eyediot | that one time travel psl

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.]

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From:

curriculum_fictae

... Yes. Cathartic. Seeing someone who hurt me so much get even - even a hint of what we've been through.

From:

eyediot

[He just... His smile is almost self deprecating more than satisfied.]

I may have... Also given him a few glimpses of the end, as well.

From:

curriculum_fictae

[ Algric falls silent at that for a moment. ]

... Good.

From:

eyediot

Left him on the experience of a very quiet, empty house.

From:

curriculum_fictae

.... Oh.

Is - is that what the Lonely's like?

From:

eyediot

[Jon hesitates, wondering if he should really tell Algric about this.

But.. If he's a Lonely avatar, that would make it his domain, wouldn't it? He has a right to that.]

It's-- Yes? It was. Exactly like I said, a big. Empty gray house, windows frosted and fogged over. Uncomfortable chairs and no one else around. And you would just... Forget yourself. Until you forgot everything.

[Ask him how he knows that.]

From:

curriculum_fictae

Oh.

[ He can guess, yes. God. ]

How - how long were you trapped there?

From:

eyediot

[Yep, just changing laundry over, go into the dryer, mind the missing left sock now that the washer definitely ate.]

No idea. Tape recorder popped up. I started talking at it and it started jogging my memory. Until I remembered you. And then I got out.

From:

curriculum_fictae

[ Algric rubs at the back of his neck. ]

... I helped you escape?

From:

eyediot

...

Yes. I, um. I... Was trying to remind myself who I was. That I was Jonathan Sims, head archivist of the Magnus Institute. And... Y-your face popped into my head for a second. Th-that first day you came in. And.. I remembered more, bit by bit, from there.

Gave me a reason to remember.

From:

curriculum_fictae

[ Algric looks like he might cry. ]

Even - even though I was gone. Even though you'd searched for me and didn't find me because I'd left you...

From:

eyediot

Just needed to remember your face...

From:

curriculum_fictae

[ God. Algric is going to cry. Just enough that he has to swipe at his face. ]

Can you - can you show me? I don't want you to. Have to have those memories alone.

From:

eyediot

[He whips around to look at him, wondering if Algric really understands what he's asking.

But he has to know, Elias... did that to him too. And he can't just take them back either...

(The house is bad, but it's not As Bad as the others... It wouldn't be so bad...)]

Are.. I, Are you really sure?

From:

curriculum_fictae

[ Algric is acclimated to the Lonely too. It might help him? It might feed him. Or it could go horribly wrong, of course.

But Algric nods slowly after a moment. ]

Please, Jon. I left you alone for so long. Don't - don't let me leave you alone on this.

From:

eyediot

... Then we should.. sit.

[Tugging Algric to the couch they were at earlier, a much worse memory having played his mind just a few hours ago. But this? Sad, still... A problem for him, being alone. But easier.

Once Algric's seated he holds up his good hand before resting it on the back of Algric's head and pulls him in close, forehead to forehead. Tells him about the house, but more than that, Algric sees it and feels it. Jon having had no idea how he got there. Waking up and knowing he walked in at some point, to this big, dusty old house. When did he sit down? He must have been walking for some time to need to take a load off. He was always running around before, nonstop, wasn't he? It feels like that may've been the case. Jon sat in silence for a long time, days, before speaking again. That the chairs are really uncomfortable. Why did he buy these? No, he must not have, he would've been much more careful with what he bought. Confused about whether this is his house or not, but then if he's alone, why would he have such a big house. Gran died a few years ago, she wouldn't have left him the house. No, this isn't his. Then why is he here? Before he trails off into silence again.

It's miserable, really. Until a click. And Jon greeting it like an old friend. Hello! It's nostalgic, reminding him of simpler days. He worked somewhere that he had to use one of these, the statements were so weird. Where was that? Well. It isn't here, wherever it was.

But the cycle of greeting the recorder and trailing off continues a few times.

It's not until the fifth cycle that he thinks about who he must have worked with. Surely he had coworkers? He remembered meeting them all the first day he worked in his new position didn't he? But he can't remember their names. They're all dead, aren't they. He killed them. All of them. Except... The, the one with the dog. He was so frustrated that day, really, a dog in the archives on his first day. But it had softened, hadn't it? That person had cared about him, hadn't he? Why can't he remember his name? He never could remember the names of people who helped him. No, he'd... Jon didn't kill him, he was... searching for him. Wasn't he?

A face, he had a face.

Jon gasping when he remembers ...Martin. Martin, Martin. Blackwood. Yes. Yes! Jon was searching for Martin, he may be just outside this house even. He can hear the water splashing against the shore lazily. That was why he'd come here, to search again.

Jonah's eyes are closed, tears soaking his cheeks. He takes in a trembling breath and strokes Algric's cheek with his thumb.]

From:

curriculum_fictae

[ Oh. Oh god. It's worse than he thought? Infinitely worse, feeling those mists again, seeing Jonah caught in them. He knows too well the misery of being so numb and lost that you can't seem to find yourself.

At the same time ... good lord. Tobias had been a snack, a side salad. Something that had reminded him that he was hungry. This is a better meal than anything he can remember. All the colour washes out of him in an instant, his freckles dulled to static and his copper curls faded into smudges of brown. Jonah's touch leaves a streak of pink against the unrelenting grey, and ...

And that would be all, except that last part. Jonah remembering him. Jonah searching for him again, despite him being firmly gone. He'd been the one to help him. Even without being there, he'd ...

He leans against Jonah, pulling him in close. The greyness fades slowly, spreading from where Jonah touches him like flame spreading across paper. ]

From:

eyediot

[Jonah goes with the pull, burying his face into Algric's jumper. It's definitely going to be deeply wet by the time he comes down from it all. He feels so small in Algric's arms, he pulls his knees up to scoot closer.]

From:

curriculum_fictae

[ That's fine. Algric is large and soft and - okay, he's not warm at the moment, but he isn't frozen over either. He just pets Jon's hair gently and holds him close. ]

I'm here now. You found me after all. And I'm never going to disappear on you, promise.

From:

eyediot

[Jonah takes a steadying breath, feeling himself warming with Algric like this.]

I did find you. And I won't let you disappear on me.

From:

curriculum_fictae

[ Algric warms slowly in turn as well, the colour creeping back into him. ]

See? There we go. The - the only Lonely that will touch you here will be me.

From:

eyediot

Yeah?

[The Lonely is always going to be with him in some way, and it hits worse in the middle of the night when he can't sleep and everyone is dreaming.]

I'll take your word on that.