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]

Right. R-right. He's - going to blind himself soon.

[eyediot]

[Sigh.]

Yeah. And no one got thrown in, so.

[curriculum_fictae]

So no one to have to rescue either.

[ He realises that he's bent over after a moment and straightens, stiffly. Tensing up. He's conflicted, though; he trusts Jonah enough to have taken his shirt off, but... ]

[eyediot]

[Jonah is still turned away, giving him that privacy. You're fine, Algric.]

Exactly. If I knew where it was I'd just seal it away somewhere.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He is, isn't he? Algric realises that after a moment, cheeks pinking. Jonah is trying so hard to allow him this space ... ]

R-right. I mean, maybe we could. Find it?

[eyediot]

Maybe.

Or maybe just leave it alone, I don't know. Timeline is quite a ways off now.

[curriculum_fictae]

Yeah. I'm not sure which is safer.

[ Algric hesitates again. Then, slowly, he reaches out for Jon's face with one hand. ]

[eyediot]

It's hard to... [Hm?] say.

[At the touch, he looks at Algric, not sure what to expect here.]

[curriculum_fictae]

Right. We'll figure it out.

[ He's tilting Jonah's face to look at him, expression unexpectedly soft. ]

I know what you're doing.

[eyediot]

[Jonah just... Watched him. Gets a half smile on.]

Being miserable that what I thought was a decently thought out plan didn't actually work?

[curriculum_fictae]

N-no, not - I'm sorry for tearing it apart. I didn't mean to make you miserable.

[eyediot]

I'm- I'm joking.

[Half joking.]

I just... I said I wouldn't look.

[curriculum_fictae]

You did say. And you haven't. And I'm - I'm so grateful, Jon.

[ It's allowing him to approach this slowly, on his own terms. It's difficult, of course, but... ]

I - I think - I would like you to. To look.

[eyediot]

[It's hard to properly guess what he's thinking behind the inscrutable eyes of his staring at him.]

Only if you're sure.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ So unfair not being able to Know himself. Algric hunches his shoulders, dragging in a breath. ]

Yes. I'm. I'm sure. I don't want to - to have this between us.

[eyediot]

[Jonah watches.

Then carefully moves to lean up and kiss him gently.]

All right.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric kisses him back, slow and tender. Despite his words, he's nervous. ]

A-and - and fair is fair, anyway, given I've seen you naked now.

[eyediot]

Maybe, but I was willing to be patient.

[The curiosity would've burned him through though.]

Still am willing.

[curriculum_fictae]

I know. I know.

[ He squeezes his eyes shut ... and turns his back to Jonah before he loses his nerve. The terror of being Seen spikes again as he waits, breathlessly, for Jonah to look. ]

[eyediot]

[Oh this is like a right this very second thing.

He almost turns away himself but... Catches the glimpse of one scar. And, well. He does want to see and Algric is trusting him.

So he does look. Steadied his breathing because it's... It's horrible.

He doesn't say anything, but hesitantly rests one hand just over the oldest scar, not touching. Hovering.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Sorry Jonah, if he doesn't do it now he definitely won't do it later.

It's just as terrible as Jonah remembers. If anything, it's worse because he's getting a clearer picture now. The marks seem to crawl with old misery. Not fueled by the Powers, no, but still deep and poisonous, even years later. A physical map of all Martin's trauma and insecurities.

The oldest is that stab wound in his left shoulder, puckered white against his pink and freckled skin. Algric winces as Jonah's hand draws close, then forces himself to relax. It's okay. It's okay. It's just Jon and - and he wants this. ]

[eyediot]

[He is exceedingly careful here. No comments, focused breathing. He doesn't touch, just hovers looking over them and taking it in.

God he had no idea.

He finally settled for gently touching a hand at one of the larger scars.]

Tell me again I shouldn't go see her.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric instantly goes taut at that, letting out a small distressed noise. But he holds still, not jolting away from Jonah. He lets his boyfriend touch the larger burn scar between his shoulders; it just takes all of his willpower not to flinch away. (It's fine, he's fine, Jon loves him, he's not judging Algric, and that pain is memory only, not even real--) ]

You. You shouldn't go see her. Martin - Martin deserves to have the chance to make peace with her even if I couldn't.

[eyediot]

[He sees the reaction and leaves his hand one more moment then pulls away. Hands carefully folded back to himself.]

Right... Right, he should.

... Thank you, for showing me.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He nods at that, turning his back away from Jonah again. ]

S-sorry. I didn't mean to - you were very gentle. It's just. No one's ever touched my back like that except - you know.