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]

[ Algric makes a dim noise of protest, but otherwise lets Jonah fuss. He just sits on the couch, watching him for a moment? And accepting the plate when Jonah holds it out. ]

Yeah. You timed it pretty well.

[eyediot]

Figure if I have this power, I may as well make it useful.

[All he did was Know how long the wait was. He sits with his own and watches Algric quietly before he takes a first bite.]

Everyone's still out, I guess.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric stares down at his plate. It takes all his willpower to force himself to take a bite. But after that, it goes a bit more smoothy, even if his food does chill awfully quickly. ]

Y-yes. I think Martin and Jon are out together? Not sure where Tim's gone, but. He said he'd be busy all day.

[eyediot]

Some quiet time isn't so bad then.

[All in all, he isn't that hungry either. Not for this delivery anyway. That scent of Algric's fear, though. That's tempting. The lingering paranoia that Jonah saw.

He stuffs that down, resisting that one. Let's not make this worse than it has to be, self.]

Just as well.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Yes, um. If Jonah ate this fear with out asking, that might just be unforgivable. ]

It - it has bene a bit. Normally everyone's bustling about.

[eyediot]

Y-yes they are. It's... Nice. Th-the quiet for a little bit.

[Another couple half-hearted munches.]

Algric-

[HM. NOPE. He could feel that one. He sits back a bit into the couch, just. Covering his mouth with one hand and staring intently at the table.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric stiffens at that, hearing the compulsion before it fully comes out. He relaxes a bit when Jonah catches himself, but ...

But even that single word is indication enough, isn't it? Something goes dull and cold and dimly accusatory in his eyes. ]

You - you did see. Didn't you.

[eyediot]

[Jonah sits, hand still covering his mouth and shakes his head, trying to knock that instinctive compulsion out.

Another minute and he had control of it. But... He keeps his eyes down.]

I... Saw something. I don't know what I saw.

[curriculum_fictae]

And now you want to know. Of course you do.

[ The words come out bitter and sharp, like shards of ice. ]

And - and until I tell you, it's going to be possible that it'll just be yanked out of me randomly. Not because you mean to do it. I imagine you'll be extremely sorry afterwards, but it won't matter much to me, now will it?

[eyediot]

[He is right, of course. He wants to know what caused that, what hurt Algric so badly. Enough that he doesn't need any power to feel the iced venom in those words. Something steels in him. Algric knew who and what he was. Knew what he'd be getting into staying with him, and Jonah had given him the chance not to be in it.]

You're right. O-on every part. So what would you have me do.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric stews in his silence for a moment. The Lonely whispers to him, telling him that he should leave now, or risk being Seen. Just - disappear entirely. He doesn't need any of them, does he? He'd fed on Fisher just fine without even needing to. He could just wander the streets alone, caring about no one and nothing, drifting about and occasionally sending a statement Jonah's way about a shade that stared at them with hollow eyes and made them remember why no one loved them...

But. Then he feels it. That little wisp of loneliness coming off Jonah already. How much would he hurt Jonah doing it? How much is he hurting him already? And - over what? Algric desperately fears having this part of him be seen, but ... doesn't that just let his mum hurt him one last time?

He slumps forward, head bowed. Back still turned away from Jonah. ]

Ask me again.

[eyediot]

[If nothing else, Jonah learned how to be patient. He lets Algric sit as long as he needs. But the longer he sits, the more prepared he is to leave. This is bigger than him and his need to eat, his need to know. Not on a monstrous level, but as someone who loves Algric, who wants to know what happened.

His hands are trembling on his knees while he waits, ready to bolt at the word "go".]

... Would you be all right telling me what happened?

[His words are measured, steady. No compulsion. Forcing it so Algric has that choice.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric breathes heavily, marshaling his own courage. A compulsion would have been easier, but ... this is better. It gives him time to find his own words. ]

My - my mother. When Dad first left, she was ... unstable. She'd only just started to get sick, but he didn't want to deal with it, or me, and ... I try to remember that she was - was hurt. And ill, and. Not always in her right mind.

[ His voice falters. ]

I was eight the first time she hurt me. Dad - Dad was gone, and I couldn't stop crying. I kept asking her when he'd come back, and - and she got angry.

[ A hand drifts to his shoulder. The oldest of the scars that Jonah had seen, small but deep. ]

[eyediot]

[Jonah listens, still patient. But his eyes... Don't change. No green, no tell tale sign of him Beholding the answer. Just... Him. Listening to this.

And this? This breaks his heart. After what Algric had said about Jonah deserving parents that loved him, and Algric had been carrying this? A boy who just wanted his father back... And a mother who was so hurt.

His hand twitches, wanting to comfort but not sure if physical touch is the way to go. He's still too new to this all over again, still figuring it out.]

That's... Martin..

["The first time." Gods.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric loves physical touch, but ... perhaps not right now? Certainly nothing that would touch his back, not when it seems to blaze painfully underneath his layers of clothing. ]

She - she didn't touch me again for a while after that. I-I think I was twelve the next time. It all sort of. Blurs together.

[ His hands return to his knees, clutching at the faded fabric there. ]

We - we really didn't have any money. She had some benefits, but it wasn't enough, and. And I ate so much, I couldn't help it. I-I ran errands for our elderly neighbour and she'd pay me a bit of pocket money to help take the edge off.

I messed up the cooking that night. Let the soup cook while I read a book Dad had left behind, came back too late and it was all burned. Ruined a week's worth of food. She was - furious. Said a. A lot of things. I must have started to really look like Dad at that point, so. You know.

[ A deep breath. ]

I had to sleep on my stomach for two weeks after that.

[ He has so many more stories like that, Jonah, each equally layered with entirely mundane horrors. Why was a twelve-year-old working and cooking anyway? ]

[eyediot]

[He stays quiet while Algric unloads this lifetime of pain and trauma. For as much as his grandmother resented him, she never went this far.

Anything he wants to say at first thought, he's sure Algric has already heard. He looks at at the tense hands of the man he loves and sets his own close. Not touching. Just an offer.]

... I think you were right. If I had gone with you, she would not have survived.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric doesn't tell him everything. But he really doesn't have to. The touchpoints he singles out - and what it implies about what he doesn't say - is enough. Repeated horrors set against a backdrop of Algric desperately trying to keep them afloat through his mother's declining health and sanity. He'd dropped out of school and worked two jobs just to pay the bills that weren't covered by her benefits.

And she'd repaid him terribly. The only awful bright spot in all of this was that he'd gotten too big (and she'd grown too weak) for her to physically hurt him once he turned sixteen or so. It hadn't stopped her from continuing to damage him.

He just sits for a moment after, squeezing his eyes shut. His fingers twitch towards Jonah's but don't close the gap. Soon. Not yet. ]

Y-yes. You would have - you couldn't have helped but Known. And I wasn't - I couldn't do that. Not to Martin.

[eyediot]

No, not.. Not to him.

[She'll pass in time. And Martin will have them all with him in the fall out. But it can't be Jonah that pulls that trigger. No matter how blindingly angry he wants to.]

... May... May I hold your hand?

[It's a simple, honest request. But still open, if Algric wants to say no. It's that same quiet, understanding Jon that listened to statement givers, that was sympathetic and easy.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ God. He did always love that about you, Jonah. He can't help but soften a bit now. With aching slowness, he lets his fingers brush up against Jonah's. ]

Yes. That - that would be nice.

[eyediot]

[Jonah turns his hand slow, curling around Algric's fingers. Loose and light, ready any time Algric wants to pull away.]

Thank you. For telling me.

[He doesn't need the details for every scar. He can fill those blanks in himself, but he's grateful Algric told him as much as he did.]

I'm sorry I didn't say so earlier, the first time you asked. I was just... I wasn't sure and I didn't want to. To ruin things worse.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric slowly clasps his hand around Jonah's, then, all but clinging now that contact has been initiated. ]

It's - it's all right. It's just. W-well, I'd rather pretend that nothing happened, you know? That ... maybe my childhood wasn't great, but it was just ...

[ A normal level of terrible. ]

[eyediot]

No, I... I understand.

[He thumbs along those knuckles of Algric's, thoughtful. How to best approach this.]

You don't... Have to hide those from me. I-I get it, I do. [His free hand rubbing at the edge of his neck scar self conscious.] But.. Don't feel like you have to.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ His gaze settles on that neck scar. On his burns, on his worm holes. ]

You do get it, don't you.

[eyediot]

[Even after all this time, Jonah can't help how he stiffens when he feels Algric looking at them. Not as lifelong traumatic as a parent, but still deep.]

... A bit. I-it isn't the same. But... I don't know if you saw me where you were at the Institute. But I did take to wearing quite a few turtlenecks and scarves. Winter, you know?

[God this isn't about him. He swallow, taking Algric's hand in both of his now.] I-I'm just... Saying. That's not something you have to keep a guard up around me for if you don't want to.

[curriculum_fictae]

Y-yeah. I - I noticed. Never did quite put it together, but ...

[ But he understands. He's hiding under his own jumper right now, after all. A deep breath. ]

I appreciate that, but - but what could you even do, Jon? Showing them to you - it's only bringing hurt to you, not peace to me.