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]

Not... Not now, no.

[He rests his face against Algric, the heat from them is unmistakable. He laughs mirthlessly.]

I think I may have left Peter stranded there.

[curriculum_fictae]

Well - well, good. I'm sure he'll find his own way out.

[ And if he doesn't, well. Fine by him. He puts an arm around Jonah's shoulders, drawing him along. ]

I'll get us home, okay?

[eyediot]

Pretty sure I promised you I'd do that.

[It's a weak argument as he walks with him like that.]

... I'm sorry. I. I had the chance to take him out before any of that happened and I didn't.

[curriculum_fictae]

I'm not going to blame you for trying to avoid murdering someone. He - he technically hadn't hurt me yet. O-or gaslit me for months on end. Or thrown me into the Lonely.

[ Now he has, so next time can be different. Algric just keeps walking ... and decides to call them a rideshare. Public transit while Jonah is blind and he's still shivering with cold is a bad idea. ]

[eyediot]

... But he hurt Martin.

[But he promised Algric. Next time he won't hesitate then. It doesn't take long for a ride to come, stopping next to them.]

We'll come back. Find the band you want.

[curriculum_fictae]

... Yes. He did.

[ No denying that. He helps Jonah get into the car, then, and clings close to him. ]

Don't - don't worry about that right now, Jon. The band doesn't mean anything if you're not alive to enjoy it too.

[eyediot]

[He sighs heavily, feeling a bit safer like this. He leans into Algric while the car moved them forward.]

Right. Need to get you warm again too.

[curriculum_fictae]

I'll - I'll get the electric blanket out. And I'll make tea, and - and we'll both cuddle under it the rest of the day, okay? You won't have to lift a finger.

[ He brushes Jonah's hair back from his face, trying to get a better look at those eyes. ]

[eyediot]

[He's keeping his eyes turned down, away, closed. He knows it's bad.]

Martin - you need to rest too. That was... Don't worry about only me. All right?

[curriculum_fictae]

You're hurt. You're - you're hurt because you rescued me, Jon. You have to be safe before I can relax, all right?

[eyediot]

So? So we'll get home and then I'm safe. I was.. I was scared for you. And I need to know you're safe too.

[He does finally turn his head the right direction, blinks because God they burn, and they are unmistakably red. All the way through. Having worn himself out saving Algric, sure, but he'd wanted to hurt Peter just as badly.]

[curriculum_fictae]

I will be. Once we're back inside.

[ He helps Jonah out of the car carefully and holds the door to Tim's house open for him. ]

[eyediot]

[Jonah walks slowly, trying to feel out his steps alongside Martin and keeping hands on him. Hates this. Hates that this is what happens now since he saved Tim. A fair trade sure, but he'll complain about it.]

Good. Then... Just rest with me. Don't worry about all the other stuff.

[curriculum_fictae]

... Okay. Okay, Jon. I'll rest with you. After I get us both some tea.

[ He carefully guides Jonah up the stairs, then, towards the bed. ]

[eyediot]

[He does feel some sympathy for Melanie having done this but permanently. One hand carefully on the bed to lower himself then sits. He starts to rub at his eyes and somewhere Tim's voice in his head scolds him so he doesn't. Just focused on feeling for his shoes to get them off.]

I. I promise I'll get better at managing this.

[curriculum_fictae]

Jon. I'm - I'm not mad. You saved me when I was - when I was lost in my own head.

[ He shivers a little, keeping a hand on Jonah's shoulder. ]

[eyediot]

[Anything he wants to say just... Fizzles under the weight of the ice block on his shoulder. It had stayed numb the whole way back, but Algric's hand on it has Jonah tensing, fresh pain jolting through.]

E-even so. You shouldn't have to, to be. Leading me around.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Wait, what was that? Algric startles at that jolt, moving his hand to Jonah's arm? ]

Are you all right? Did Peter hurt you?

[eyediot]

I-i... I don't know.

[He can get his breath again, but the cold is still overwhelming. He starts carefully shifting, trying to get out of this soaked shirt.]

Everything there was freezing, so I'm not sure.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric gently moves to help him with that, swiftly undoing the buttons with his fingers. ]

I'll - I'll take a look then.

[eyediot]

Please.

[He can't see it himself right now, the bits of green static trying desperately to get through the desolation red, but no dice. Once the buttons are undone, he shrugs his good arm out of the sleeve and then starts getting the other off. And it's a blotch over his entire shoulder, stretching up to his neck and almost past his collarbone of a burn, ice cold to the touch. Peter may not have had months to manipulate Jon, but he had him in one of the worst laces imaginable.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Oh. Oh god. He had been expecting a bit of greyness, perhaps some discolouration. Not - not this.

He lets out a little horrified noise as he stares down at Jon, eyes gone wide as he delicately touches one finger to the affected area. ]

[eyediot]

Martin?

[He lifts his head at the noise, but then the touch happens, a fresh wave of iced pain jolting through the spot, even more directly now with the skin contact. He bites back a cry, reaching for the offending finger, just gripping the spot.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric jerks his hand back, but - he's seen enough. He can't even touch that spot now because of what Peter's done ...

His hands tremble as he carefully tugs Jon by the opposite shoulder, helping him settle into bed. ]

He hurt you.

[ Peter Lukas hurt Jon. He hurt Jon. And - something goes very cold and still in the pit of his stomach. ]

[eyediot]

He-- He hurt you too.

[He's a bit too weak to fight to sit up, no matter how badly he wants to try and sort this out. Instead, his hand rests on Martin's arm.]

He tried to make me watch you go, I-i couldn't.