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]

[ Awww. That's adorable. ]

It's all hypothetical anyway.

[eyediot]

[Listen he's easy to throw off and fluster if you know the right specific buttons.]

Right. Right, yes. I-it is.

[curriculum_fictae]

So - so don't worry about it too much. I can't imagine actually adopting a kid right now anyway.

[eyediot]

Right...

[Another soft kiss to Algric's hair. At the very least, it sounds like Algric's maybe not given up on that dream so fast. He... kind of likes knowing Algric's hopes.]

Too many things happening first.

[curriculum_fictae]

Exactly. So - you know, maybe that first.

[ He doesn't think it will ever be peaceful enough. But it's nice to dream, right? ]

[eyediot]

I think so.

[With all that, the mood a little better, Jonah moves so he can tilt Algric's head up to kiss him sweetly.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric gladly meets him, kissing him in return. ]

[eyediot]

[It's nice. The afternoon and evening are nice, sitting and laying with Algric, catching up on some things with the others and enjoying companionable silence when there's nothing to talk about.

Jonah doesn't really sleep though, not with the hunger gnawing at him. His eyes hurt and that slow broiling anger is still simmering with Algric asleep next to him. He watches his partner, thinking about that hint of hurt before and makes a decision. A quick brain search and he Knows where to go.

Middle of the night, he sneaks out, quiet as he can. He's going hunting, but it isn't the mindless, hunger-driven kind of hunt Algric had to intervention for in their timeline. This is a single minded, targeted hunt.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric even found a book and just read next to Jonah for a while, just. Relaxing as best he can, enjoying the day. Eventually he'd settled into bed next to Jonah. It's not as deep as normal, though; the ice is chilly but it doesn't freeze him in place. As such, when Jonah gets up ...

Algric wakes up shortly after, realising that Jonah is gone. And - oh god, where is he? He hurries out of the house as quickly as he dares, pausing only long enough to grab a jacket before heading out into the night.

He thinks he can still sense that hint of loneliness ahead of him somewhere. Like a trail of smoke leading him on. ]

[eyediot]

[It's easy to spot, isn't it? A lonely Avatar of the Eye, wandering the streets. This is something only he'll do. Jon could never.

The pubs are still open, though everyone is beginning to trail out at last call. He knows which one to watch. Unfortunately, he's focused. Otherwise he might notice someone following him.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Damn it, Jon. At least he's easy to sneak up on, especially with the cloak of the Lonely drawn in close to him. Algric approaches from behind, trying to see what Jonah's up to. ]

[eyediot]

[It becomes pretty clear after a couple of minutes - Tobias Fisher, ambling out of the pub alone and in good spirits. That anger rises up a bit before he shoves it down. Another moment and Jon eases his posture, raises a hand in greeting.]

Fisher! You're out late. Don't you have work early?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric's eyes go wide as he realises who's here - and what Jonah must want. He should do something, right? Stop this? Whatever Jonah's here to do can't be pleasant.

And yet ... he finds himself staying cloaked instead, watching with a strange sort of greed.

Tobias, meanwhile, turns at that. And squints at Jonah. ]

"Huh? Who're--"

[ He's drunk, of course, but not quite that drunk. ]

"Bloody hell. It's one've the weirdos from Archives, innit?"

[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. ]