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]

Not ... exactly? Jon and I just - gathered up some statements for you. I thought I could read some to you.

[eyediot]

Oh.

[Right. Statements, he forgot for a second. He carefully pushes himself to sit up, turning his face into Algric's hand.]

A-are you sure?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He gladly leans in close again. ]

Well they aren't in Braille. Of course I'll read them to you.

[eyediot]

[He kisses his palm and leans into him.]

All right. Thank you.

[curriculum_fictae]

Of course, Jon. Just rest for me? And let me help you.

[eyediot]

Mm. [Easy enough to suggest. He's tired, it wasn't good sleep, and he's still weak. Jonah closes his eyes and leans into Algric.]

Yes, sir.

[curriculum_fictae]

Right. Let's see then ...

[ He shifts a bit, opening the folder with the first statement. ]

[eyediot]

[Jonah settles in, head tucked into him. It's a rough story, an old letter from 1850, to Jonah Magnus. The statement from a young man, apprenticing under Robert Smirke. His work with the architect is not the subject of the letter, but merely a context of why he writes to Jonah specifically. No, it's the story of what happened when his brother begged him to see the latest Grimadi performance at the newly built Covenant Gardens. How, as soon as they sat something felt odd; he had wanted to leave but his brother wanted to stay. He stayed as well, even when Grimaldi missed a step and started to fall. His brother ran to help, despite his own shouts for his brother to stop. He saw the man's hand touch Grimaldi, and then.. Well. The description of his death is described well from his memory. He had tried to save his brother, but Grimaldi grabbed his hand as he tried to flee, pulling the skin from it. Smirke had found him several days later, huddled and mute before taking him in as his apprentice. But he finds himself questioning the bits of steel and wood that make up that hand.

By the end, the red in Jonah's eyes has faded a little, enough he can see faint blurs of color and shape.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ That ...

That statement feels strange. Familiar? It reminds him of someone ...

But he finishes it despite his dread, glad to see at least some of the red fading from Jonah's eyes. ]

How - how was that?

[eyediot]

[He sounds... not exhausted, but. Stable.]

Horrible. But... Better.

[curriculum_fictae]

Good. Good, I was - I was so afraid, Jon.

[eyediot]

...I'm sorry. I-i don't mean to make you scared.

[He moves his hand to ... To the. Blob he's pretty sure is Algric.....'s knee. Knee? Something.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ His knee, yes. The blob laughs faintly, that copper blur shaking a bit. ]

You can make it up to me by staying in bed for the rest of today.

[eyediot]

I'm fairly certain I still don't have much choice in the matter.

[He's at Algric's mercy here.]

[curriculum_fictae]

Well, no. But we could make it nice? I'll cook something.

[eyediot]

[He huffs out a sort of laugh.]

Just an afternoon of listening to you read?

[Given how little the statements give him now, he isn't sure how long or how many it'll take to get him back to... well, 'normal'.]

[curriculum_fictae]

If you tell me that doesn't appeal, I'll divorce you.

[ He's completely joking, of course. ]

[eyediot]

Don't recall saying it doesn't appeal.

[The joke-threat is... cute, but it does hit differently after that trip in the Lonely. It's clear it doesn't really amuse.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Oh. Algric sees that immediately and regrets it. He leans down to kiss Jonah's forehead again. ]

S-sorry. I'm only - I swear I won't ever leave you, Jon. If it helped to marry you right now, I'd do it.

[eyediot]

No, I-i know. I know it was only a joke, Martin.

[He turns his head the direction that kiss came from, wanting to chase him for a proper kiss but can't quite.]

Please don't apologize for that...

[curriculum_fictae]

No. You're hurt right now. And - and I should know that better than anyone.

[ He sees Jonah struggling and gently tilts his face in the right direction. And leans in for a full kiss. ]

[eyediot]

Martin, it's oka-

[Oh, kiss. He breathes in deeply at it, closes his eyes to hopefully stave off some of the desolation heat from hitting Martin too much.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ It's fine, Algric is so cool all the time anyway that it just balances out. He's here to kiss his future husband and there's nothing the Desolation can do about it. ]

I love you, Jon. I'm going to marry you.

[eyediot]

And I love you, Martin.

[His shoulder aches, though, that whisper that Algric... is just doing this for Jon. That he doesn't really want this whispers by his ear. He tries to shrug it off.]

I-it'll be nice. A small wedding.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric settles in next to him in the bed, moving to put his arms around Jonah. ]

Yes. Just a few people that we really care about, and a few extra invitations sent by way of Helen.