curriculum_fictae: (Default)
Martin K(nife) Blackwood ([personal profile] curriculum_fictae) wrote2020-06-16 06:15 pm

[PSL] time travel, time travel

[ Martin had always known that Lukas would kill him in the end. If not along the way, then surely at the end, once he'd gotten what he wanted out of Martin, whatever that turned out to be. When the Lonely rose up to swallow him, he'd accepted his impending death with ... what?

What did he have left, really? Numbness, mostly. A hallucination of Jon in the Lonely, looking for him, but - but that was impossible, ridiculous. His mind playing cruel tricks. He settled himself down in the frigid surf, knees drawn up close to his chest, unshed tears frozen to his cheeks and lashes.

And then. A door. A door that shouldn't exist, that couldn't exist. That he shouldn't take at all. The Lonely was terrible, yes, but it was quiet, and it was peaceful. Martin was aligned enough with it by now to very nearly enjoy it, in a strange and terrible way. The Spiral would be infinitely worse than this quiet beach.

But ... it was hope, too. In a strange way. Hope enough that Martin found himself turning the door handle and stepping through, leaving the false comfort of the Lonely behind him.

The transition was unpleasant. Long. But Martin couldn't remember it after; he only remembered stumbling out through the door of a supply closet somewhere deep in the Archives, blinking up at the dim bulbs that pretended to be sufficient. What time was it? Had he escaped? Where were Lukas and Elias now?

And where was Jon? ]
kayakking: (019)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 09:27 pm (UTC)(link)
[The sweet smell fills the kitchen quickly and his stomach gives an audible growl as the nose reminds it of how empty it is.]

God, have I mentioned I appreciate you, Martin? Because I do.

[It is honest sentiment, just the kind that gives him a moment of breathing room. And... Yeah, yeah why not. He DOES consider Martin a friend, even if the last patch has been rougher.]

Ah that is... Fair warning, a lot like the bullshit we just heard.

[It isn't a no.]
kayakking: (044)

1/??

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 09:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Listen here you unmitigated chucklefuck-
kayakking: (007)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 09:28 pm (UTC)(link)
First of all. No.
kayakking: (041)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 09:29 pm (UTC)(link)
SECOND of all, I now have a list of shows you are REQUIRED by law to watch.
kayakking: (042)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 09:30 pm (UTC)(link)
[God, it's the laughter, the honest, heartfelt laughter. He can't keep it up. The smile cracks the surface.]
kayakking: (034)

DONE

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 09:31 pm (UTC)(link)
[Nope, just absolutely cracking up.]

And- and lastly, how dare you.

[It's wheezed in between wiping the corners of his eyes.]
Edited 2020-08-06 21:31 (UTC)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
it means that you now can have any flipping out in front of me, your awesome friend and be a stone cold badass in front of your completely unnoticeable crush.

Again: YW
eyediot: (my soul was crushed like a tall boy)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-06 09:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[Well, now that Tim's laughing, Jon's laughing a little more.]

You can't make me watch those, you know! I'll tell the world you're a nerd!

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 09:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[It's a relief? It's not like a dam burst, but more like getting up off of a limb that fell asleep. A bit off and a little painful but, in the end, so much better now.

Whatever hideous thing had wrapped around Jon called 'being a boss in a fear institute' had cracked and-

God, it felt good. That and the laughter. He leans back in the doorjam, quelling it just long enough to press a hand to his heart.
]

You wouldn't sully my good name.
eyediot: (s5; and tell me 'don't look down')

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-06 09:45 pm (UTC)(link)
No, no, I guess I wouldn't.

[Okay. Okay, dial it back, Jon.

The thing that cracked him a bit is starting to come back bit by bit, breath by breath. Okay. All right. He wipes at one eye under his glasses and sighs heavily, but still smiling.]


Still. Never would have guessed it in a million years. Don't- Don't you go kayaking? Isn't that like. The furthest thing from robot models?
kayakking: (002)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 09:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Would it help if I had a basement?

[He snorts.]

Remember when I was out for two days last year? Glued my fingers together.

And no one is going to believe you when you tell them.
eyediot: (s5; underneath the boots on the curb)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-06 09:55 pm (UTC)(link)
...


I hate that I know this now. Why would you make me know this.

[HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO USE HIS BABY KNOWING POWERS.]
kayakking: (053)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 10:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[knifecat.jpg]

I think it's fair.
eyediot: (from a fall from grace)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-06 10:57 pm (UTC)(link)
H-how is that fair?
contractuallybinding: (Default)

[personal profile] contractuallybinding 2020-08-06 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[It is. There's a reason even the Spiral doesn't dare directly lie in the Eye's domain. And yet, it did read as the truth.

But there are ways to find out more. In fact, the Institute is dedicated to the best way of them all.

Before Martin was consigned to die in the Lonely, he never really felt the Eye before. Not like this, the crawling sensitivity, the pervasive feeling of not only someone near but LOOKING. --

And he feels it now. Maybe he wouldn't have needed to, seeing the expression on Jon's face, and the odd momentary tableau where Jon seems to be pinned by nothing more than the gentlest of fingertip. But the words rake against Martin. He knows, can feel the same warping, defining cut in the air that is now an anathema to him (that burned that horrid hatred into his own self image) delicately dip through Jon.
]
kayakking: (002)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 10:59 pm (UTC)(link)
[He smirks and saunters back to the kitchen.]

Gundam, my arse.
eyediot: (and the blackout killed me)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-06 11:01 pm (UTC)(link)
It was a joke!

[He follows after Tim, muttering:] Can't believe it, a grown man can't take a bit of teasing.
kayakking: (030)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 11:04 pm (UTC)(link)
[Speaking of, he scoops his phone back up to continue his absolutely straight and narrow conversation with Martin K. Blackwood.]

Uh huh.

[And when whatever he finishes swyping, Jon doesn't actually get to see it before the smartphone is slid back into his pocket casually.]

Anyway, where were we.
eyediot: (my name was called by a last call spill)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-06 11:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[He takes his seat again, not even realizing Tim's back to texting until the phone is put away.]

I... don't rightly know, to be honest.
kayakking: (030)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 11:16 pm (UTC)(link)
[Tim picks up his beer and settles in with it comfortably. The expression he turns on Jon is... openly fond and a little concerned.]

So, how you doing? Feeling any better at least?
eyediot: (s5; and putting them back in my face)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-06 11:21 pm (UTC)(link)
[The concern is what throws Jon a bit. He'd gone from Tim being a bit distant since he started in the promotion, to beginning to hate him, to whatever the last few days have been, to... Friendship again.

Jon can't help but laugh. Less honest and freeing than earlier, and a little more resigned and deprecating.]


I really don't know. I... It's so much. [Quieter:] It's too much.
kayakking: (022)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 11:45 pm (UTC)(link)
[Both of his hands wrap around the can, and he takes a moment to take another long sip.]

All of it, huh. I uh... think I know the feeling.
eyediot: will wood - "hand me my shovel, I'm going in" (my heart was stolen by a blind pickpocke)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-06 11:50 pm (UTC)(link)
[He takes another slow sip. It's almost empty, but this was something Tim provided so he won't take it for granted.]

...I asked him, uh. Algric. After you both left. I asked if, in his time, I'm a monster.
kayakking: (009)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-06 11:52 pm (UTC)(link)
[Oh... oh shit.]

...

So, this isn't where you tell me he suddenly turned around and told you some good news and you don't know what to do with it.