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

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Hilltop. That place -

Algric shudders. ]

R-right. It's - it's possible, of course. We can't fight it. But ... it's possible that our goals are in the same direction as Web's?

[eyediot]

Maybe.

[He sighs, leaning forward and rubbing at his forehead. The flash doesn't seem to be coming back. A plus.]

Hard to even guess at, we can just hope that's the case for now.

[curriculum_fictae]

Yeah. And - and it's not like we have an alternative, right?

[eyediot]

No... Not unless we knew where Annabelle Cane was. And even then, it'd be difficult.

[curriculum_fictae]

Right. So - let's not think about it, okay?

[eyediot]

[Deep breath.]

Yeah. Good, uh. Good plan.

[ Because the Spider usually wins.

One day he'll get Elias' voice out of his head.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ The spider does usually win. But ... he has Martin again, doesn't he? Safe and devoted to him, willing to trust him in ways that he'd never shown before. Also, currently tackling every corner of the room with a broom as he searches it for spiders.

If this is the Web's plan, there's certainly a benefit in it for Jonah right? ]

Right. I don't see any, I think.

[eyediot]

[By the time he's done, Jonah's got his head in his hands, trying not to run through those stage directions again. The image of just a normal, kitchen table on a stage with hooks and-- It roused the memory a bit more than he'd like. At least he can process it while Algric is around the room and not next to him.]

Thank you. I thought as much, but no harm in checking.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Can he, though? Is he sure?

Or does it seem like Algric's movements are ... constrained, today? Sure, he peers into all the nooks and crannies for spiders, but he seems drawn back to Jonah in a way that doesn't seem efficient. He keeps bobbing back as if bound to Jonah by invisible strings. ]

Of course. I really don't mind them, after all.

[eyediot]

[The worst part is he doesn't even see it. Rubbing at his eyes occasionally, keeping them covered so Algric doesn't see the green static... It keeps him from seeing that weird way of checking.]

I really will never understand that.

[curriculum_fictae]

I'm just a bit weird, I suppose. We all have something.

[ He settles down next to Jonah at last, seeing that eye rubbing and frowning. ]

Let me see your eyes?

[eyediot]

[He stills before turning - the red ring around his pupils is definitely visible. But not danger zone. Yet.]

I'm really not sure if I like having a progress bar here.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Not dangerous, no. But concerning. ]

Mm, well. I'm grateful for it.

[ Then, more gently: ]

We ... should do something else instead this afternoon.

[eyediot]

[Jonah's eyes are fixed on him. Promising to not Know things about Algric is proving to make this a lot harder.]

Like what?

[curriculum_fictae]

... Let's check up on Tobias.

[eyediot]

[A beat]

I know what you're doing.

[But he smirks.] If that's something you really want to do, well. Who's to say I wouldn't have trouble finding him?

[curriculum_fictae]

Look. I think it would benefit both of us.

[ He rubs at the back of his neck. ]

And I'm a bit peckish myself, so.

[eyediot]

Oh, I can't let that go, then.

[Lifts both Algric's hands to hold.]

We will check up on Tobias.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Good. Good. This will help both of them, then. He squeezes Jon's hands too. ]

Are you feeling better now, or...?

[eyediot]

Yes. Much, actually. I think getting up from the table did the trick.

[curriculum_fictae]

Good. Good. Then - we can go whenever you want. Or we can stay here for a little while.

[eyediot]

Let's go ahead.

[Laundry's gotta run, may as well.]

I can guide us.

[curriculum_fictae]

All right then. Lead on?

[ He offers Jonah a hand up. ]

[eyediot]

[He takes it, smiling a little nervously.

Gosh. Checking on Algric's ex after Jonah probably ruined his life. That should be interesting. The green fades back in for a few seconds while he turns the mental satnav on.]

I've got him. Let's go.

[Just has to grab his things on the way out and get shoes on. It isn't hard to track him leaving, freshly showered, from a fitness center. Of course he's that type. Eugh. He stops a block or so away with Algric.]

How d'you want to approach?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Look, Algric is selfishly kind of looking forward to this? Partially because fuck Tobias Fisher, but also ... he really is rather hungry, despite having had a full breakfast. And Fisher's loneliness will be exquisite.

He follows along with Jonah, quiet, setting up a light screen for them. Not enough for true invisibility, just enough for people not to care. Easy to do in a city like London. ]

I mean, we did an alley last time. Seemed to work out okay?