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]

[ Teamwork is nice, okay. He gladly accepts the gesture. ]

It - well - y-yes? But also not the worst. We lived through both encounters, so.

[secreteary]

Nono, I know, but. I wouldn't- I'm. Um.

[words are hard. making a bed is easier. going through a few familiar movements gives him enough time and grounding to string a sentence together.]

Just. To have- Have both in one week.

[there's an unconscious roll of That Shoulder while he grimaces, the thought of Tobias Fisher starting to leave a nasty taste in his mouth.]

I'm sorry.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Well. Denying would just shortchange both of them, so. ]

It has been stressful. Yes.

[ He smooths the sheet down. ]

I though Mum would go better somehow.

[secreteary]

[neatly tucking the edge under the mattress:]

We always do, though. Isn't that why we keep going back?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ A bitter little laugh. ]

I suppose it is. Hope springs eternal.

[secreteary]

[muttering darkly:]

Yeah, well, sometimes I'd like to shove a cork in that stupid spring.

[he straightens up after smoothing out the bottom corner of his side, moving slowly to the top corner...but watching Algric.]

The usual?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He nods helplessly. ]

The usual insults. Except - well. She went after Jon specifically this time. S-said if that was the best I could do, I deserved him, and. Other nasty things.

[secreteary]

You said you brought him with you, b-but I thought you meant for support, not to introduce him!

[Martin almost asks "what did you think was going to happen?", but it dies in his throat. of course he'd try to have them meet. of course he would.

he bites his lip.]

He doesn't deserve that. Not any- any piece of her. ...Did anything happen?

[curriculum_fictae]

I - y-yes, that - that’s a stupid idea, I know it, but she’s dead in my timeline, and I thought -

[ He selfishly thought he might get some kind fo peace, even if it went terribly. He passes a hand down his face. ]

He ... he overheard us fighting, I think. She tried to hit me, but he intervened.

[ His tone softens into fondness. Jon had been wonderful. ]

[secreteary]

[sorry??? back up???]

Dead?

[the word is so small, in contrast to how big Martin's eyes have become. his fingers have curled into the pillowcase that he had been putting on.]

When?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Shit. Shit. Did he not tell Martin? He must not have. God, this is not how he wanted to discuss this. ]

Y - yes. In. December 2017. A couple years from now.

[secreteary]

[equally as small:]

Oh.

[Martin similarly shrinks, clutching the pillow he'd been dressing and looking around like he's lost and desperate to find an anchor. so how does he self-soothe?

continuing to make the bed, even though his hands have begun to tremble. painful silence presses down between them.

Algric might be the only person he feels he can admit this to, laughing brittlely:]

I can't- I-I don't. What am I supposed to think? How... I don't know h-how to. Feel. About that.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ God. He really just ruins everything, doesn’t he. Instant regret.

He sits, slowly, once the bed is fully made. ]

You don’t have to. Not - not yet? You’ve got time.

[secreteary]

Yeah. Yeah, there's...some.

[his mind is swirling, but a few questions manage to come through with some clarity. but knowing what he knows, and preferring not to think of what's going on in his own head...]

How was it? For you.

[wait.]

I-I mean. No, wait, you don't. You don't have to answer that.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric winces, but. Well. He owes Martin this, doesn’t he. ]

Her death? Awful. Of course. It’s not as though she was doing well, but ...

[ A deep breath. ]

But somehow, even when you see it coming for years, the day that it happens is still a surprise. And I was - I - I didn’t have anyone there to help. You know we don’t have any extended family who care.

[secreteary]

[seeing that wince just leads to immediate regret and self-reprimanding.]

Sorry, sorry, that's not. It's none of my business, I shouldn't have asked.

[...well. it sort of IS his business, but that doesn't matter.]

I hope... [what is there to hope for? that's realistic?] I hope she wasn't...in pain.

[reconciliation is too much to ask for, and he knows it. that doesn't mean he doesn't hope for it, however.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ It IS your business Martin, okay.

Algric is quiet for a moment, considering how to answer that. ]

I think - I think she wasn't, in the end. I did all I could to make her comfortable.

[secreteary]

That's.

[it's what?]

That's...something. I guess.

[there's something in Martin's throat.]

Sorry. [quieter:] Sorry. For...making the mood worse than it. Could've been.

I'm glad...Jon was. There for you. [he won't be jealous, he won't. it's not the time.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Are you sure about that jealousy bit, Martin? Are you really sure. ]

N-no, it's. I figured this might happen when the topic came up. And you ought to know, so - so it isn't like I could have hid it.

[ A soft sigh. ]

Your Jon is so lovely. I'm glad you're getting a chance to be with him early.

[secreteary]

It's fine. [said a little too quickly.] But. I'm. Y-yeah. Me too.

[the compliment is...odd, though not out of place given the circumstances. instinct is to return like with like. ...but hoo boy. how to phrase this.]

Your Jon - erm, Jonah - he's wonderful too, in his own way. I can understand why you didn't bring him, though.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Yeah uh. That's probably the best you can do? Algric laughs weakly. ]

He is something, isn't he? A bit dangerous, honestly, but ...

[secreteary]

[that makes Martin pause.]

I mean. Aren't we all, at this point? [waggles the fingers on his left hand to make his point.]

He's just... [he trails off, trying to put this...delicately.]

...He's been through a lot.

[curriculum_fictae]

Ah. Yes. Yes, we - we all are dangerous now.

[ He's thinking of Tobias Fisher now, which is sadly an improvement on thinking about his mother. ]

... He has. I wish - I am desperately sorry to have left him there alone.

[secreteary]

...You didn't know. And how could you not want to leave at the first opportunity you got?

[absolving himself hasn't gotten any less weird, yet.

and isn't anything an improvement from thinking about Mum?]

I bet he understands.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric rubs at his arm. ]

He ... he does. That doesn't erase the fact that I hurt him.