curriculum_fictae | [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? ]

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[ God. Martin just - makes a strangled, broken sort of noise. Can he tell Jon that he died? That Martin was heartbroken and desperate? No, he can't possibly. ]

I've told you about Peter Lukas, right? Avatar of the Lonely?

Yes, you have.

[Door gets locked behind them and Jon... settles. He settles for possibly only getting a half answer - as much as he appreciates this Martin and wants him safe, he also knows he hasn't answered all of Jon's questions, not entirely.

So he settles in for what may be a rough evening and sits at the couch.]

What about him?

[ Has Jon always locked the door like that? It's London, so surely the answer is yes, but - something feels wrong. Why is Jon looking at him like that? Is he suspicious? Why?

Martin slowly sinks into the couch next to him, making it shift under his weight. ]

I ... I made a deal with him. To protect the surviving members of the Institute. I'd be his assistant, and he'd stop disappearing my coworkers. He wanted me to align with the Lonely so that he could - could use me.

[He listens, taking that in. The Lonely, the Lukases... I remembers a few of the statements. Of the statement givers feeling so completely and utterly alone.

What had that piece of tombstone read?

Forgotten]

And. That made you... What? Invisible to people but not everyone?

[ Forgotten. Forsaken. Alone.

Martin rubs at his face. ]

I - yes? I think it was - was more of a side effect. It wasn't consistent, so - so at first I thought some people were just being a bit rude. But then it happened more often, and ... and at some point, no one could. Not unless you were on Archive staff already.

[ Or Georgie, who's flat out immune to at least the passive effect, if not the active use of it. ]

[Jon rubs at his hair a bit, trying to take that in.

So it's something to do with the Archive, with The Eye. Great. Good. More things he can't actually prove.]

What else?

Wh - what d'you mean, "what else"?

There has to be more to this. I don't--

[Hey Martin, his hands sure are trembling as he runs fingers through his hair. He might be losing it.]

I'm... Afraid I might be going mad.

[ Oh. Oh Jon. Martin reaches out for one of those trembling hands. ]

-- What? No, it's - is that what you're worried about?

No one else we know has seen you. That waitress acted like I grew two other heads when I motioned to you. I- I can't...

I mean, you appeared right after Michael stabbed me, and- And that's his whole thing, isn't it? To, to make you question reality, to wonder if things are real.

[ Somehow, Martin pales further as what Jon's saying sinks in. He looks horrified. ]

So you think - what, that I'm some sort of hallucination?

[He isn't stopping Martin from taking one of his hands, but he's... Shaken. He looks more unsure of himself than when Martin showed up that afternoon after Helen left.]

I don't know.

[ His hands feel real, if terribly cold. The couch dips as if someone is there, and he seems to be physically present.

But all of that could be a trick, couldn't it? And meanwhile, Martin looks miserably lonely. ]

I - I'll prove it to you then. Somehow. I - what do you want me to do?

I don't know.

[It feels like any solution he gives would just make it worse, perpetuate the problem.]

...Tim.

[He swallows, squeezes Martin's hand. And this is the first time he's really touched Martin, isn't it? That cold hand...]

I'll ask Tim to come and see. If it's something with the Archive, then he should be able to see you. And then I'm- I'm not going mad.

[ Martin's eyes go wide, but - it's not a bad idea, is it? As long as Martin's theory is right ... He thinks he is, given Daisy could see him. But only that one time.

There are other concerns, though. ]

Are - are you sure? How are you even going to explain me?

I'll figure that out when I know for sure he can see you. And... Then I'll explain it.

[ Martin doesn't like this plan much. But what can he say? Jon doesn't believe he's real, and ...

Martin swallows thickly. ]

Right. Okay. Bring - bring Tim then.

If he can see you then - then no harm. And we'll have someone else who could maybe help.

[And if Tim can't see this Martin, then maybe it's just further proof Jon is losing his mind. It'll be fine. He pulls his phone out because, crazy or not, he did say he'd get delivery after cutting the cafe short.]

[ Martin just. Sits very quietly for a moment, turning this thought over in his head. ]

And - and if he can't see me. What then?

... Then I don't know. Someone out there has to be able to see you besides me.

[Elias, probably. But he doesn't want to go that far. Not yet if he doesn't have to.]

[ Elias 100% can see Martin if he's brought to the man's attention. Elias ... will 100% fuck with Jon, though. However he feels is most interesting.

Martin shakes his head quietly at that. ]

If - if he can't see me, I'll go. I don't want you to believe that you're going insane, Jon.

No, I just. I don't know..

We'll figure it out when we get to it. [Back to 'we' instead of 'I'. Jon's a pushover sometimes.]

[ Maybe, but it's deeply comforting to poor Martin. He lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding. ]

Sure. I just - please believe me. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. Mentally or physically.

...I do believe that.

[If there's nothing else in the world Jon believes, it's that Martin wouldn't try to hurt him.]

[ One of the foundations of the universe, eh? Martin manages a small smile. ]

Good. All right. Glad that's - that's settled, then.

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