[Her gaze trails after his. The memory of clutching his fabricated arm to her chest before putting him to rest is still sharp. Her heart had shattered, and while it's better now, the scar remains. It's enough for her to need to look away and take a steadying breath. They suffered for too long. I died, he says, and she looks to him without a smile and nods.
She reaches out to put her hand over his, slender and pale against his warm skin. A reminder to herself: he's here.
(In a way his death was so much worse than Verso's. The ash and smoke and pain blinded her, the flames took her eye along with her skin, leaving only his screams to burn her ears. She didn't see the life leave his body, his corpse, she didn't kneel beside it and--)
Maelle purses her lips together for a long moment.]
You died. That man was Renoir, and... he. He was trying to protect his family.
[Despite that flawed portrait, that was true between Renoir and her father. He just wanted to protect what was his. Gustave had been a threat. Verso saw him as one, too, but in a different manner.]
He's gone. There's no more Paintress. No Gommage. It wasn't what anyone thought. But... we're safe. We'll never need to send another expedition and no one will ever need to die for another.
[She smiles a little, hoping to see some sort of relief on Gustave's face.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2025-05-29 12:41 am (UTC)She reaches out to put her hand over his, slender and pale against his warm skin. A reminder to herself: he's here.
(In a way his death was so much worse than Verso's. The ash and smoke and pain blinded her, the flames took her eye along with her skin, leaving only his screams to burn her ears. She didn't see the life leave his body, his corpse, she didn't kneel beside it and--)
Maelle purses her lips together for a long moment.]
You died. That man was Renoir, and... he. He was trying to protect his family.
[Despite that flawed portrait, that was true between Renoir and her father. He just wanted to protect what was his. Gustave had been a threat. Verso saw him as one, too, but in a different manner.]
He's gone. There's no more Paintress. No Gommage. It wasn't what anyone thought. But... we're safe. We'll never need to send another expedition and no one will ever need to die for another.
[She smiles a little, hoping to see some sort of relief on Gustave's face.]