Published: May 30, 2025.
Words: 101.
Chapters: 1/1.
Summary:
Alicia doesn't smile.
Neither does Verso.
On AO3.
Alicia doesn't smile.
The fire damages her face in ways beyond the visible, rendering her incapable of little more than minor utterances and expressions reliant on eyebrows. A mobile doll for Maman, for Papa, for Clea--when they deign to acknowledge her.
In the Canvas, Maelle does smile.
She paints herself new flesh, and the words flow as easy as they might once have as Alicia. Her lips contort in relief of grief when she repaints Gustave, when she repaints Sophie, when she repaints Lumiere. Maelle cries, and Maelle smiles, and Alicia could never.
But, Verso--
Like Alicia, Verso doesn't smile.