  that  as  if  we're  planning  to  lose  this  battle.⠀⠀⠀(  a  small  smile,  the  words  somewhat  even  smaller  as  she  leant  back  against  him,  looking  up  at  him  from  her  new  leant-against  position.  )⠀⠀⠀we'll  see  it  again,  i'm  thinking  we'll  even  hold  a  festival  when  we  do...  like  the  one  we  were  talking  about  .ᐣ  it  would  be  a  good  way  to  start  our  new  nd  peaceful  life.⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀(     the  familiar  motions  came  like  an  instinct  to  him,     sectioning  off  pieces  of  her  bangs  he  knew  she'd  like  out.     )     emma. . .     i  feel  guilty.     knowing  for  my  life  i've  had  the  two  of  you  looking  out  for  me.     (     it  didn't  take  long,     as  he  tightened  the  hairstyle  on  the  back  of  her  head.     gustave  placed  gentle  hands  on  each  of  her  shoulders,     leaning  to  place  a  fatherly  kiss  onto  her  temple.     )     me  too.     i'm  glad  we  could  do  this  one  last  time.     (  . . .  )     it  was.     lumière  never  looked  so  alive,     so  free.     i  was  glad  to  see  it  like  that.     just  for  once.

@luminairs  」⠀⠀⠀(  there  was  a  roll  of  her  eyes,  although  it  was  fond,  not  that  she'd  ever  say  that,  )⠀⠀well,  someone  has  to  look  out  for  you  for  emma,⠀⠀⠀(  maelle's  shoulders  immediately  untensed  though,  at  the  contact,  )⠀⠀⠀i'd  prefer  this  too.  i'm...  glad  you're  here,  even  if  this  isn't  how  we  imagined  defeating  the  paintress  would  have  gone.  and..  it  *was*  nice  to  be  back  in  lumiere  for  a  while.

@luminairs 」⠀⠀⠀no,  don't  apologise —-  maybe..  maybe  you're  right.⠀⠀⠀(  the  admission  seemed  to  cost  her  something,  eyes  flickering  away,  as  if  searching  for  the  others,  before  her  gaze  lowered.  )⠀⠀⠀i  know  what  he  did,  and  i  get  why  you  can't  listen  to  him,  but..⠀⠀⠀(  but  he's  still  also  my  brother,  just  as  you  are.  the  words  never  came.  )⠀⠀⠀...  i'm  just  glad  lune  and  sciel  are  here,  that  you're  here.  i  just  wish  verso  wouldn't  have  had  to  do  what  he  did  to  keep  maman  safe,⠀⠀⠀(  that  was  why  i  first  came  into  the  canvas  as  well,  after  all...  )
            
            ⠀⠀⠀ノ  sighs..  you're  lucky  ur  my  spouse  nd  i  love  u  sm,  otherwise  you'd  be  blocked  !!   /silly⠀⠀⠀we've  doomed  ourselves,,  it's  the  expedition  curse,,  we  go  on  an  expedition  and  we  die  /j

⠀⠀of. . .     (     gustave's  features  pinched  into  something  more  soft  then.     watching  the  frown  settle  into  her  brow  and  the  downturn  of  her  lips.     )     of  course  you  can't.     i  never  said  you  should,     maelle.     but  i  can't  just  let  go  of  it.     i've  told  him  things—-     in  confidence  and  he. . .     i  don't  know  if  i  can  listen.     i  can't  even  / look /  at  him  without.     (     a  deep  breath.     )     i'm  sorry.     forgive  me.
            
            /*     blinks prettily at you whaaaaatt meeeee..... nooooo...... and yes!!!! they must!!!! exactly..... i fear i shouldve never made this acc or else. ive doomed us all

@luminairs   」⠀⠀⠀i  didn't  say  it  was  right,  i  just...  i  can't  hate  him  for  it,  not  when  i  know  why.⠀⠀⠀(   maelle's  features  creased  into  a  frown,   )⠀⠀..  i  don't  know.  i  don't  know  what  i'm  saying.  you  don't  have  to  forgive  him,  you  don't  even  have  to  *trust*  him,  but  maybe  just..  let  him  tell  you  himself  .ᐣ
            
            ⠀⠀⠀ノ  yah!!   wrong  wit  yew!!!   /silly   frowns.  i  need  them  blended  into  a  gustaelle  smoothie.   and  both  stemming  from  different  places  of  trauma  almost,,  from  the  event  and   urrgghhh...

⠀⠀⠀ノ  this  game  was  going  to  kill  me  but  now  i'm  going  to  kill  it   #revenge

⠀⠀⠀ノ literally  nobody  talk  to  me  rn.  now  i  have  to  do  that  all  over  again  omfg   </3

⠀⠀⠀ノ  genuinely  about  to  have  the  biggest  crashout  ive  ever  had.  which  is  saying  something.  nd  it's  about  to  be  over  expedition  33.