I just... never understood a lot of things. Like, on the day of the Gommage, there's a huge celebration. A Living Wake. Everyone gathers at the harbor to say their farewells and wait for the Paintress to paint the next number. It's... there's dancing and music and food. How could anyone stomach food? I never got it.
[People would be sad and scared, but the mood always made Maelle uncomfortable.]
Well, to paint it as a celebration is dumb. Death is death, point blank. You can die with honor and for a cause or whatever, but even then, dying fucking sucks either way.
(Take it from her, but her index finger stands as she continues her point.)
That said. If I'm going to die and there's absolutely nothing I can do about it, I wouldn't want to be at home, just waiting for it, watching the people I love look like kicked dogs or whatever. I'd want to eat, drink, kiss people on the mouth, and distract myself. I'd want to live a little before doom. Can't talk about what you guys feel, I'm literally not there, but that's what I'd probably want.
Celebrate, not really. Just kinda die on my terms.
Yeah. For the last one, I volunteered to walk the younger kids that lost their parents to the orphanage. I don't think they really cared for the festivities no matter how cute the decorations were.
[Maelle could only wait for death to sweep her away. Nothing heroic, nothing beautiful, just sad and lonely. She couldn't really imagine a better death, and in a way, at least the suspense is forever over...]
How full are those? 33 is not... I mean, it's still pretty young.
(So there should be a lot of children unnacounted for. The Institute was interesting in that regard — all types, all walks of life. Some have loving parents, others? Haha.)
In that case it wouldn't be a celebration for me; more of a statement? Go big and go home. But, yeah. Life always fucking sucks for mutants, I take joy where I can while we wait for the next shoe to drop. Granted it's not always in the best of places, but I make do.
A lot of people are poor planners even knowing how little time they have left. So, more full than they should be, but also not as full as they could be. Some people plan for friends or relatives to take in their children after their Gommage, but some people just decide to not make more orphans at all.
[Her parents definitely did not plan accordingly. A baby they had to deal with for their last few years of life, and then, if there ever was a trusted family to take her in, they sure fell through. Maelle can't remember much of her childhood, let alone that far back.]
You do. Not a lot of people can do that. Mostly... you and Sciel, I think.
What's your take? Children or no children? You'd particularly have to chop chop, which sucks. Children having children doesn't sound like the most mature population.
(She can't blame those who don't want them, even if the situation at home was the complete opposite.)
Back where I lived? Krakoa? You know, the art around NYX is homage. Very few rules, but one was "make more mutants". Everyone was, uh, busy. We ended up losing too much of our population too.
No children. If I didn't go on the Expedition, I'd have about nine years left... so if I wanted any time with a kid, I'd have to get to having one yesterday.
[She makes a face. Lumiere, her, and the future--pieces that never seemed to have a way to fit properly. Maybe, had she stayed, she would have one day adopted some unwanted child, but she doesn't think her heart is as big as Gustave's.]
How about you, then? Children or no children? If you weren't busy.
A kid is a lot of responsibility, too. Your brain is nowhere near cooked, I think that's a recipe for disaster.
... No offense.
(Good question.
It brings a grimace to her face, a scrunched nose of doom as she thinks it through.)
Well. I was busy. I just wouldn't have them myself.
(A Grey-Summers-Frost? God forbid.)
I mean. First of all, my life wasn't just my own. That'd have been impossible anyway. Second of all, I don't think I'd be a good one? Third of all, even now that I'm my own, I'm super young, so I have time to decide on those things if I find myself in a situation that's safe — which is unlikely? It's not a 'no', it's just a 'I'll think about it when the time's right'.
Oooh, you're dodging my question and trying to distract me. Very smooth, Soph.
[Maelle won't deny that Gustave deserves to find someone, to be loved--because he does. But it's... complicated. There's too much from the past weighing him down. Too much from the past making her cling to him.]
Maybe that's what I'm doing, but your first thought was him, so that's much more interesting than whatever answer I got. Like you said yourself, weren't there things you didn't need to know? Then very well.
Because that's my guardian. And he's an old man. I'll let you keep your secrets, but is that a good enough answer?
[It's mostly true. The complete truth is far too childish for Maelle to willingly admit: she doesn't want any less time with Gustave when it feels like they have so much lost time to make up for.]
Oh, he's not old. You're not in Lumière anymore, he's like, totally at the prime.
(Acceptable. But she's knocking on wood again just for good measure, and hopefully Maelle doesn't ever fucking imagine to ask that in the same context as something so serious as CHILDREN again. Lord, no, fuck no.)
Fine, fine, I won't flirt with your dad in front of you, it's literally the best I can do.
Yes? Duh? He's not even the oldest person in those apartments.
(He's a normal guy, Maelle, not a wise old wizard in a cave. Well, crisis averted, she's going to box this in the depths of her mind, and go to her closet.
She promised pictures, so she has to dress in kind.)
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Date: 2025-10-11 05:59 pm (UTC)[People would be sad and scared, but the mood always made Maelle uncomfortable.]
It felt wrong.
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Date: 2025-10-11 06:08 pm (UTC)(Take it from her, but her index finger stands as she continues her point.)
That said. If I'm going to die and there's absolutely nothing I can do about it, I wouldn't want to be at home, just waiting for it, watching the people I love look like kicked dogs or whatever. I'd want to eat, drink, kiss people on the mouth, and distract myself. I'd want to live a little before doom. Can't talk about what you guys feel, I'm literally not there, but that's what I'd probably want.
Celebrate, not really. Just kinda die on my terms.
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Date: 2025-10-12 01:22 am (UTC)[Maelle could only wait for death to sweep her away. Nothing heroic, nothing beautiful, just sad and lonely. She couldn't really imagine a better death, and in a way, at least the suspense is forever over...]
You like any reason to celebrate, huh?
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Date: 2025-10-12 01:34 am (UTC)(So there should be a lot of children unnacounted for. The Institute was interesting in that regard — all types, all walks of life. Some have loving parents, others? Haha.)
In that case it wouldn't be a celebration for me; more of a statement? Go big and go home. But, yeah. Life always fucking sucks for mutants, I take joy where I can while we wait for the next shoe to drop. Granted it's not always in the best of places, but I make do.
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Date: 2025-10-12 01:41 am (UTC)[Her parents definitely did not plan accordingly. A baby they had to deal with for their last few years of life, and then, if there ever was a trusted family to take her in, they sure fell through. Maelle can't remember much of her childhood, let alone that far back.]
You do. Not a lot of people can do that. Mostly... you and Sciel, I think.
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Date: 2025-10-12 01:47 am (UTC)(She can't blame those who don't want them, even if the situation at home was the complete opposite.)
Back where I lived? Krakoa? You know, the art around NYX is homage. Very few rules, but one was "make more mutants". Everyone was, uh, busy. We ended up losing too much of our population too.
(Not the same. Still, though.)
It's a skill.
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Date: 2025-10-12 01:54 am (UTC)No children. If I didn't go on the Expedition, I'd have about nine years left... so if I wanted any time with a kid, I'd have to get to having one yesterday.
[She makes a face. Lumiere, her, and the future--pieces that never seemed to have a way to fit properly. Maybe, had she stayed, she would have one day adopted some unwanted child, but she doesn't think her heart is as big as Gustave's.]
How about you, then? Children or no children? If you weren't busy.
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Date: 2025-10-12 02:22 am (UTC)... No offense.
(Good question.
It brings a grimace to her face, a scrunched nose of doom as she thinks it through.)
Well. I was busy. I just wouldn't have them myself.
(A Grey-Summers-Frost? God forbid.)
I mean. First of all, my life wasn't just my own. That'd have been impossible anyway. Second of all, I don't think I'd be a good one? Third of all, even now that I'm my own, I'm super young, so I have time to decide on those things if I find myself in a situation that's safe — which is unlikely? It's not a 'no', it's just a 'I'll think about it when the time's right'.
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Date: 2025-10-12 02:33 am (UTC)[... not just mentally, but vertically, too. She would like to be a little taller, thank you.]
Either way, looks like we're here for the foreseeable future. I don't see any of us populating this place.
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Date: 2025-10-12 02:37 am (UTC)(Brain sommelier.)
... Yeah, we're not thinking or talking about that one. God forbid. Ugh, I gotta go knock on wood.
(Not joking that this is what makes her stand to literally find a wooden surface and knock.)
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Date: 2025-10-12 02:44 am (UTC)[Novel, to potentially get into her twenties! And beyond.]
Not dramatic at all. Do you even have anyone you're interested in, here? And don't say Gustave. I'll scream.
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Date: 2025-10-12 02:50 am (UTC)(Oh, so sorry Maelle, we're talking big, big things. She's not gonna even.)
Oh? It bugs you that much? Cripes, grow up, he's super cute! It's not gonna be me, but I do hope he finds someone here. He deserves it, you know?
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Date: 2025-10-12 02:57 am (UTC)[Maelle won't deny that Gustave deserves to find someone, to be loved--because he does. But it's... complicated. There's too much from the past weighing him down. Too much from the past making her cling to him.]
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Date: 2025-10-12 03:04 am (UTC)Maybe that's what I'm doing, but your first thought was him, so that's much more interesting than whatever answer I got. Like you said yourself, weren't there things you didn't need to know? Then very well.
So, tell me, why scream?
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Date: 2025-10-12 03:12 am (UTC)[It's mostly true. The complete truth is far too childish for Maelle to willingly admit: she doesn't want any less time with Gustave when it feels like they have so much lost time to make up for.]
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Date: 2025-10-12 03:20 am (UTC)(Acceptable. But she's knocking on wood again just for good measure, and hopefully Maelle doesn't ever fucking imagine to ask that in the same context as something so serious as CHILDREN again. Lord, no, fuck no.)
Fine, fine, I won't flirt with your dad in front of you, it's literally the best I can do.
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Date: 2025-10-12 03:24 am (UTC)Oh, he's ancient. Twice my age. Sooo old. Once you're the oldest man in a place, is it really right to take that title away from him?
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Date: 2025-10-12 03:36 am (UTC)(He's a normal guy, Maelle, not a wise old wizard in a cave. Well, crisis averted, she's going to box this in the depths of her mind, and go to her closet.
She promised pictures, so she has to dress in kind.)
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Date: 2025-10-12 03:39 am (UTC)[Don't make it gross, Sophie! Maelle watches her go to the closet, and slips off the chair so she can go be nosy and look inside.]
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Date: 2025-10-12 03:42 am (UTC)(But while Maelle can't see, with her back facing her as Sophie goes through various levels of extraness a hanger at a time, she smiles.
It's... Nice.)
I know. He's a good guy, I like him too, and you, and Sciel.
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Date: 2025-10-12 03:50 am (UTC)He's the best there is.
[Also a fact!]
And Sciel is probably glad to find someone as spirited as she is, in you.
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Date: 2025-10-12 04:08 am (UTC)(She'll let Maelle take her gigantic closet for a little ride of wonders.)
She's important to me, now let's change this subject before I throw up on my dresses.
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Date: 2025-10-12 04:17 am (UTC)Oops.
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Date: 2025-10-12 02:45 pm (UTC)She settled on something nice, you know, completely normal and tasteful and casual, not at all extra in any shame or form.)
You better be good at this photography thing.
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Date: 2025-10-12 03:59 pm (UTC)[She's so pretty!]
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