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It took some time before Verso realized something was wrong with Gustave.
The immortal had joined Expedition 33 after the Stone Wave Cliffs, where Verso had intervened before his father could land that final, fatal strike against Gustave. It hadn't been the plan. Verso was supposed to let it happen, it needed to happen. Maelle, Alicia, wouldn't leave the Canvas otherwise, except…Verso had watched this man for years during his visits to Lumiere to check on Maelle. This kind, ridiculous man who made Maelle smile and laugh when no one else could or even bothered to try. Who had given her a home, not just a roof over her head. Who likes to throw rocks to feel better.
He had known for years this moment would come, that Gustave would have to die in order for Maelle to move on and accept her true self as Alicia and leave. Her and Maman had to leave, this all needed to end, and Gustave was just a stepping stone towards that end.
Only Verso watched after that first strike splattered blood all over his, no their, sister's face which was frozen in despair. He watched as the man refused to run and stood between the force that was Renoir and the young girl who meant everything to him. Gustave, who had once frozen on a dark beach, now stood as tall as he could with a gaping wound in his stomach, hand gripped tightly to his sword, fighting back with surprising ferocity. He impressively blasted Renoir back into the cavern wall before his prosthetic detached, broken after that last overcharged attack.
When he smiled one last time at Maelle then turned for one final charge at Death, Verso was on his feet and leaping down from the shadows before his mind even registered his movements. He landed between them, countered his father, and that was that. Plan ruined. The path forward altered.
As he helped carry an unconscious Gustave down to Esquie, as Maelle sniffled and kept one hand clutching Gustave's sleeve the entire ride away from the Cliffs while Lune and Sciel stepped in to help him, as he stood on the side and watched that deathly pale face remain still instead of filled with the light and joy Verso has come to associate with the man he has watched from the shadows…he could not regret the impulsive decision to save him.
Several days and many healing tints later, Gustave was almost back to full health. During those days of recovery, they didn't talk much. Gustave was unconscious for much of it and, Verso, even if he had helped them, was still an anomaly they hadn't predicted with truths they could never have expected. They exchanged introductions, polite pleasantries, but Verso kept his distance. After all, if he had had his change of heart sooner then Gustave would still have full use of his arm and wouldn't have needed to recover - not that the engineer knew that. But Verso did, and with every flinch of pain Gustave tried to hide, every frustrated exhale as he was forced to use only one hand again, Verso felt a stab of guilt for allowing that first strike.
Their group was back to traveling the Continent again, having just barely made it through a battle with Dualliste. Maelle whose spirits had been low after seeing all the fallen expeditioners, smiled suddenly, grabbed a rock and tossed it into the canyon they had just climbed from after the battle.
She turned to Gustave who watched her with a fond look. "Don't you want to join me? I'd say this is a perfect time to throw a rock back at that monster. Good riddance that he's gone!"
Gustave grimaced and coughed into his hand. "Ah, no no, you go ahead. Throw one extra hard for me." He smiled faintly and gestured for her to go ahead.
Maelle tilted her head at him questioningly before shrugging her shoulders and tossing one last rock. The duo then continued on after the rest of their group, passing Verso who frowned and looked at the spot Maelle threw her rock then turned to stare at Gustave. He too continued on though, trailing after them.
The next moment that clued Verso in that something wasn't quite right with the engineer occurred on top of a train.
The Disaster Expedition was delighted by Monoco's Station and all it offered. From snow to Grandis to trains (only Gustave seemed enamored by the latter), the visit was proving to do wonders for their morale.
Monoco had been sufficiently impressed after their fight, as well as their handling of the stalact, and now everyone was scattered around the station enjoying the sanctuary offered.
Gustave was able to repair his arm using parts sold by a Grandis merchant and was flitting about from one train to the next. He was currently sitting on top of one of the trains suspended in the station, having climbed across several cars to reach it. He had his knees pulled up with his journal resting on them as he scribbled notes wildly. Verso had joined him and was telling him about his experiences before the Fracture occurred. He had found himself unable to dismiss the questions from the other man, his joy at seeing the trains contagious. In truth Verso was rather excited to talk with someone who adored the machines as much as he did, staring in delight at the shine to Gustave's eyes as he hung on to Verso's every word.
"Gustave!" Sciel shouted from below, waving at him and grinning widely. "I've found the perfect rock for you! You can add "from a train" to your repertoire of places you've thrown one."
Gustave laughed a bit and shook his head. "That's alright, perhaps another time."
"What do you mean? This is your thing!"
"Later, I'm finishing up some notes. But thank you! Maybe you could save that one for Maelle?" Verso watched as he forced a smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes, the light from moments ago snuffed out. But why? What could Sciel have said that would have upset him?
Sciel stared up at Gustave in confusion but nodded. "Ok, if you're sure then."
As she wandered off Verso continued to observe the man beside him and how his entire person seemed to have deflated from the brief interaction. "Gustave, are you alright?"
Blinking as if coming back to awareness, Gustave looked at Verso, another smile on his face. This one was fake too though, Verso could tell.
"Yes! Yes, I'm fine, what were you saying then? You and your sisters would travel by train to the mountains to ski?"
Not wishing to push the other man, Verso dropped it and resumed their previous conversation. Anything to make that heartbroken look in Gustave's eyes fade away.
Things were finally becoming comfortable again, now that some time had passed after Old Lumiere. Tensions were high and trust had been broken, but between Sciel's empathetic support and the team working together to pursue the Axons, they were finally coming back together.
With Visages taken care of, all that was left was Sirene. The group decided to take a break at one of the gestral beaches to rest before they took on the enchantress. Sciel and Maelle were competing against Monoco on the timed course. Lune had been deemed cheating when she proceed to float across instead of jump.
Verso smiled at them then frowned when he noticed Gustave was missing. He wandered around the beach and was about to round one of the giant urns when he heard Esquie speak.
"Everyone is having so much fun! I'm so glad!"
Verso heard a now familiar laugh. Peering around the urn, he could see Gustave wading in the water next to Esquie who sat with his face turned up to the sun like a daisy seeking the light. The engineer looked up at Esquie with a soft expression, his shoulders relaxed. He was clearly enjoying the peaceful presence of the gentle giant.
"Yeah, this was a great idea of Verso's. I think we all needed it."
"VerVer has great ideas a lot!"
Debatable, thought Verso wryly as he leaned back with a sigh.
"Debatable," he heard Gustave say, making Verso scoff in indignation and cross his arms petulantly.
"But…I do think he has good intentions."
At Gustave's words, Verso sighed and closed his eyes. If you knew what I am leading you towards, you wouldn't think that, Gustave.
"Oh yes, VerVer cares a lot. He always helps me find my rocks!"
"That's very kind of him."
"GusGus, don't you like rocks anymore?" Esquie asked innocently.
"I, I mean, I suppose?"
"But you never throw them anymore. You used to find the best rocks, GusGus!"
Verso didn't hear anything for a time, Gustave clearly taking a moment to think. He finally responded with a shaky voice.
"It's not that I - that I don't like them anymore, Esquie. I…I just…"
"Gustave! Come try the course! I bet I can beat you, old man." Maelle called teasingly.
Verso moved to the other side of the urn to avoid being seen as Gustave hurried to answer Maelle.
"Coming!" He turned to Esquie before he left and smiled, albeit sadly. "Thank you, Esquie. I enjoyed talking with you."
"GusGus, it's alright to feel whoo sometimes. Lots of things happen that make us whoo, but it's important to not let those whoo things make things that you do like be no longer whee."
From where he peeked around his hiding spot, Verso could see Gustave blink rapidly, his eyes wet.
"Right. Thank you, Esquie. I'll try."
"You're very welcome, GusGus."
Gustave left after Maelle, and Verso was once again left confused as to what Esquie was talking about that had made Gustave sad. Sure there was the impending Gommage, but there was something clearly the matter with the man outside of that.
Camp was quiet, and it was not a comfortable silence. Maelle…Alicia…had managed to restore Sciel, Lune, and Gustave. None of them were too happy to see Verso. He couldn't blame them of course. After much yelling from Lune, attempts at appeasement from Sciel, and silence from Gustave (who hadn't looked at Verso again save that initial stare of heartbreak, anger, and disappointment), explanations had been given and plans made. They all now separated, seeking to ruminate on their own thoughts given all the revelations of the evening.
Verso looked around camp and noticed Gustave was missing. Sciel caught his eye and she nodded her head to the path leading around the cliffside edge. She smiled encouragingly and mouthed "go" to him. Nodding his thanks, he followed the indicated path searching for Gustave.
He found the man standing at the cliff's edge, staring at the now blank Monolith. Verso approached slowly but made sure his steps could be heard, not wishing to startle him.
"Chroma for your thoughts?"
Gustave did not turn to him, though he saw him breathe in deeply as if steadying himself.
"They aren't worth much at the moment I'm afraid."
"I doubt that."
"Hm."
Verso stopped a few steps away, unsure how to bridge the gap that was now between them. The bridge that had been there before Verso's actions having gommaged along with the man it lead to.
"Gustave, I - I've already explained myself. I won't apologize because I did what I thought I needed to do - "
"You lied to us." He still did not turn to Verso.
"I did, yes. Would you have helped me otherwise?"
"Probably not, no. At least not in the way you wanted. Maybe there was another way. Guess we'll never know now though."
"Gustave - " Verso suddenly couldn't stand the conversation continuing this way. Look at me, please.
"It's fine, Verso. Really."
"What?" Verso was sure he had heard wrong.
"I don't want to be angry anymore." Gustave finally looked at Verso over his shoulder, a tired smile on his face. "Our time may be short, and I just…I don't want to spend that time angry at you. I get it. Why you did what you did. Why you thought you needed to do it. I stand by that you didn't need to, we could have figured something out, but…it's done. Maybe if we get through this I'll properly yell at you, though Lune seems to have taken care of that."
"…just like that?"
"Just like that." Gustave's mouth quirked up at the corner before he turned back to the Monolith.
Verso tentatively stepped up beside him. "Isn't this where you throw a rock at it?"
Gustave hummed thoughtfully before shaking his head. "No, no I don't think so."
At this Verso turned to him, seeing that melancholic look on his face again. This time Verso was determined to understand the cause.
"Why not? That's your "thing" isn't it? Finding the perfect rock then letting it fly? You haven't though since -" Verso froze at the subtle flinch from Gustave. His heart sank as the pieces fell into place.
Oh. He thought, struck suddenly by the horrible realization. He hasn't since Stone Wave Cliffs. Gustave.
"Gustave, I - "
"Don't, please." Gustave pleaded. His arms crossed and he seemed to hunch in on himself to appear as small and unobtrusive as possible. "I know how ridiculous I'm being."
"No! Gustave, you are not - " Verso tried to interrupt but the other man kept going as if he didn't hear him.
"I'm a grown man acting as though I'm afraid the boogeyman will jump out of the shadows if I toss a damned rock, but - "
"You aren't - "
"It's just ever since, when I go to pick one up it's like I'm back there, and it hurts again, and Maelle is - "
"Gustave!" Verso grabbed Gustave by his shoulders. He reached a hand up to the man's face and gently held him still, making him look Verso in the eye. Tears had gathered in those hazel eyes but had not yet fallen. "Stop, Gustave. You don't - you don't have to explain, I should have realized why. You aren't ridiculous - no, Gustave, you are not - I understand. I just, I hate that you lost that too. I know it was something important for you."
Gustave laughed and wiped his eyes. "It's nothing, it's stupid, just tossing a rock."
"It's important to you. "Don't let the whoo things make things you do like lose their whee." Or something like that." Verso said this with a smile.
"Wait were you eavesdropping on me and Esquie?"
"Is it eavesdropping if it's a communal space?"
Gustave raised an eyebrow and looked unamused.
"Alright, yes, but…I was worried."
Gustave's gaze softened and he leaned into Verso's hand still holding his face. His thumb had started to stroke his cheek without Verso realizing it.
"You were worried about me?"
Verso's ears began to burn. "Well, you were acting odd sometimes, I just, I wasn't sure what was wrong."
"You mean besides everything?"
It was Verso's turn to laugh. "Yes, besides everything. I can't believe I didn't see the connection that it was when someone asked you to throw a rock."
"Well," Gustave leaned forward and tilted his head up, lips barely brushing Verso's. "Now you know, VerVer."
"Oh don't you dare start th- " Gustave interrupted him by softly pressing their lips together. It lasted only a moment, but Verso was sure time had stopped.
Gustave pulled back and smiled gently up at him. "Thank you, Verso. For worrying about me."
He pulled back and began searching the ground around him. With a small sound of triumph, he knelt down and picked up a rock. Tossing it up and catching it, he turned to Verso with a wide grin.
"If I throw this, you'll have my back right?"
Verso smiled softly back at him. "I will, I swear it."
Gustave looked him in the eyes a moment before nodding. He turned to the cliff's edge again, pulled his arm back, and let the rock fly.