that one time travel psl

[eyediot]

sad bad end s5 jon and tim on a monster road trip



[Algric had given the trio a fair warning of what was happening. Not the specific details of what he was coming from, but he was from a little further along Algric's timeline, and came through Hilltop Road. Never pleasant, but he's here now. IT took a few days of settling, readjusting, and putting some firm self-imposed boundaries on himself before Jon felt comfortable enough to see the others.

After a few minutes of surprise and staring, Jon ends up sitting alone with Tim for a few minutes; the others having some things to take care of themselves. He sits there, fiddling a bit with his fingers, trying not to be self conscious. He can't do anything about the myriad of different, newer scars, nor about his black sclera or so many other things about himself now.

But god... Tim. Alive and not shouting at him right this second. How novel.]

Tim... I.. [Where does he even start.]

Comments

[secreteary]

"But I couldn't stop hoping that the Mum I remember from when I was little was still in there, somewhere."

[curriculum_fictae]

A quiet, miserable little laugh. "Yeah. Yeah, I - I never stopped hoping either."

[secreteary]

Martin opens his mouth, about to apologize, when he jumps - his mobile is ringing. No one around them takes any notice; he's too invisible for them to, but he's going to have to materialize if he wants the caller to be able to remember that they're talking to him.

And it's the home. So he might as well get it over with.

Reluctantly, Martin forces himself back into existence. Some patrons give him odd looks for appearing so suddenly, had he been there before? But people are very good at pretending that they haven't seen anything.

Martin picks up.

With sympathies, the nurse informs him that his mother had passed from a sudden and unexpected heart attack. At his earliest convenience, he can come fill out the paperwork and settle final fees. Do you have any questions, Mr. Blackwood?

"No. N-no, no. Thank you. Thank you very much."

He hangs up before the nurse can continue, and allows himself to fade out again.

"...So. That's it, then."

[curriculum_fictae]

Algric watches, only hearing half of the conversation, but ... that's enough, really. What else could it be?

That's it, then. He's killed her. Denied Martin his last year with her, yanked her away. He lets out a shuddering breath, an exhalation of chill. Focus, Algric. He knows beating himself up in front of Martin will surely make this worse for his alternate self.

"I - I can help with arrangements," he says, numbly. "Having done this once already."

[secreteary]

"You've done so much already, I don't-"

Is it strange that the phone call is what makes everything final? Not being there watching it happen, not walking out of the care facility. Martin's throat tightens.

"You don't have to put yourself through it again."

[curriculum_fictae]

Algric chances a hand on Martin's shoulder. "I'd rather - rather something good come of the experience, you know?"

[secreteary]

The reassuring hand isn't rejected. Martin looks at Algric curiously. "Good?"

[curriculum_fictae]

"Making it easy for someone."

[secreteary]

"Oh. Then..."

Putting Martin's feelings first is too kind of Algric, to the point that Martin has no argument despite good cause to refuse: to spare Algric's own.

"If that's what you really want to do..."

[curriculum_fictae]

"Y-yes. It's - it's the least I can do."

Given he caused this.

[secreteary]

Martin nods slowly.

"Okay. It...doesn't have to be now. We could go back and do the paperwork now, or...head back to the others, or...just. Stay here a while. Whatever's easiest for you."

[curriculum_fictae]

Algric considers that. The paperwork seems daunting; so does the thought of talking to the Jons or Tim.

"Can we stay? For a moment."

[secreteary]

"Sure."

Reaching up to his temple, he feels that most of the blood is gone.

"...Thank you."

[curriculum_fictae]

Algric doesn't say anything to that. He just keeps a hand on Martin's shoulder.

[secreteary]

"We don't...have to talk anymore. Let's just."

He doesn't finish. Martin just spends the next while burying himself in disassociating and silence between them that manages to be both companionable and painful at the same time. He says nothing until there's an unspoken agreement between them that they're ready to leave, to return to the relative comfort of being in the others' presence, or at the very least to find their own ways to continue processing the day as they need to.

It's helped, being with Algric. Yet he still feeling horribly, almost unbearably alone now.