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]

[ 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.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Gosh. Okay, this is adorable. Algric manages the smallest smile. ]

Yes, I have. So, very nearly naked.

[eyediot]

Well it's -

I mean, you know, before we -

[He verbally scrambles a bit, stammering but.

Wait.

Jonah squint at him.]

Are you saying that's something you want to see? Because I promise it isn't anything thrilling.

[curriculum_fictae]

Yyyyyes? Maybe not right at this exact moment, but. Eventually? Yes?

[eyediot]

[He's momentarily caught off guard, staring at him with open surprise. Bewilderment, something akin to "someone actually wants that".]

Right... [And then more sure:] Right.

Of course.

[curriculum_fictae]

Is that such a surprise, Jon?

[eyediot]

I... Yes?

I mean, I'm. [He gestured to himself, covered in scars.]

And even before that I was... [He half shrugs. Martin and Algric remember how he was in Archives.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Right. He does remember, of course. ]

Well. I do. When - or if - you're comfortable with it.

[eyediot]

... Deal.

[did he even say what Algric's part of the deal is?]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ No, he didn't. But. Algric knows what it is anyway. This is an exchange of trust, isn't it.

He takes in a deep breath. ]

Let's - let's go back to our bedroom, all right?