A Potato that Squeaks

Relationship Level 8

“Esquie!”

Verso’s voice rings through Gustave’s ears. He’s groggy and it feels like someone smashed his head in. The sensations of the world around him feel overwhelming.

“I’ve got you.” A wave of comfort envelopes Gustave as he hears Verso’s words.

Gustave takes a moment and realizes he’s being held. That’s good… he doesn’t think he’d have the strength to move even if he tried.

“Am… I alive? What’s happening Verso?” Gustave mumbles out. His head throbs with each heartbeat and he doesn’t know where he is but a warm kiss to his forehead cuts through all the pain.

“I’ll explain back at camp. It’s not safe here. ”

Verso is cut off as Esquie descends into the Lumiere Harbor.

“C’Mon you’ll feel better once the chroma settles I promise… but for now…” Verso places Gustave gently in Esquie’s arms and climbs into his open palm.

“Let’s get out of here.”

I am so excited to be able to share my piece for the @coloursofthegate vol 2 zine!

Love comes in many shapes and sizes and one of the ways I feel the most loved is by playing games with people. I wanted to show that representation with one of my fav couples in BG3 with Shadowheart and Lae’zel!

Please go check out the full zine here! It’s available now for free to the general public!

Relationship Level 7

Even though he doesn’t forgive Verso, Gustave asks him to stay. Verso’s lies ultimately hadn’t changed the moments they shared and the feelings that had grown even if his secrets damaged their relationship in other ways. Gustave desperately doesn’t want to be alone in his final moments and Verso’s guilt keeps him glued to the other man’s side.

Gustave’s heavy heart pounds in his chest with anticipation. The only warning is the shockwave from the monolith. Afterwards there is a stillness like the world taking its final breath.

There is no chaos, there is no screaming, there are only petals in the wind. Verso pulls Gustave in close trying to keep him in his arms for as long as he can until he inevitably starts to disperse into hundreds of petals. Verso just holds Gustave and closes his eyes focusing on the feeling of the man in his arms not daring to look at him.

“See you…”

Gustave’s voice fades, Verso feels the warmth leave his arms. He pauses and waits…

Holding back tears closing his hands around petals he whispers to himself…

“…. In the next life”.

Relationship Level 6

Verso and Gustave are exhausted. They had given their all in the battle against the paintress and it had paid off. They won. Verso and Gustave take a moment to rest, backs against eachother as the others sprint ahead to plant the 33’s final expedition flag.

“Gustave…” Verso’s mind seems distant. There is a pain in his voice, “I can’t lie to you anymore… I… I need to tell you what’s about to happen… and even if the others know… I don’t think it will change anything…”

Verso pauses before he pours his heart out for the first time since Julie… raw, vulnerable, honest. He expects Gustave to be mad but he’s just silent. Staring at his prosthetic… processing the news of not being “real” about being a painted being stuck in a canvas, about how Verso ended up a plaything for this families grief and how badly Verso wanted it to end. And how the time he had been fighting for was never even an option.

“I’m not going to tell the others…” Gustave surrenders. “They deserve to be happy and hopeful in their final moments.”

“Gustave….” Versos voice breaks slightly from the hurt the guilt of it all. “I am so sorry…”

Verso kicks himself internally he wishes he had better words than just sorry.

“Thank you… for finally being honest…” Gustave musters out, his breath shaky as he simply stares at his hands and processes… quiet tears begin to fall down his cheek. Versos heart shatters but he knows he deserves it. After everything Verso deserves to feel every last shard of those words cut his heart to pieces.

Verso simply sits with Gustave quietly, like they have all the time in the world.

Gustave’s painters mark given to him by his husband , Maskkeeper Verso ✨ from “carefully everywhere descending” by @skollwolf!

Relationship Level 5

“You didn’t think that was important to mention?”

Gustave’s voice could be heard echoing across the barren wasteland that used to be a city.

“I can’t believe we are going up against your father… and you didn’t say anything”

“It wasn’t relevant” Verso lowly snarled back.

“Verso your father tried to kill me… you didn’t think that was worth telling us?”

Gustave pauses and lowers his frustrated arms. A single tear falls down his cheek.

“After everything we’ve been through… Verso?” Hearing his name said with such hurt and desperation cut through his heart deeply.

“I…. I had thought better of you”.

Verso stares at the engineer in silence… then at the ground trying to calculate what to say but the words just won’t come. Usually the lies just flowed but right now nothing came. He didn’t want to lie anymore… not when they make Gustave hurt like this….

Gustave takes the prolonged silence as a dismissal and returns to the others leaving Verso alone to wrestle with his thoughts.