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]

I can certainly leave you alone. But I can't take anything back.

[It's weird, this tiny man able to make someone so afraid. He hasn't raised a hand or his voice. Just a calm, if somewhat uncomfortable conversation. But it is a good taste. ]

Tell me, in all your trips and excursions, have you ever experienced real trauma?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric hangs back, letting Jonah handle this. But he can See the fog steaming off Tobias. Breathes it in himself, looking grimly satisfied.

Tobias's fear just ratchets up more and more, disproportionately so to the smaller man in front of him. ]

"I - no. No I. Haven't."

[eyediot]

Maybe you should see some of what we've dealt with.

[He still doesn't touch. But he does lean in a bit, those red-ringed black sclera eyes crystal clear now. At the word "see", there's a pulse, and he'll get flashes - a confusing mess of sights and sounds, disorientation. Feeling like you've been left in the air at terminal velocity for hours only to suddenly rush back and your lungs never quite fully recovering or able to take a deep breath the same. Fire, so agonizingly hot, sweltering all around you as it burns an apartment building but it never actually burns down and you're stuck, with no fire escape. An empty, gray house. With fog frosted windows, uncomfortable chairs, and no one to hear you except a gray, dim ocean outside with softly lapping waves.

It happens, so fast, but Tobias will see it all with perfect clarity, all from Jonah's perspective.]

I think the truly sad part is no one will probably believe you.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Too late, Tobias covers his eyes with his hands, trying to block out the horrible images. (But they're inside his head now, aren't they? Burned there, permanent, god, and somehow that horribly empty house is the worst of them--

He sinks down to the street, back against the wall. Making miserable sounds.

And Algric gently comes up behind Jon, tugging at his elbow. That's enough. ]

[eyediot]

[At the tug, Jonah blinks back to himself, having gotten... a little lost in that house himself. He looks down at that broken man in front of him and... Steps back. His breath is caught in his throat and ...Well, being well fed is nice, but.

This isn't what he wants.

Maybe he isn't as good a person as he'd like to think he is.

Jon mimics the motion, hand touching gently to Algric's elbow before turning to leave.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Sorry, Jonah. There's guilt on Algric's face, but ... well. Perhaps less than there should be.

He leads Jonah back away from Tobias, into the morning light. ]

He deserved it.

[eyediot]

Mm.

[It's just a quiet intone of agreement. He did deserve some of that... But maybe not the extent Jonah went to. But his eyes are clear, and he left a nice trail for Algric to follow on his own in the future if he wants anything else there.]

...I don't. Think I should do that again.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Plus, Algric looks ... better? A little more solid, definitely more full. He breathes in deeply. ]

No, probably not. We'll - we'll let Tim update on him next time.

[eyediot]

Smart. He likes Tim.

[A deep breath himself.]

But I meant... Doing that again. At all, to-to anyone.

[curriculum_fictae]

... I know, Jon. I'm - I'm sorry to have put you in that position.

But I can't be upset with you standing up for me, either.

[eyediot]

And I would stand up for you any and every time.

[Just... Maybe not. Exactly like that again.]

I just... worry. Ah-about being too much like Elias.

[curriculum_fictae]

Oh. That - that is fair, I suppose.

[eyediot]

[After a few steps, he carefully reaches for Algric's hand at their sides.]

We'll find some other way for me to eat. It'll be fine.

[curriculum_fictae]

... But you did eat at least, right?

[ He takes Jonah's hand firmly. ]

[eyediot]

I did, no worries there.

[He smiles gently up at him, eyes clear and clean, no red in sight.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric smiles gently, then. ]

Good. I - ah, I ate too. So. I'm glad that part went all right.

[eyediot]

I am too.

...Left him with some, um. Lonely thoughts. If you ever want seconds.

[Just. Without Jonah.]

[curriculum_fictae]

When - when I get hungry again.

[ No "if." Only "when", now. ]

[eyediot]

[Well. He meant more, if he wanted to feed of Tobias specifically for seconds. But.]

Of...course. When you get hungry again.

[curriculum_fictae]

Right. For now I - I'm all right. Better not to push it, I think.

[ He leans in a little closer. ]

He really is a wretched person.

[eyediot]

Absolutely agreed.

You know, that's only my second time talking with him? I think I'm good there.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric laughs weakly. ]

R-right? I believe it. God, I don't know how I stood him.

[eyediot]

You've got me and Tim and Jon for much better conversation. No reason to even give him another thought.

[curriculum_fictae]

... Yeah. Yeah, you're - you're right.

[eyediot]

[Jon squeezes his hand.]

It's not a big sprawling network but... Better than him.