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

[eyediot]

[Jonah turns his hand slow, curling around Algric's fingers. Loose and light, ready any time Algric wants to pull away.]

Thank you. For telling me.

[He doesn't need the details for every scar. He can fill those blanks in himself, but he's grateful Algric told him as much as he did.]

I'm sorry I didn't say so earlier, the first time you asked. I was just... I wasn't sure and I didn't want to. To ruin things worse.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric slowly clasps his hand around Jonah's, then, all but clinging now that contact has been initiated. ]

It's - it's all right. It's just. W-well, I'd rather pretend that nothing happened, you know? That ... maybe my childhood wasn't great, but it was just ...

[ A normal level of terrible. ]

[eyediot]

No, I... I understand.

[He thumbs along those knuckles of Algric's, thoughtful. How to best approach this.]

You don't... Have to hide those from me. I-I get it, I do. [His free hand rubbing at the edge of his neck scar self conscious.] But.. Don't feel like you have to.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ His gaze settles on that neck scar. On his burns, on his worm holes. ]

You do get it, don't you.

[eyediot]

[Even after all this time, Jonah can't help how he stiffens when he feels Algric looking at them. Not as lifelong traumatic as a parent, but still deep.]

... A bit. I-it isn't the same. But... I don't know if you saw me where you were at the Institute. But I did take to wearing quite a few turtlenecks and scarves. Winter, you know?

[God this isn't about him. He swallow, taking Algric's hand in both of his now.] I-I'm just... Saying. That's not something you have to keep a guard up around me for if you don't want to.

[curriculum_fictae]

Y-yeah. I - I noticed. Never did quite put it together, but ...

[ But he understands. He's hiding under his own jumper right now, after all. A deep breath. ]

I appreciate that, but - but what could you even do, Jon? Showing them to you - it's only bringing hurt to you, not peace to me.

[eyediot]

[What can he do?]

Comfort? Positive association, I-I don't know.

[He looks down at their hands, desperately wishing he knew what to say.]

Maybe you're right.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric falls silent, staring at that line across Jonah's neck. And the worm holes, and ...

If Jonah hid them from Algric, how would he feel about that? A bit miserable, right? Sure, he'd respect any way Jonah wanted to approach it, but ... he wants to be a part of Jonah's struggles. Even if all he can do is lean in close and tell Jonah he still loves him. ]

Show me - show me a scar of yours. One I haven't seen yet or. Or don't know the full story for.

[eyediot]

[At this point, what scar has Algric not seen yet? Jonah think on that, going over his history and...

We'll, there is the two. One more embarrassing than not, but the other...

He takes a breath and lets go of his hand. And moves to get one of his socks off, shifting so the bottom of his foot is easily visible. There on the heel is a splash of old scar tissue, small but whatever it was wasn't pretty at the time.]

Vintage. Pre-Institute, that one.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Oh. Algric's eyes go wide as he leans in close enough to get a good look. ]

What - what happened?

[eyediot]

Got curious where I shouldn't have. Was.. Seven or so, I think? Got lost and tripped in salvage yard. One of the, the deeper drop offs. Kept trying to climb out, lost my shoes in the process.

[And well. Only socked feet in a salvage drop off... But he almost sounds amused, like a normal childhood memory. Except it isn't and he knows, or he would've shared long before this. ]

Took a while to climb out. My grandmother was worried sure and upset I'd lost my shoes.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Um. Yeah that's um. Algric has to take a moment to process that. ]

Y-you wandered about in salvage yards as a child?

[eyediot]

I did mention before I wandered a lot. Not just salvage yards, just anywhere that looked interesting.

[curriculum_fictae]

Oh my god, Jon. H-how did you even survive childhood?

[eyediot]

She found other ways to keep me occupied?

That was about the time she started threatening to keep me locked in the house so.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ SUCH A FACE. ]

I-I mean - I can see why, but even so -

[eyediot]

[He reflects on that afternoon sometimes. He hadn't cried or screamed, but for a small seven year old, that wall of scrap had been immeasurably high. And his hands could only grip so much for so long. He'd felt helpless, not dissimilar to how he'd felt that day with Daisy.]

Even so. [He echoes. Takes a deep breath and starts getting his sock back on, having let that air out as much as he dared.]

Only one of the. Current people in my life that know about it now.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ So he's trusting Algric. That's ... good. It seems fair. Some restoration of balance between them. ]

Georgie being the other?

[eyediot]

[His hands still mid-motion at that. Just for a breath before moving again to finish.]

Not even Georgie.

[curriculum_fictae]

... Can I ask who, then?

[eyediot]

.. Like I said. You're the only one.

[Grandmother died so. She's not counted anymore.]

[curriculum_fictae]

Oh.

[ Oh. He makes that connection a moment too late. ]

Th-thank you. For. Trusting me with it.

[eyediot]

Of course.

[He does smile gently at him, holding his ankle with both hands now, crossed over one knee.]

I think you've seen almost every other scar I have.

[curriculum_fictae]

I think so, yes. Haven't quite seen you naked, but. Close enough.

[ He's slowly relaxing again, even if his fingers still pick at the fuzz on his jumper. ]

[eyediot]

[Oh that gets him to choke a bit, clearing his throat. Right. Well. His face just heats up, feeling far younger than he is. When's the last time he even cared about someone he likes seeing him naked?]

You've seen me down to briefs, that's - you know.