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]

[equally as small:]

Oh.

[Martin similarly shrinks, clutching the pillow he'd been dressing and looking around like he's lost and desperate to find an anchor. so how does he self-soothe?

continuing to make the bed, even though his hands have begun to tremble. painful silence presses down between them.

Algric might be the only person he feels he can admit this to, laughing brittlely:]

I can't- I-I don't. What am I supposed to think? How... I don't know h-how to. Feel. About that.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ God. He really just ruins everything, doesn’t he. Instant regret.

He sits, slowly, once the bed is fully made. ]

You don’t have to. Not - not yet? You’ve got time.

[secreteary]

Yeah. Yeah, there's...some.

[his mind is swirling, but a few questions manage to come through with some clarity. but knowing what he knows, and preferring not to think of what's going on in his own head...]

How was it? For you.

[wait.]

I-I mean. No, wait, you don't. You don't have to answer that.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric winces, but. Well. He owes Martin this, doesn’t he. ]

Her death? Awful. Of course. It’s not as though she was doing well, but ...

[ A deep breath. ]

But somehow, even when you see it coming for years, the day that it happens is still a surprise. And I was - I - I didn’t have anyone there to help. You know we don’t have any extended family who care.

[secreteary]

[seeing that wince just leads to immediate regret and self-reprimanding.]

Sorry, sorry, that's not. It's none of my business, I shouldn't have asked.

[...well. it sort of IS his business, but that doesn't matter.]

I hope... [what is there to hope for? that's realistic?] I hope she wasn't...in pain.

[reconciliation is too much to ask for, and he knows it. that doesn't mean he doesn't hope for it, however.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ It IS your business Martin, okay.

Algric is quiet for a moment, considering how to answer that. ]

I think - I think she wasn't, in the end. I did all I could to make her comfortable.

[secreteary]

That's.

[it's what?]

That's...something. I guess.

[there's something in Martin's throat.]

Sorry. [quieter:] Sorry. For...making the mood worse than it. Could've been.

I'm glad...Jon was. There for you. [he won't be jealous, he won't. it's not the time.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Are you sure about that jealousy bit, Martin? Are you really sure. ]

N-no, it's. I figured this might happen when the topic came up. And you ought to know, so - so it isn't like I could have hid it.

[ A soft sigh. ]

Your Jon is so lovely. I'm glad you're getting a chance to be with him early.

[secreteary]

It's fine. [said a little too quickly.] But. I'm. Y-yeah. Me too.

[the compliment is...odd, though not out of place given the circumstances. instinct is to return like with like. ...but hoo boy. how to phrase this.]

Your Jon - erm, Jonah - he's wonderful too, in his own way. I can understand why you didn't bring him, though.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Yeah uh. That's probably the best you can do? Algric laughs weakly. ]

He is something, isn't he? A bit dangerous, honestly, but ...

[secreteary]

[that makes Martin pause.]

I mean. Aren't we all, at this point? [waggles the fingers on his left hand to make his point.]

He's just... [he trails off, trying to put this...delicately.]

...He's been through a lot.

[curriculum_fictae]

Ah. Yes. Yes, we - we all are dangerous now.

[ He's thinking of Tobias Fisher now, which is sadly an improvement on thinking about his mother. ]

... He has. I wish - I am desperately sorry to have left him there alone.

[secreteary]

...You didn't know. And how could you not want to leave at the first opportunity you got?

[absolving himself hasn't gotten any less weird, yet.

and isn't anything an improvement from thinking about Mum?]

I bet he understands.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric rubs at his arm. ]

He ... he does. That doesn't erase the fact that I hurt him.

[secreteary]

[it's also entirely weird to watch your own nervous quirks. Martin feels the compulsion to mirror it, but chooses to shift his weight slightly from foot to foot instead, eyes darting around for the best thing to say.]

At least...you're back together now? Reunited? You can. Th-there's opportunity to mend it. Make it right.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ A deep breath. ]

I'm - I'm trying. D'you think it's working?

[secreteary]

I don't know. But I do know that he...h-he loves you. And he's still Jon, so... He's still got that mile-wide kindness streak. It's fine, or it'll be fine. I-- I believe in him, in that way.

[curriculum_fictae]

... Yes. Yes, I - I do too.

[secreteary]

[yup, sorry, bringing it back around.]

...What was it like? Having Jon stand up to her.

[curriculum_fictae]

It was ...

[ His voice goes soft, tentative. ]

It was nice. It probably shouldn't be, but ... having him in my corner, after all those years of enduring her alone ...

[secreteary]

[oh no. there's that...bitter anger at the back of his throat. here, Martin can only dream. what must it be like to have someone believe him, and stand up for him against her? and again, Algric got to have it. with Jon. his Jon.

swallowing the jealous lump down, Martin musters up as much sincerity as he can.]

I get it. I'm glad.

[but then he just...deflates, defeated.]

I can't ask him to go a second time. I won't do that to him.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Ah. That - that isn't something Algric had considered? He looks a bit alarmed in fact. ]

You can take my Jon. He hasn't gone yet.

[ And he would 100% be feral for you. ]

[secreteary]

[a small snort, and even the hint of a grin.]

It's starting to sound like they're- They're items to be swapped around between us. Or different Jons have different effects on boss battles...

[it amuses him more than anything else, for some reason. do the Jons talk about them the same way?

the mental distraction only lasts a brief moment, before Martin's shoulders hunch and he shoves his hands in his pockets.]

It's. Tempting. ...But no, I-I'll. I can just. Go. 'S fine.

[curriculum_fictae]

And the boss battle is our mum?

[ It's very stupid, but he can't help a small laugh. Better than the alternative. ]

You don't have to go at all, you know. Or - or I could go with you.

[secreteary]

[that's when Martin stops and stares with big eyes.]

You've only just been. You just- You would? Why?