Archive of Our Own

Gustave was not jealous.

He wasn't.

He had no right to be, no reason to be, and what the others, as consenting adults, chose to do with their time was none of his business, as long as they kept it away from Maelle.

It didn't matter that Sciel's dreamy voice whispering to Lune, 'I love a man who knows that his proper place is on his knees' was seared into his mind, a vision that he could not let go of, no matter how many private moments he stole to himself, and no matter how much he focused on his journal and his note-taking.

It didn't matter that Lune had, for the first time since their landing on Dark Shores, when everything had fallen to pieces and she'd found him under a tree, looked relaxed with a small smile curving her lips and a sway to her hips that he'd never seen her have before.

It didn't matter that they had slept with Verso, that they kept making quiet jokes about how he put them before himself where Gustave could hear. It didn't matter at all. He was happy for them, and neither of them seemed to mind sharing, and as a result whispering together about how good it had been.

Verso was allowed his preferences, and Sciel and Lune were both beautiful, and he was.

Well.

It didn't matter.

Gustave sketched out another nevron, documenting the weaknesses that they'd discovered, his grip around his pencil almost too tight as he forced himself to write in clear, straight lines. Sciel's parting comment to Verso was still ringing in his ears.

'Always so eager to get on your knees, aren't you?'

Verso had been knocked down, and had somehow still managed the killing blow to the nevron from his knees, which had prompted the comment and sent them all into laughter, even Monoco.

Meanwhile, Gustave was half hard, with his nose buried in his journal, trying desperately not to think about a Verso who was eager to drop to his knees. They'd all cleaned themselves up and settled in to camp for the evening, and now it was quiet, and Gustave knew it was a matter of time before Verso picked his companion for the evening.

Maelle and Monoco were sparring while Lune wrote in her journal and Sciel and Verso tended to dinner. It would be Sciel then, for the evening. There was a small clearing on the other side of the copse of trees that they had settled on, perfect for a tryst. How quickly would Verso drop to his knees for Sciel, would he press her back against a tree and-

"Now that is truly a fearsome expression," Verso commented, stretching out next to Gustave with a smile. "What's the cause of it?"

Gustave's pen scratched across his paper and he cursed under his breath, lifting it up and closing it a moment later, managing a smile for Verso. "Tired," he managed. "Been a long few days, and it seems like every corner has a new fight in store."

Verso's smile widened. "Sounds like you could use some time to relax." He stood up and offered his hand to Gustave. "Come on. I know a place."

Gustave's heart jumped into his throat, but he firmly shook himself and reminded his traitorous cock that Verso was sleeping with both Lune and Sciel, and if the regularly blissed out expressions on their faces were any indication, he certainly didn't have time for anything else. He took Verso's hand and ignored, absolutely ignored how easy it was for Verso to pull him to his feet, and followed him through the trees.

Sciel's excited thumbs up in his direction had him flushing and he trailed after Verso until they came to the exact clearing that he'd clocked earlier today. Gustave realized, almost too late, when Verso had pulled him across it and led him to a small a slow-moving river, that they were still holding hands, and Verso hadn't let go. Gustave looked at the river and huffed, giving Verso a look, about to tease him when Verso stripped off the fur at his shoulders, and then his jacket.

His eyes dropped to Verso's shoulders and Gustave swallowed, especially when Verso kept stripping, losing his vest and shirt a few moments later, putting them on a nearby rock before he bent down to remove his boots. Gustave ogled, openly, the dimples of Verso's lower back and imagined digging his fingertips into them before he realized Verso was watching him with a smirk on his lips.

Gustave turned around and cursed, swearing to himself before he took off his bag and began to strip as well. Fair was fair, and he wasn't about to create some sort of strange equality issue.

"You didn't have to turn around," Verso teased. "You seemed to be enjoying the view."

Gustave bit down the whine that wanted to escape and let out a rough breath. He had been, and would be fantasizing about it for days, all of that smooth skin dotted with small moles that he wanted to take his time mapping with his fingers and his lips. "Verso-"

Verso shrugged. "You have been blowing a bit hot and cold, but wanted to let you know that it was fine. I don't mind. Would mind even less if you did something about it."

Gustave grit his teeth and clenched his hands into fists, even as he removed his boots, socks, and vest, laying them out. The sound of Verso stepping into the water came a moment later, and he sternly ordered himself not to look until he was truly ready to look. He undid the belts on his pants and took a deep breath as he finally pushed his pants down and over his hips before he walked into the water and finally let himself look at Verso.

He thought he'd been ready for the sight of Verso naked.

He wasn't.

Putain de merde.

Verso had stepped deep enough into the water to keep himself some semblance of modest, but his entire torso and the tops of his thighs were on display, and Gustave swallowed and yanked his eyes away before he got himself into trouble. At least the water wasn't freezing, but it was cold enough to keep him from having the obvious reaction that his body wanted to at the sight of a naked Verso.

"I think for sake of camp unity, 'doing something about it' needs to remain something you do with Sciel and Lune," Gustave said. "No matter how much they brag about it."

Verso laughed. "Bragging about me?"

Gustave inhaled sharply and glared over his shoulder at the man, only to be met with an entirely infuriating smirk. "There have been a few comments about how good you are on your knees," he shot back.

Verso merely raised his eyebrows. "That's because I am." He gave Gustave a wicked grin. "Would you like to find out how good?"

Gustave shivered and bit down the sound that wanted to escape him, his cock twitching in the cool water. He clenched his hand into a fist. "I know those ladies better than you do, and that isn't a good idea."

"Now that's interesting," Verso said, wading closer to Gustave. "Because you seem to have missed something rather obvious."

Gustave glared at Verso over his shoulder, even though that smirk was still in place. "None of you have been particularly quiet about what you've been up to, I assure you. Though you have at least thankfully kept it away from Maelle-"

"Gustave."

"-which is all I could ask for, I suppose, considering you are consenting adults, we are facing death every single day and-"

"Gustave," Verso interrupted, reaching out to touch Gustave's arm, drawing his full attention, cutting him off. "Yes. Stress relief. For the first time. The only time, with each of them."

Gustave frowned, because he'd seen the relaxed slope to Lune and Sciel's shoulders far too often for that to be true. "Verso-"

"They uh," Verso cleared his throat. "You and Maelle were off scouting when they had their shouting match with how they felt about each other. Since then, it's been the two of them. Just the two of them."

Gustave blinked.

"I just," Verso exhaled roughly. "I know the best spots for them to get a moment alone. So I go scout the area, clear out any nevrons for them, and then take one of their watches, so they can have time together."

Gustave stared at Verso (very naked, very wet Verso, his mind and cock helpfully reminded him), and swallowed. "You haven't been sleeping with both of them?"

"Well, I did," Verso said and shrugged. "Stress relief. It is good to burn off that energy and they both said yes."

Gustave narrowed his eyes. "Did you want to?"

Verso opened his mouth and paused, considering. "When the time came, and I offered, they didn't say no."

"That's..." Gustave stared at Verso. "That wasn't a yes, Verso."

Verso shrugged. "I'm very good with my mouth and my hands, as they've said. That's almost always enough."

Gustave turned to look at Verso pointedly. "But you didn't want-" he paused when he caught Verso's eyes flicking down to his lips.

Verso cleared his throat and shrugged again. "It's easy and familiar. I know how to make them feel good, so I do."

Gustave's heart lurched, and he stared at Verso. "And what about you?"

"I don't need anything," Verso said, smiling faintly at Gustave. "Now are you going to let me do something about those looks you've been giving me? Maybe find out if Sciel's teasing is right?"

Just like that, the mask Verso was wearing was crystal clear in that moment and Gustave's heart ached at the realization that this was just another way Verso had become accustomed to using to get close to people. To gain their trust, to convince them he meant no harm. None of it was for him, it was all for the mask.

Gustave took a step back in the water and watched that mask crack clean down the middle, Verso's face twisting in confusion. "No," Gustave answered, even though his heart pulsed with pain at the flash of hurt on Verso's face. "I don't want... want whatever you're trying to do. The performance, or, whatever it is." He shook his head harder.

"Gustave!"

Gustave stepped out of the water and tugged his underwear and pants back on. He picked up his shoes and socks and sighed, turning to look at Verso again, standing in the lake, a walking temptation. "Don't, please," he said, holding his hand up.

"But you want me!" Verso protested. "I can see how you look at me, Gustave and it's-"

"And do you want me, Verso?" Gustave snapped back, interrupting Verso, glaring at him. There was no answer from Verso, because of course there wasn't. He shook his head. "I'll see you back at camp."

Gustave left the most gorgeous man he'd ever seen in his entire life standing naked in the river and took the long road back to camp. The more time he had to think, the better, because he couldn't get Verso's hurt expression out of his mind.

Camp was, blessedly, quiet when he got back, and Gustave immediately clocked the absence of Lune and Sciel before he made a bowl of dinner for himself. Monoco and Verso were sitting together, talking quietly, and Gustave could see Maelle near the tree edge, practicing her stances.

Gustave sat down at the fire, ate his soup, opened his notebook and told himself he was not bitterly disappointed.

It didn't matter.

It hadn't mattered before, and it certainly didn't matter now.

The only difference was now, when Sciel and Lune came slinking back to camp, flushed and clearly far more relaxed than they had been before, Gustave had given them smiles and nods, before returning to his sketching.

(He was pretending that he was not sketching how Verso's wet hair had clung to his shoulders, and perhaps failing. But that was his own business, no one else's. Just because Verso hadn't wanted him, still didn't want him, didn't mean that he wasn't allowed to continue to nurture a small crush on the man who got excited every time they had talked about trains, or former Expeditions.)

Sciel found a moment the next day and gave him a nudge with her elbow, teasing him. "Now you can't scowl at me like you have been when I joke about Verso on his knees. So? How'd it go..." she trailed off when his face twisted and she frowned. "Gus?"

"Nothing happened," Gustave said, shaking his head. "And nothing will happen." He managed a proper smile. "You should have told me about you and Lune."

Sciel stared at him and frowned. "Gustave, you've had a crush on him for-"

"He didn't want me," Gustave said, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter, Sciel, but I don't want you to make him uncomfortable."

Sciel watched Gustave stalk forward, his hands clenched around the straps on his bag and turned to look at the stupidly smitten and longing expression on Verso's face. What the hell had happened between them?

--

Gustave had hoped that Verso would, would move on. Would stop looking at him like he wanted to talk to him, like there was something for them to discuss. Instead, all he could do was try to sneak moments of privacy to have to himself where he could escape the intent look from Verso.

Tonight though, when Verso had approached him with a clear look on his face, Gustave had, well. Fled. He wasn't proud of it, but he'd mentioned going on patrol in the middle of dinner and fled. To walk around camp, a camp that Verso had already made sure was safe, only to find a spot where he could maybe have a moment to himself.

Gustave pressed his hand to the front of his pants, biting down on his lip. If only he'd never seen Verso in the lake, naked and smiling, smirking at him. If only Verso hadn't lit up and talked about trains with him for hours. If only Verso hadn't been as protective of the rest of the Expedition as he was. If only Verso wasn't... wasn't slowly coming out of his shell and everything he saw only made Gustave like him more.

If only he'd been able to take what Verso offered, maybe he could have, he could have pretended. Gustave bit down on his lip, panting hard as he slipped his hand into his pants, wrapping a hand around his cock. Verso's smirk had landed on him again and then Verso's hand would have wrapped around him, and breathed into his ear that of course he wanted Gustave.

Gustave would have come embarrassingly quickly, but it would have been so good. Feeling Verso pant and gasp in his arms, where he could get his hands on that generous cock, listen to him moan, steal a kiss, and then another, stroking Verso until he was shaking apart. He wanted Verso so badly, because he liked him, and knowing that Verso didn't want him, but felt like he had to give him what he wanted... was awful. It made his stomach twist, but his cock had yet to get the memo. Verso was still beautiful.

"Are you sure you won't let me touch you?"

Gustave's breath caught and he froze, his eyes snapping open, only to see Verso standing a few feet away from him, his eyes shining in the moonlight. He shuddered and went to pull his hand away, panting hard, trying to summon up anger at being interrupted, at Verso watching him like this, but all he could feel was more turned on. "What are you doing here, Verso?"

Verso took a step closer. "Are you thinking about me?"

Gustave bit down a whimper, his cock pulsing in his hand and he glared at the man in front of him. "Verso, you-"

"Gustave," Verso interrupted. "Are you thinking about me?"

Gustave groaned, his head falling back against the tree behind him. "What does it matter? Go away. Go back to camp."

"What if I want to watch?" Verso asked.

Gustave froze again, his eyes widening as he stared at Verso, meeting his. "You want to watch?"

Verso nodded, once.

"Bordel," Gustave swore, wrapping his hand around his cock properly, closing his eyes as he leaned back against the tree. He teased the tip of his cock, stroking roughly, fucking up and into his hand. "Fine," he answered, spreading his legs wider.

Later, Gustave would wonder what the fuck had possessed him when he decided that if Verso was going to watch, the least he could do was put on a proper show. He released his cock (there was a soft sound of protest from Verso, but he ignored it, because wanting to watch someone jerk off did not mean that Verso wanted him) and shoved his pants down his thighs to give himself room and leaned back against the tree properly.

Gustave closed his eyes and sighed as he wrapped a hand around his cock and began to stroke again. He teased himself, rocking up and into his hand, leaking enough with the heavy weight of Verso's eyes on him that the glide of his hand was almost smooth. Putain, he could almost hear Verso's rough voice telling him to go slow, to put on a proper show for him. Verso wouldn't say that, because he didn't want him, but Gustave could imagine it.

Could imagine Verso stepping closer, his eyes going from that shining silver to something much darker, something more desperate. Verso would order him to go slow, again, to tease himself, and Gustave bit down a whine, biting down on his lip hard enough to taste blood as he slowed his stroke.

"Are you thinking about me?" Verso breathed.

Gustave cried out, because Verso's voice was so much closer than it had been before, and he knew, putain, he knew, if he opened his eyes, he would see Verso close, maybe even close enough to touch. He swallowed down another sound and focused on setting the exact rhythm he wanted instead. "Verso, stop it, please-"

"I want to know," Verso said, his voice soft. "Are you thinking about me?"

Gustave trembled and stroked himself faster, the sound of Verso's voice so close was a temptation he didn't want to give into, that he couldn't give in to. "Even if I am," he panted out, keeping his eyes shut. "I don't want you to touch me unless you want to. Otherwise, keep your hands off."

"All right," Verso answered, staring intently at Gustave, watching as he arched in pleasure, as he jerked himself off, rough and eager. "You're so rough with yourself. Do you like it like that?"

Gustave bit down a sob, panting hard. He couldn't make himself answer that. Even if no, this wasn't what he normally liked, this wasn't what he wanted, but if he imagined what he wanted, with Verso here, only inches away, he was going to end up taking, whether he intended to or not. He couldn't go slow and imagine learning Verso with his mouth and his hands, asking what he wanted, what he liked, learning him, just like they learned a new stance in battle, spending hours mastering Verso's body, just like he mastered a new-

Gustave choked out a moan as he came, clenching his hand around his cock, barely managing to stroke himself through the aftershocks as he sagged back against the tree. He summoned an old rag from a picto and wiped his hand and his belly before he at last allowed himself to open his eyes.

He was alone.

Gustave told himself that he wasn't disappointed. He wasn't. He finished cleaning himself up and made his way back to camp. Verso was there, already stretched on his bedroll on the other side of the campfire. Gustave looked at him for a long moment before he shook his head and made his way over to where Maelle was relaxing on the other side of camp.

--

He didn't mean to make a habit of it.

But the next time he stole a moment alone, Verso was there, watching. Wanting to watch. Offering himself up for Gustave to take, and Gustave was getting tired of denying himself, only to get off to the thought of giving in, of desperately kissing Verso until neither of them knew how to breathe, or slowly stroking him to take proper care of him.

And then the next time.

And the time after that.

The weight of Verso's eyes became familiar until Gustave had the horrifying thought that Verso was doing this because he thought he had to and went almost a week without jerking off before he gave in again.

Verso was waiting for him that time, eyes intent.

"You've been avoiding me," Verso said, appearing out of the shadows, right after Gustave had started palming himself through his pants.

Gustave cursed and let out a rough breath, removing his hand with a grunt, staring up at the stars with a frustrated sigh. "Because you said you want to watch and I don't know if this is you trying to... to give me yourself to get off to without touching me."

Verso was quiet. "You won't let me touch you."

Gustave bit down a sob of frustration, clenching his eyes shut. "Because you don't want me!"

"I want you to feel good," Verso protested. "Isn't that the same thing?"

"No!" Gustave snarled, frustrated tears in his eyes. "It isn't!"

Verso sighed. "Gustave. Stress relief-"

"You are more than a method of stress relief to me, Verso!" Gustave shouted. "You mean more! You-" he cut himself off and pushed his fingers through his hair angrily. "That's why I can't do it! That's why I can't, can't sit here and let you... whore yourself out to me for team unity because I can't stop noticing how gorgeous you are and how much I like you!"

Verso flinched back.

Gustave glared at him and sighed, staring at the ground. "Putain." He took another deep breath. "You don't owe me anything, Verso. You don't owe us anything. My... however I feel about you requires nothing from you. I don't want whatever twisted... obligation you've turned this into."

"Then what do you want, Gustave?" Verso snapped, throwing his hands up. "I don't think you even know!"

Gustave stared at Verso, smiling sadly. "I want to spend hours kissing the man who told me everything he knew about trains."

Verso stilled and watched Gustave give him another sad smile before he walked away, headed back to camp. He looked at Gustave's retreating back until it was gone and he turned, stalking further away from camp.

A good fight would distract him from all of this.

--

All three of the girls were sharing looks and that never boded well for anything, but Gustave managed to ignore them all. It didn't help that Verso had come back bruised and bloody the night after, and Sciel and Lune had both given him judging looks.

Instead, Gustave ignored Verso, ignored the looks the girls were giving him, and focused on getting stronger so they could make their way to the Axons. That was all that mattered. The mission. That was what he needed to focus on, even though it all seemed to get more and more twisted as time went on.

Unfortunately, when they needed to pair up, Gustave wasn't quick enough to suggest Maelle work with him and instead, Monoco had grabbed him by the metal arm and dragged him down the beach to practice their volleyball serves. Sand was awful, even though he had pictos protecting his arm from the worst of it, he still hated how it got everywhere.

What he'd started hating even more were Monoco's cryptic questions.

"What if your sense of self worth only came from what you could do for others?"

Gustave sighed and glared at the Gestral. "Then I would say I need to work on my confidence, and to discover I have worth regardless."

"And what if your value to them was nothing? What if you were considered dispensable at any moment?"

Gustave blinked and turned more of his attention to Monoco, and less to volleyball. That... question felt more pointed than the others. "I... would say that isn't true. That I have value, and that I'm not dispensable. No one is."

"Even a man who cannot die in a fight?" Monoco pressed.

Gustave gave up any pretense of playing volleyball and stared at Monoco. "Verso is not considered dispensable to us. He never will be. He is a friend, and a member of this Expedition. He has value."

Monoco grunted. "One expedition does not undo the damage that dozens of others have inflicted."

Gustave opened his mouth to retort, then snapped it shut. Dozens? Dozens had treated Verso as expendable? As without value, save what he could give them? Save what he could offer them? He clenched his eyes shut and bit down a curse.

"When you are expendable, when you have no true needs and they can always be ignored, even if they kill you, do you think your wants would have been given any attention at all?" Monoco added.

Gustave was silent, and he swallowed, tears filling his eyes.

"Do you think, that after decades, you would learn that your wants are an unnecessary thing? A pointless thing? Their wants are what matter, not yours. Why would yours ever matter?"

"They matter to me!" Gustave snarled, glaring at Monoco. "They matter!"

"Then listen to him when he speaks to you," Monoco growled back. "Do not demand he give you what he no longer remembers how to!"

Gustave stared after Monoco as he stalked away, the words ringing in his mind as he continued to stare after him. If... if Verso didn't remember what it was like to be allowed to want things... then. Then, what the hell was he supposed to do?

--

"Monoco said you were brooding, but I said you weren't very good at it," Verso said lightly, coming to where Gustave was still sitting by the tide pools on the Gestral Beach, the same place he'd been for hours now, staring out at the waves. "But it does look like you are making a very firm attempt."

"I'm trying to solve an impossible riddle," Gustave answered, feeling Verso sit down beside him, a very careful six inches of space between them so they were not touching. Verso hadn't touched him beyond a friendly brush of shoulders, or a hand up if he'd been knocked down for weeks. Any of that casual closeness had evaporated, because it was what he'd told Verso he wanted.

He hadn't even realized how much he'd missed it, right up until he'd noticed it wasn't there any longer. Sighing, Gustave shifted, pressing their thighs, shoulders, and arms together, feeling Verso freeze against him. A tremble went through Verso and Gustave looked back out at the ocean, keeping them pressed together.

"I've never been particularly good at riddles," Verso managed after several long moments. "But if you want to tell me what it is, I can try. Maybe I've heard it before."

Gustave hummed. "How do you teach someone to want who has forgotten how?"

Verso blinked and frowned, looking at Gustave. "That's not a riddle."

Gustave huffed and stared out at the ocean. "On the contrary," he said, smiling a little. "It might be the greatest riddle of our time."

Verso rolled his eyes. "You know if you wanted to be alone, you can just say so, Gustave." He shifted. "I'll leave you to your-"

Gustave inhaled sharply, his eyes widening. "I want you to stay."

Verso froze, staring at Gustave. "What?" he whispered.

Gustave nodded once. "I want you to stay, here. With me, Verso. Will you?" Maybe it was as simple as that. Maybe it truly was... just that.

"All right," Verso agreed settling back onto the edge of the tide pools, looking out at the water. "Why do you want me to stay?"

Gustave smiled and bumped their shoulders together faintly. "I enjoy your company, Verso. I like spending time with you."

Verso blinked and stared out across the water. "Just like this?"

Gustave nodded, his smile widening as he stared out at the water. "Just like this."

"Okay," Verso agreed.

Gustave didn't know how long they sat there for, but after more than an hour, the soft weight of Verso's head against his shoulder and the steady deepening breaths against his skin as Verso dozed off were... were perfect. He turned and pressed the softest of kisses to the top of Verso's head and let him rest. He deserved it.

--

Verso blinked awake slowly, confused at the sight of the setting sun when his stomach rumbled and he jolted upright. The sound of a scratching pencil, that had been a calming noise in the background suddenly stopped.

"Ah, good timing," Gustave said, tucking his pencil and notebook away. "I was going to wake you shortly. The girls finished dinner. Come on. I can hear your stomach grumbling."

Verso shook his head and wiped his hands on his shorts. "I, no, I'm fine."

"Verso," Gustave said, his voice firming, meeting surprised silver eyes. "I want you to come eat with us. You've been taking too many watches lately."

Verso hesitated before he stood up. "As long as there's enough for everyone..."

"Oh there is," Gustave said cheerfully. "We cleared out that gestral merchant thanks to you winning the fight with him earlier, remember?" The words immediately perked Verso up and Gustave smiled. "Thanks for that, by the way, we'll eat like kings for the rest of the week."

Verso smiled. "You're welcome."

Gustave reached out and took Verso's hand, tugging him toward the fire. "Come on then, Lune won't wait forever, and I want you and I to get some of that fresh bread before Maelle eats all of it."

"I don't need-"

"Trust me, you'll want it with the soup Lune's made, it's delicious!"

--

It worked better than Gustave could have ever imagined, and it... was truly as simple as that. If he framed it as something he wanted, that Verso could give him, Verso would go to whatever extent he could to provide it.

Encouraging Verso to take a second helping of food when he refused turned into, "We want you to finish this, we're all stuffed and it will go to waste."

Encouraging Verso to take first watch turned into, "I want you to tell me more about that species of Nevrons we want into tomorrow, so I need you awake." from Sciel, or "I've got next watch, I'll wake up early and I was hoping I could get another swim lesson from you before you sleep."

Even though she didn't understand precisely what was going on, even Maelle had joined in, gently cajoling Verso into playing music for them more and more, and Gustave's chest ached at the sight of Verso losing some of the gauntness in his face, and his shoulders losing some of the persistent tension in them.

However, none of that had told him precisely how he wanted to proceed with everything else, no matter how many things he was able to slowly give Verso by simply stating his own want for them. If this was any indication though, and if he took Monoco's advise to heart to listen... maybe they could find their way forward.

Gustave took a deep breath and made his way over to where Verso was caring for his weapons by the fire, a small smile on his face. It suited him, and maybe if he was lucky, he would get a chance to kiss it, tonight. He stopped by Verso and smiled at him and held out his hand.

"Gustave?" Verso paused. "Everything okay?"

"I want you to come with me," Gustave said, gesturing to the trees. "I know a place." He tugged Verso upright when the man took his hand and didn't let go as he led him away from camp and past the small grouping of trees. There wasn't a body of water nearby that they could duck into, but he had found something that might work just as well.

Gustave led Verso up an outcropping of rock to the pile of blankets (that he'd been steadily pilfering and storing in his pictos) on the soft grass he'd discovered earlier, and stretched out on the blankets, patting the space beside him until Verso had settled beside him, their legs brushing faintly. The stars above them were beautiful.

Gustave glanced over at Verso and smiled. "You figured out what we were doing a while ago, didn't you?"

Verso smiled faintly. "Perhaps."

Gustave huffed out a laugh. "Thank you for indulging us. Seemed the easiest way to get you to believe us when we said you were a part of the team and we meant it."

"It did help," Verso agreed, before pausing. "It does help. More than you realize."

"We're not going to stop," Gustave said, reaching out to take Verso's hand, squeezing it and threading their fingers together. "Do you remember what I said before? When I told you what I wanted after you told me you didn't think I knew?"

Verso nodded. "I do."

"Good," Gustave said, rolling on his side. "I still haven't figured out the answer to the riddle, but I have an idea."

Verso's breath caught and he stared up at Gustave. "Oh?"

Gustave nodded. "Tell me something you like. About being intimate. Be as specific as you can. Something you like."

Verso blinked slowly and considered that for a long moment. "I... I like... the way someone's breath hitches when I find the right spot to touch them."

"Good," Gustave praised softly, watching Verso's eyes tremble and fall shut. "You like making your partner feel good?"

Verso nodded rapidly. "Yeah," he whispered. "They're a puzzle. I like solving the puzzle. They like it when I solve the puzzle."

Gustave smiled and reached out to lift Verso's hand to his lips, kissing the back of it. "Even better when the puzzle has multiple ways to solve it."

A laugh escaped Verso and he nodded, opening his eyes to look at Gustave again. "Yes, agreed."

"I want you..." Gustave paused and watched Verso's entire body shiver. "To tell me something else you like about being intimate with someone."

Verso swallowed. "I like it when someone tells me what they want. How they want it. So I can give them exactly that."

"I did pick up on that, outside of sex," Gustave teased, and watched Verso laugh again, and the smile suited him. He held himself back from kissing Verso through sheer strength of will. He couldn't mess this up.

Verso rolled his eyes.

Gustave shifted closer and carefully, pointedly, lifted one thigh until it was draped over Verso's, watching his silver eyes go dark. "Do you like it when people tell you they are enjoying themselves during sex? Enjoying what you are doing to them?"

"Yes," Verso breathed, trembling. "Gustave?"

"Yes, Verso?" Gustave asked, rubbing his thumb over the back of Verso's hand, still holding onto him.

"Could I kiss you?" Verso whispered.

"Do you w-" Gustave cut himself off and met Verso's eyes, steadily, leaning down to brush their noses together, not letting him panic. "Would you like to? I would like you to kiss me. Very, very much."

Verso nodded, swallowing hard. "I would."

Gustave groaned and leaned down to kiss Verso, fully intending to make it a soft, gentle kiss, only to lose himself entirely in desperate, eager presses of their lips together again and again. They part for air for the briefest of moments before they're kissing again and Gustave crawled fully into Verso's lap, pressing closer when Verso's hands settled on his lips when they finally came up for air, staring at each other.

"Gustave," Verso whispered. "Please let me touch you. Please."

Gustave shook, shivering under the warm press of Verso's hands, staring down at him. He pressed their foreheads together, reminding himself of what Monoco had said. Trust Verso's words, even if they weren't the words he'd specifically asked for.

Gustave leaned down to kiss Verso again, softly. "Yes," he breathed, shivering when Verso's fingers tightened. "On two conditions."

Verso groaned. "Gustave!"

"One," Gustave breathed. "You tell me how you would like to touch me. I want that. I want to hear you say it, Verso."

Verso's breath caught.

"Two," Gustave continued. "I want to get you off. Tell me how you would like me to do that."

Verso swallowed and stared up at Gustave, sliding his hands down Gustave's thighs, back up to his waist. "Your bare skin. Let me touch your bare skin, please. All over. Everywhere. Let me..." he shivered and stared up at Gustave. "Let me find the spots that make you gasp."

Gustave groaned and nodded, stripping off his shirt and lifting himself off of Verso to make quick work of his clothes. "The rest, Verso, tell me the rest. Please," he begged, licking his lips. "Let me, let me be good to you, please."

Verso stared up at Gustave and was happy to help Gustave strip off his shirt and leave it in the pile of blankets beside them, only for Gustave's hands to pause on the buckle of his pants, waiting for his answer. He swallowed and lowered his eyes to Gustave's left hand, the warm metal that he could feel against his bare skin now and was solely Gustave, the reminder of who he was with that he could never forget, that made sure he never forgot.

"Your hand. Your, your left hand, Gustave. And stay close."

Gustave groaned and leaned down to kiss Verso desperately. "Good, perfect," he praised, helping Verso get his pants the rest of the way off, throwing them to the blankets behind them. "Touch me however you want, Verso. Anywhere. I've thought about you touching me so many times."

Verso groaned and flipped Gustave over and into the blankets, stretching out on top of him, leaning down to kiss him again. He slid his hands up Gustave's thighs, slowly over his chest, teasing at his nipples, up and along his shoulders, to the scars on his left arm, and all of the way down to his fingers on his right. "Were, were you thinking of this? When you touched yourself, and I watched?"

"Yes!" Gustave gasped, spreading his legs, rocking up, trying to get Verso to touch his cock, but instead the man seemed determined to map out every inch of him, his mouth and hands everywhere now that he'd been unleashed. "Every time, all I could think about was how much I wished it was your hand instead of mine, having you pressing me back against the trees, your mouth on my neck, and you kissing me, again and again until all I could taste was you."

Verso growled against Gustave's skin, pulling back to stare at him. "You are so, putain, so stubborn," he cursed, leaning in to kiss him again. "You could have had it. Again and again."

"This is better," Gustave promised, sliding his hands down Verso's bare back, stroking over smooth skin, clinging possessively to him, even as Verso went back to biting and sucking at his throat until he was a trembling, shaking mess. "This is perfect, Verso, it's so good. More, please."

Verso slowly, carefully nuzzled his way down Gustave's chest to his cock, nipping at the soft skin below his belly button, staring hungrily at his cock, wet and leaking at the tip, streams of precome trailing down his belly. "Let me suck your cock," he demanded, looking up at Gustave. "Let me show you how good I am with my mouth."

Gustave reached out and threaded his fingers through Verso's hair, giving a gentle tug to the strands, watching his eyes flutter. He managed a grin and stared at Verso. "Would you like that?"

"Putain, you asshole!" Verso snarled, though he felt Gustave laugh, his head falling back and his legs falling open. "Yes!" The hand holding him in place abruptly loosened and Verso licked Gustave slowly from root to tip, savoring the taste of him, everything he'd dreamed about having the chance to taste for weeks.

He focused on swallowing Gustave down, sucking him steadily between his lips, bobbing his head up and down as he listened to Gustave cry out his name over and over again. Verso closed his eyes in bliss as the hand in his hair didn't tug or press him down, it just held him, combed through his hair until he was shuddering and grinding against the blankets with how good it all felt.

"That's it, Verso, putain, you're so good for me, perfect, just like that," Gustave babbled, arching as he slammed his head back into the pillows, struggling to keep still, even with Verso's long fingers wrapped around his hips, holding him in place. He felt thoroughly claimed by Verso's mouth, his skin stinging pleasantly with all of the marks he'd left, and the way Verso was staying pressed as close as possible, even as he sucked his cock.

Verso focused on bringing Gustave to the edge, right to the edge, trying to bring him over with slow, deep sucks, only for the fingers in his hair to pull a little more insistently, drawing his attention. He pulled his mouth off and whined, staring at Gustave. "Gustave, why-"

"Come here," Gustave ordered, tugging Verso up until the man was spread out on top of him, and they were pressed together again, from thighs to chest. He kissed the taste of himself off Verso's lips and melted into the kiss with a soft sound, wrapping his arm around Verso when the man melted against him and into the kiss.

Verso's eyes widened when Gustave flipped them over again and he found himself pressed back into the blankets. He squirmed and stared up at Gustave, shivering. "Gustave."

"I've got you," Gustave promised. "Like this."

Verso choked down a moan as Gustave shifted them just a little bit more, and then wrapped a hand around both their cocks with his left hand and gave a slow stroke. He bucked, grinding up and into the press of Gustave's fingers, his whole body too hot. He couldn't... he couldn't remember the last time someone had touched him like this, had ignored their own pleasure for his like this.

"Gustave, Gustave, I can't..." Verso bit down another whine, fucking desperately into Gustave's fist, glad when Gustave leaned down to kiss him again, still keeping up the same rhythm.

"You can," Gustave promised, stroking Verso faster, watching him arch and moan, waiting for Verso's eyes to meet his again, before he smirked, the exact same smirk that Verso had given him weeks prior. "I want to see you come for me, Verso. Can you do that for me? I want to see it."

Verso cried out, grinding up and into Gustave's hand, chasing the orgasm that seemed to hover just out of reach as Gustave kept stroking him faster and faster. "Gustave, please... Gustave..."

"Just like that," Gustave panted, watching as Verso started to shake apart, his cries echoing in the air around him. "Just like that, Verso, you're perfect, you're perfect."

Verso choked on his next moan, his whole body seizing as he came, fucking up and into Gustave's fist, shaking through an orgasm that left him limp and sagging back against the blankets. He reached out to touch Gustave and watched Gustave's eyes go wide before he lost control, adding to the mess between them. Verso was glad when Gustave leaned down to kiss him again, pulling him close until they were pressed together.

Gustave could have spent hours trading slow, lazy kisses with Verso as they slowly caught their breath and relaxed into each other, their skin cooling as they cuddled together. He nosed at Verso's cheek with a happy hum and continued to lounge on top of him.

"Will you do something for me, Verso?"

Verso managed a hum, quietly curious, even as he buried his nose against Gustave's neck, sighing happily at the warmth of his skin.

"Will you let me keep wanting things for you, until you remember how to do it?"

Verso's breath caught and he blinked his eyes open, tightening his hold on Gustave. He swallowed and exhaled roughly before he gave a singular, pointed nod. "I'll try."

Gustave smiled and kissed the top of Verso's head. "That's all anyone can ask of you."

Verso exhaled roughly and nodded again, humming happily when Gustave lifted one of the blankets over him as they remained curled together. "Gustave?"

"Yes?"

Verso swallowed and admitted softly. "I want to stay right here. Until tomorrow."

Gustave's breath caught and he tightened his arm around Verso. "Monoco promised me he'd cover our watches tonight. We don't have to move until tomorrow. We can stay right here, just like this."

A small sob escaped Verso and he burrowed closer to Gustave, holding him tighter. "Okay," he whispered.

Maybe wanting things wasn't so difficult after all.