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]

[ Sorry, Jon. It's a painful truth that Algric can't make untrue.

He tries to follow Jonah, reaching out for his shoulder. ]

Jon, please ...

[eyediot]

Don't. ...Please... don't.

[He can't do this. He can't, he can't. He trusted Algric not to do this to him.]

After.. Everything I told you, everything he did to me, you thought... You really thought I'd be all right with this.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric lets his hand drop then, the fingers fading out. ]

... I. I suppose I knew that you wouldn't be. Deep down.

[eyediot]

[Jonah just... Starts to curl in on himself, knees up and arms hugging himself. His own bits of the Lonely becoming more visible, a heavy mist around him. They both agreed to this. Algric and Tim both knowingly made this plan, and the way Algric talked? They've made more extensive planning than what Algric's said here.

It hurts in a way he hasn't felt since he can remember when.]

I can't stop you and Tim.

[curriculum_fictae]

No. No you can't.

[ Algric can vanish them and be gone long enough to carry off the plan. It may end terribly - it may end with them never coming back - but they could hide it from Jonah if they decide to do it.

He chokes down a miserable noise himself. ]

We'll ... we'll tell you before we go. All right? I won't sneak off.

[eyediot]

[That voice from so many lifetimes ago whispers in his ear you can't trust him. He was going to do this without ever telling you, you can't trust him to his.

Jonah curls up tighter into himself, face buried in his knees and that mist getting stronger around him. After everything he survived and forced his way through alone...]

All right.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Damn it, Jonah. He knows that mist and he hates seeing it on you. Algric hesitates for a moment, miserable. Then - he reaches through it, trying to pull him into a hug. ]

You can - you can compel me. I'll let you do it.

[eyediot]

[He's easy enough to move. Jonah's miserable, he isn't struggling or fighting it off. He moves with the motion almost dead weight.]

I wouldn't. I told you I wouldn't.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Then Algric just holds him close to his chest, squeezing him gently. ]

I know - I know. But this - this is an exception. I-if it will help you - if you'll feel better -

[eyediot]

What would you have me do?

[curriculum_fictae]

Compel me not to - not to go after Elias without telling you first.

[eyediot]

[He thinks about that. Really considers it, limp against him. Jonah said he wouldn't compel Algric, and he's been fighting it any time he starts to unconsciously.]

...No. I-i won't do that.

[He wants so badly to trust him. To trust that Algric will tell him on his own.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric slumps a bit at that, despairing. ]

Is - is me promising enough, then?

[eyediot]

... I want to believe it is.

Martin, I love you. I-i have to believe it is.

[curriculum_fictae]

Do you, Jon?

[eyediot]

Yes. I... Spent so long not trusting or believing in anyone.

I-i need to. I need to believe in you.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Oh, Jon. Algric winced with guilt at that. ]

Then - I promise. Before Tim and I go, I'll go fetch you. I can't promise we'll let you come, but we won't go without telling you.

[eyediot]

Thank you.

[With that, Jonah gently puts one arm around him, but pointedly not his burnt one. That one stays tucked close to his own chest. That little bit of trust he had, well. It has to be rebuilt.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Damn it. How does he always screw this up? Every time ... He doesn't know how to fight his way back from that.

Slowly, achingly, he reaches for that scarred hand again. ]

Jon ...

[eyediot]

[He can feel Algric reaching for it and instead sort of. Pulls away, but it's with a purpose. Jonah looks around the room, then gets up and to Tim's dresser and kneels. He grabs the tape recorder under there. It's not turned on, but it's available. With that in hand, he starts toward his pack.]

Can I-- Martin, I need to. I didn't want to share these, but. I-i think it would. Help with why I'm, wh-why I need to... Trust you and not. What you asked me to do.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric startles at that, immediately concerned? But ... oh. It's just a tape recorder? ]

All - all right? If it will. Help.

[eyediot]

[With the okay, he starts rummaging through his bag. He knows exactly which tape it is, it's just getting to it underneath everything else.]

It's not good? It's... really bad.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He just shrugs helplessly. ]

If you think it will help, I'll listen.

[eyediot]

[Even with tape in hand, he isn't sure it will help. He's having second thoughts. Jonah stares at it in his hand and. No, he started. He said he would share this.]

Just. Just so you'll understand. That's all.

[He brings the recorder and cassette to sit on the bed with again.]

I... I kept recording. As I went through the domains, recorded... everything. I. I needed someone to talk to. And the recorder was all I had.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric stares at it, not entirely realising the gravity of that. ]

During - during the apocalypse?