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]

Yes. I'm - I'm so glad, Jon.

[eyediot]

So am I.

[He can do this right? Just... Let his head rest against Algric this close?]

I just... I want things to be better. For us, and for them.

[curriculum_fictae]

Me too. Whether we can do that ... depends, but.

[eyediot]

We'll do our best to.

[He starts thumbing along Algric's cheek with that bad hand.]

I... A-are you really sure you're all right with... This? [His hand.] I know you hate burn scars so..

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric ... stiffens a little. It's not much of a secret, really, but he knows he hasn't told Jon yet. ]

It's - it's different when it's someone else's.

[eyediot]

[Jon jolts his hand back, mistaking the reaction for ...well, the more obvious.]

I'm sorry.

[He'll keep that hand to himself then, shifting to curl up and tuck his burned hand against himself.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Ah, dammit. That's not what he - Algric reaches out to take Jon's hand, firmly. ]

I don't mind yours, Jon. I just ... never told you I didn't like burn scars.

[eyediot]

Oh.

Oh-- I'm. I'm sorry, I... It's hard to tell sometimes what I remember and what I know

[curriculum_fictae]

I - I know. I mean, I figured, I just. Please try not to Know things about me without permission?

[eyediot]

...I'll do my best.

[He swallows hard, squeezing that hand.]

[curriculum_fictae]

Thank you. That's - that's all I want, really. Accidents do happen.

[eyediot]

[Jonah breathes and... hesitates.]

In... Light of that, can I... ask something?

[curriculum_fictae]

Of course, Jon.

[eyediot]

[How to... phrase this.]

The.. last week or so? Since, my um. Eye problem. I could... I wasn't prying or really meant to know, but I could tell you've been trying to. [God, there's not a good way.]

I told Tim, and. It's fair I tell you but considering what.. happened, I don't. Like things being kept from me? If it has anything to do with me, or-or affects me? And I can tell there's something you're not saying and I haven't gone looking at whatever it is, but it's been bothering me.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Shit. Shit. He doesn't want to have this conversation? He doesn't want to tell Jonah what they're planning, because he knows if he does Jonah will want to get involved. And it's best if they only potentially get themselves murdered, right?

He drags in a deep breath. Then another. ]

It's ... I ... I don't want to tell you, Jon.

[eyediot]

Oh.

[He's honestly taken aback a bit by that. Not that he really fully expected Algric to just spill everything at his request, but... That means it does have something to do with him, or will affect him somehow. Something old, and dirty, and forgotten gently grasps at his heart and squeezes so softly.]

A-all right. I just. Wanted to ask.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric remains silent for a long moment, stewing in his own misery. He doesn't want to tell him. He doesn't want to. But that response -

It's worse not to, isn't it? Sorry Tim. ]

Tim and I are going to kill Elias.

[eyediot]

[For a long, long minute, it seems like Jonah won't respond. Maybe he's fallen asleep, or his Eye focused somewhere else. But his voice is so quiet.]

How.

[curriculum_fictae]

I'll - I'll keep us invisible. Get us to the Panopticon. And then Tim will set him on fire until he dies.

[eyediot]

...And the back up, in case he still somehow sees you?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ A slight shrug. ]

Well. Probably set off whatever explosives Tim's gotten in there ahead of time.

[eyediot]

[Jonah looks up at him. Realizes he's serious. Lets his head fall heavy onto Algric's chest.]

Martin...

[Sigh. Then he looks up at him again, resigned and serious.]

You need a proper distraction from the get go.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric just looks tired. ]

And that's why I didn't want to tell you.

[eyediot]

[?!?!]

So you'd rather risk you and Tim being killed than let me be involved to help?

[curriculum_fictae]

I'd rather not risk you too!