[PSL] time travel, time travel
Jun. 16th, 2020 06:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
[ 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? ]
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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Date: 2020-08-11 01:30 pm (UTC)But he makes it. A chilly October evening and Jon rolls his chair to Tim's door, breathing hard and - honestly - sweating a bit. But it's fine. His bag is on his lap because he didn't trust to let it sit on the back of the chair. He hesitates for a moment before ringing the bell.]
Tim. IT's me.
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Date: 2020-08-11 02:23 pm (UTC)Jon?! Good lord, man. What-?
[There is a moment, where --- he looks around behind Jon just trying to find another person who might not ALWAYS be visible.]
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Date: 2020-08-11 02:27 pm (UTC)[Tim, that sling is borderline useless like that.]
Came to bring you something. The, um. Paperwork you asked me to write up.
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Date: 2020-08-11 02:35 pm (UTC)....
So the absolutely normal thing would be to just take the papers.
.............
Except there's no damn way Jon didn't think about EMAIL. Also holy shit Jon looks like shit.]
Excellent. Good! Come on in.
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Date: 2020-08-11 02:44 pm (UTC)But maybe he also wanted to check on you himself since he hadn't heard anything. He hadn't even really planned on sticking around, just. Get eyes on Tim for a minute or so, confirm that yes he's alive and not further injured, and go back.
But. He's being invited in so.]
I--... All right.
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Date: 2020-08-11 02:55 pm (UTC)It's good to see you out and getting into trouble already.
[GOOD AND BAD. Poor Martins, honestly.
But Tim's house is warm, the hallways are roomy enough to turn a wheelchair in, and well, while things are still a bit of a mess (and Tim, himself, disheveled), it's not anywhere it was before Algric's visit.]
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Date: 2020-08-11 03:01 pm (UTC)Thank you. And I'm not getting into trouble. I only wanted to bring you this.
[He watches Tim move. The man seems to be doing... better.] And I wanted to check on you myself.
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Date: 2020-08-11 03:54 pm (UTC)Me? You know me I'm...
[... Yeah no, that's not going to fly.]
I've just been getting my head together.
[AND move on.]
You're looking... better. Definitely better.
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Date: 2020-08-11 05:36 pm (UTC)But he's still watching, not sure what to do with his hands.]
I'm glad. That you're- Up and about. But.... Yeah, that was. [How do you even.. put any of that to proper words? He's going to have to isn't he.] On second thought, let's not.
I was concerned. [Worried.]
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Date: 2020-08-11 09:27 pm (UTC)[A flush colors his cheeks as a bit of hot embarrassment rushes over him. He... really should have gone to visit. Two perfectly good feet.]
I... yeah. I'm good. Barely touched. ... And kinda the worst.
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Date: 2020-08-11 09:37 pm (UTC)Though I'd definitely not call you 'the worst'. [After his conversation with Martin, he's... pretty much taken that idea to himself.
While he talks he starts rummaging through his bag for something. A folded set of papers, all handwritten to hand him.]
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Date: 2020-08-11 10:05 pm (UTC)[There's something so exquisitely anachronistic as a handwritten accounting that is so deeply Jon.
... And so backwardly full of earnest effort that could have just been circumvented by asking for help. Or at least CALLING to see if Tim could pick them up. Or sending with Martin.
But no, every last point of this had been a deliberate, perhaps overly stubborn choice. A sequence of misguided 'thought it was best' he was sure.
God, he missed this absolute idiot. He just. Looks at them a bit helpless, a bit fond.
Abruptly:]
Have you eaten yet? Can't say I've got much on hand at the moment, but there's a few good places with delivery right now.
[It's... as much a need for company as it is any amount of hospitality and social niceties. Funny how one can be absolutely fine in their own walls until they are not.]
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Date: 2020-08-11 11:43 pm (UTC)No? I wasn't intending to take up your time. [You should be resting, Tim!!
But he'd be lying if he said he didn't want the company. Algric is great, but. There's an impending sense of dread between them and their eventual trip to the Institute doing things they can't stop.]
Sure.
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Date: 2020-08-12 03:31 am (UTC)[Or anything suddenly stretching the range of motion, but sneezing is inherent antagonist to all injury.
He sits carefully in a chair across from Jon and pulls out his phone.]
Indian?
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Date: 2020-08-12 03:41 am (UTC)[Not even thinking about it. Jon settles into a spot within arm's reach and tries to relax a little. He glances over the papers one more time before actually handing them over to Tim.]
You don't really realize how often you try to lay on your back until you can't for a couple of weeks.
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Date: 2020-08-12 03:54 am (UTC)Then takes the offered papers, setting them on one knee to spread out. Filled to the brim with the small, cramped handwriting usually found living in the corners of statements, layering on the sarcasm.]
Right? Nothing like enforced side sleeping, and then making the mistake of rolling over.
How's the feet, though? Docs expect any problems?
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Date: 2020-08-12 04:02 am (UTC)[Tim it's so hard. It's so hard to stay off his feet.]
Follow up in a week or so to get a better look.
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Date: 2020-08-12 08:42 am (UTC)So, how tempted IS Algric to tie you down?
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Date: 2020-08-12 08:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-08-12 08:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-08-12 08:50 am (UTC)[He's too exhausted to finish the thought, but GOD.]
...How's the arm?
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Date: 2020-08-12 09:00 am (UTC)[Rrrreadjusted the sling to actually hold it.]
So about the same.
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Date: 2020-08-12 09:05 am (UTC)Better than 'bad recovery', I think. I'm.. Really glad to hear it. It's... Honestly, I needed some good news.
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Date: 2020-08-12 09:21 am (UTC)As much as I am fond of being the good news.. is that, ah, bad news new and recent or just the general collective of holy fuck how did it get this bad?
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Date: 2020-08-12 09:25 am (UTC)[He sighs, rubs his forehead a bit.] Elias came to see me while I was there. I, um. I have to make a statement. When I go back to the Institute.
[Something about his tone says he'd rather much not like to do that.]
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