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

[eyediot]

[It only takes a second for Jon to catch up to him, walk alongside him like they're fast friends.]

"Weirdo". That's a bit mean, isn't it? Stoker's not a weirdo, neither is Miss James.

[Tobias may be just on the right side of too sloshed to notice the green static around the edges of Jonah's eyes.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Oh yeah. Has no idea. He just scoffs a bit, hands going into his pockets. ]

"Stoker's too good for the lot of you. And haven't you heard about James yet? She's dead."

[eyediot]

No, I hadn't. Been out on leave, actually. Hospital and all that, I'm sure you remember.

[A pause while they walk. My the street is emptying a bit, isn't it?]

What about Blackwood? I haven't really had much chance to know him.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Does he remember? He frowns at that. Sounds familiar, anyway, and it's true Jon hasn't been back lately ...

At the mention of Martin, he laughs. ]

"Oh he's just as weird as the rest of 'em. Big fat lump of pathetic. Cried for weeks after I broke up with him."

[ Behind them, the emptying street chills ever so slightly. ]

[eyediot]

[Almost in unison, Jonah's expression chills to ice fucking cold.]

That's uncalled for, I think.

[Jonah is half guiding them down a more secluded, smaller street. Less eyes.]

What was even the aim there?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Less eyes, and the entry to it frosts over as they pass into it. No escape.

Tobias notices none of this, of course. ]

"What, sleeping with him? Pissed off my boyfriend, mostly. Couldn't believe I'd sleep with a walking cardigan like that."

[eyediot]

[Jonah... does. And that's interesting. He could come up with any reason why Algric would do that.... Does it mean he's... all right with this? What he's doing?

His focus goes back to Tobias.]

I'm sure there must have been other ways to piss him off without actually hurting someone not involved. But you probably wouldn't consider that, would you.

[His tone is far less jovial now. More to the cut and quiet.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He's not entirely sure himself. He just - he just feels very cold, watching Jonah descend on this miserable person who'd hurt Algric so very badly. What a wretched relationship it had been from start to finish. ]

"I was doing him a favour. He should feel lucky he had a chance to sleep with anyone. Poor sod sure wasn't getting anything else."

[eyediot]

[Jonah finally stops, looking in front of them, then turning to look at Tobias over his shoulder. His eyes are flared and he's trying to.. to what? Hold back a bit, now that he's aware Algric is here and watching? He doesn't want his boyfriend to know how monstrous he can truly be given the motivation. He'll deal with the guilt later; Algric seeing him do this, the reality that no, Algric isn't getting anything from him that way and Tobias is right on that.]

And you've felt no guilt for anyone else you've done that to. I can see that. What a right asshole you are, Tobias Fisher.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ There's no objections from Algric. If anything ... his own hunger is bright, flaring with a frigid desire to see this man disappear. To realise exactly how alone he is, just as he made Algric feel.

He remains invisible and watches.

Tobias ... looks dimly uncertain. Finally. But only a little. ]

"What! What. Okay, fine. Maybe I was. It's not a crime."

[eyediot]

No. No, it isn't.

[He only turns to take careful, measured steps toward him. His voice is firm, but quiet.]

But by god, I hope, from here on until you can't remember your own name, that every time you finish, alone or rolling off your partner of the week, that you feel just as empty. And cold. And alone as you've made everyone you've done that to. I hope the guilt of knowing what you're doing tears you apart and you can never really, truly enjoy getting off again.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Tobias's eyes go wide as he staggers back, the compulsion sinking into him. He doesn't know what's happening - how could he? - but he knows that something is wrong, that somehow what Jonah is saying now must be true. ]

Fucking - Archive weirdo -

[ He stumbles back at that, fear in his eyes as he looks back at Jonah for a moment. Then he legs it as fast as he can, overturning a few bins as he hurtles out of the alley.

Behind Jon, Algric's silhouette becomes dimly visible. He can feel the loneliness radiating off of Tobias already - how it's going to make him feel when he realises there's nothing that's going to feel anything more than hollow now. He takes in a deep breath, just ... drinking it in for a moment. ]

[eyediot]

[Jonah drinks that fear in, the way he looks at Jonah, the way he stumbles drunkenly away. He'll never be able to know for sure for the rest of his life if his unhappiness in that is from this weird encounter with the Archive Weirdo, his own inadequacy, or that ever present feeling that he's being watched and judged.

Jonah takes a deep breath, feeling that anger wash away and the red in his eyes fade.]

Midnight snack?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric reluctantly materialising then, looking ... better? Sharper, in a strange way. A midnight snack indeed.

He shivers a little, not sure what he thinks of that encounter. ]

You've ... you really ... god, you were terrifying, Jon.

[ He isn't sure if he's frightened or turned on. ]

[eyediot]

[For all the attitude and anger he just had, Jonah's frame shrinks a bit, folding into himself still not looking at Algric.]

...I really didn't want you to see me do that.

[curriculum_fictae]

It was awful.

[ But he leans down and gives Jonah one hell of a kiss. ]

[eyediot]

Yes, i-it wa--

[OH.

He blinks surprised before melting into it, pulling him close.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric backs him gently up against the wall of the nearest building, hands framing Jonah's face, kissing him like it's the end of the world or something. He won't go much further, but there's a new sort of desperation in how deeply he kisses Jonah. Something bright and hot and incandescent. ]

[eyediot]

[This is new - sharp and desperate and not sweet, but not unwelcome. And with Algric's Lonely cloak it isn't as if anyone's going to notice. But it's the stones of the wall against his back and feeling pressed in that get him breathless in an unpleasant way, feeling his heart racing out of his chest.

He clutches at Algric's jacket, breaking away to try and gulp down air like he's drowning, a worm struggling to the surface, dirt and mud and grit under his nails and down his throat.]

Al--Martin. Martin.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ It takes Algric a moment to realise that that clutching isn't a good thing, that Jonah's in distress here. He lurches back enough to give Jonah space and air, but he still hovers close. ]

S-sorry, I just - I don't -

[ That was wrong, wasn't it? He just saw Jonah ruin someone's life. He shouldn't feel like - like - like this. ]

[eyediot]

No-- No, it's not. [BREATHE. He takes a cautious step away from the building, shaky and breathless and god he didn't know Algic could kiss like that.]

It's not you. Um. Just-- Wrong place. N-not here.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric didn't really know Algric could kiss like that, okay. He's still so red that he nearly glows in the dim light. ]

Back - back home, then? To Tim's place?

[ He's agitated, still. Ashamed of the adrenaline pumping through him at seeing such delicious revenge served to someone he hates. ]

[eyediot]

I- yes. Home.

[One long, steadying breath and he's good. He's fine. Not Buried. He knows he'll have to actually talk about this but. Tomorrow. After... whatever this ends up being, and a night's sleep.

He holds an arm out to Algric, offering to walk him home. Like it's the most polite couple's night out.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Right now, it seems nearly like a date? They've had a meal, and now Algric takes Jonah's arm with a shy, warm smile that doesn't match what Jonah's just done at all. ]

It - it is rather nice out.

[eyediot]

...Yes, it. It is.

[He wants to ask why specifically Algric followed him. But ...well he'd just gotten a small appetizer himself, hadn't he? Was Algric's monstrousness finally making him hungry too? He doesn't want to ruin this... terrible horribly romantic walk back. His eyes are bright and clear, the first truly clear since he arrived here. At least it isn't a long walk back.]

Didn't take you long to find me.