Léon Prunelle & Gaston - An Unexpected Gesture

"Rrrrrrogntudjuuu!"

The sound echoes through the halls of the Spirou office. Those who work at the Spirou office are very much used to it, but no matter how many times each day they hear it, they must always be ready for what it might mean- after all, when Léon Prunelle shouts "Rogntudju", it means somebody somewhere is in a lot of trouble.

And this time, as usual, that somebody is Gaston.

Prunelle stands in his office, seething, his shoulders squared, his breathing rough and audible. There is a coffee stain on his white shirt, and the papers in his hands are ruined. He can't attend a meeting this way.

And Gaston, coffee mug in hand, doesn't look as lackadaisical as he usually does. Oddly enough, though, he doesn't look scared of the other man's wrath, either. He looks... sorry.

Hastily, Gaston puts down the mug on the desk and takes the papers from Prunelle's hands. He starts to shake them out, hoping they aren't lost completely.

Prunelle is just about to give him the earful of his life, finger raised, mouth open, when Gaston says, "Prunelle, I'm sorry."

Prunelle freezes. He looks stunned.

"You... what?" He says.

"I'm sorry?" Gaston repeats. He gets the paper as dry as it's gonna get before handing it back to Prunelle, who accepts them silently, flabbergasted.

Gaston contemplates the other man for a moment, then reaches forward and buttons Prunelle's jacket up to his chest.

"There." He says. "That'll hide the stain during your meeting. And I think your papers should still be legible, if nothing else."

And honestly Prunelle has nothing else to say- he finds he doesn't even feel angry anymore.

"But... but why?" He asks finally.

Gaston shrugs, a slow smile crosses his face. It's not exactly apologetic, but it doesn't seem like an unkind or mocking smile, either. It's very... Gaston. "It was just an accident, I guess."

And then he leaves. An enigma. But still a gaffer. He never does apologize, so why now?

Prunelle may not know for sure, but he does get a clue when he notices a red rose tucked in the pocket of his jacket that surely hadn't been there before. He takes it out and examines it thoughtfully- doesn't sniff it because it'd just make him sneeze- and then looks out the door Gaston left through. Prunelle can hardly believe it. "M'enfin," he says.

An enigma indeed.