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]

[And just like that, the edge is off, his tone soft again. Quiet, thoughtful. Vulnerable.]

I don't know. It's... not something I ever gave much thought to.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ That ... hurt a bit. At least Jonah immediately bounces back from it, but for a moment Algric goes tense and unhappy. ]

Right. Well. If - if things weren't terrible, I would. I have. Since - well, since I was old enough to want something like that.

[ A deep breath. ]

But it's just not going to be a possibility now. And that's fine. It only hurts when she weaponises it against me.

[eyediot]

[Jonah can hear in Algric's voice that he misstepped. He buries his face in those soft curls, closing his eyes. God they sting.]

Martin, I-- I'm sorry. No one's said it's not a possibility here.

[curriculum_fictae]

I'm saying it, Jon. I'm not going to have kids here. That's - that's the choice I'm making.

[ He sounds ... well. Rather bleak, honestly. But firm. He's just going to take this decision out of Jonah's hands entirely in an effort to hurt him less. ]

[eyediot]

[Jonah goes... rather still at that. Algric quickly dropping on him that he wants children, and just as quickly deciding he won't. Was it something he said? It must be. He's an idiot.]

All right.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ God. What did he expect? He had a warning by way of the conversation with Jon, and it's still fucked up. ]

It's - it's just how she got to me this time, Jon. We fought, as we always do. She tried to - to throw food at me, so we left, and. That's all.

[eyediot]

Threw food at you.

[He parrots it back, like trying ot make sense of it. How juvenile. It's not a judgement or anything. His mind is so far away from the conversation now, upset that Algric decided to make that decision for them, not even open to further discussion because Jonah can't just shut up for five minutes. It's his own fault.

Jonah shifts to wrap both arms fully around his large boyfriend, kisses his temple. There's a frustration there, a slow broiling anger in the thin red rings around his irises. He wants to hurt something but won't. Not here. Not right now.]

...I'm glad you left when you did, then.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric leans into that hug gladly, though he can sense some of that anger. That's - a bad sign? And yet, he's grimly satisfied too. Glad that Jonah is angry on his behalf. ]

Yes. I - Jon helped me leave.

[eyediot]

[He tugs Algric to just lay on him. He'll find a meal later. That should... take care of a few different things. But for now he's tired.]

Good. It's the least he could do.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He gladly does so, closing his eyes and letting a few fresh tears squeeze out. ]

It was - was all he needed to do. We talked after. And now I've talked to you, so ... I feel better now.

[eyediot]

Do you rea-

[He has to bite his tongue on that one.]

Don't... Don't answer that. I'm sorry. [A slow, deep sigh. He focuses instead on rubbing Algric's back, trying to soothe.] Rest.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Oh. He could hear that compulsion building. And he breathes a sigh of relief when it passes, closing his eyes again. ]

Go ahead and ask, Jon. Just - you know, no compulsion.

[eyediot]

...You just had a fight with your mum you haven't seen alive in almost a year, she used your relationship with me as ammunition, you just told me one of your life dreams and promptly decided not to pursue it because I'm an ass.

I think it'd be rather stupid to ask if you really do feel better.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Ah. Well. When he puts it like that. Algric remains silent for a moment, looking at nothing. ]

... I will feel better. And you're not an ass. I just - younger you reacted a bit poorly, that's all. Which he's allowed to do.

[eyediot]

Of course.

That doesn't mean I'm not an ass.

[At least he's getting better at recognizing it.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He sighs softly. ]

Fine, okay. Yes. You're a bit of an ass. But. Talking about - about having children is. That's a hell of a topic, Jon. Not something we have to do right now.

[eyediot]

[Or ever, apparently, according to Algric's previous declaration. Instead of saying that, Jonah kisses Algric's hair and sighs into it.]

All right.

[Algric might feel it though. That pang of worry and loneliness, having grown up with just his resentful grandmother in a sea of classmates with parents, never knowing what it was like. And a fear that if he ever did have children, feeling lost on what to do.]

....What would you name them? Just. Hypthetically.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Oh. He does? It's distinct, isn't it; he can't help but ... well. Appreciate it. Calm down, Algric, do not nibble on your boyfriend today. But it's very tempting; he can feel the fresh chill of being alone in a crowd of other children.

Deep breaths, Algric. ]

Oh. Um. I - I suppose - it would depend on how many. But. I always really loved Dorothy as a name. You know, from the Wizard of Oz?

[eyediot]

[It's there, growing up alone like that. Growing up knowing he was different - from the Leitner experience to just being himself. Even now, in his house of people he loves dearly, he knows he's separate. The one who destroyed a world, the only one who's seen what the apocalypse looks like. A scent made fresh being reminded of all this.

He smiles at that.]

Dorothy... Hm. It's a good one.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ It's enough to stir a strange hunger in Algric. He's never felt it before? Not quite like this, anyway. The urge to go out for a walk alone, perhaps. Or just ... maybe find someone on their own, and just lure them into -

Oh god. What - what was he just thinking? He has to swallow, thickly, and force himself to focus. They're having a nice conversation, damn it. ]

R-right? And - and I thought I could get that whole series of books and read them to her. So she's the star of her own adventure, you know?

[eyediot]

I'm sure she'd love it.

[He remembers reading... One. One of the ones in the middle, he thinks. He liked it well enough. Jonah rests his cheek against Algric's hair.]

What about a boy?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He closes his eyes for a moment, a smile softening his face. ]

Hm ... is Jon Junior too on the nose?

[eyediot]

I would worry about his inevitable bad luck.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric laughs at that. ]

Right then. Something a bit safer.

[ He looks a bit shy. ]

Maybe ... maybe Edmund? That seems like a nice name.

[eyediot]

[Sensing that bit of shyness, Jonah reaches to card fingers through Algric's hair, soothing gently.

There is something to be said about the name Edmund - traitor brother turned firm believer and first forgiven. Hm.]

It's a good name. Like that one.