[PSL] time travel, time travel

[curriculum_fictae]

[ 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? ]

Comments

[eyediot]

[He's exhausted just. Sitting in the living room, having pulled himself to sit on the couch. He's done about all the errands he can muster the energy for the last couple of days. He'd planned on Tim's place being the last stop, but after the conversation there, he stopped at a nearby store. Grabbed a couple thing out of the cheaper bin and brought them home.

He had no idea something so... simple was causing Algric so much grief. What's it to him to take a few extra seconds to lift a sheet to check himself and leave if it meant making his life a bit easier?

He's reading a news report and doesn't look up when he hears the question.]

Put what up?

[He knows damn well.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ You know damn well, Jon. That mirror is too high for you to accidentally leave a sheet on, even if it weren’t brand new.

Algric crosses back into the living room, seemingly appearing out of nowhere at Jon’s elbow. (Or perhaps Jon can see the wavering echo Martin leaves in the Lonely, like the wake of a boat.) ]

The sheet. Over the mirror. I - I never told you about that?

[ He’s obviously not mad. Nor had he considered it to be a secret, just ... where does A connect to B here? ]

[eyediot]

[Jon's not even bothered by the sudden appearance. He's started getting used to it, honestly, but he does look up.]

Oh, um. Well, I can't take the mirror down - connected to the wall and it might damage it. So... Sheet.

[The simplest answer in the world.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ God damn you Jon. Algric makes a dimly frustrated noise. ]

Let - let me rephrase then. How did you find out about my. Ah. Condition?

[ He is Concerned if you just Knew it, okay. ]

[eyediot]

[You love him though.

He does, admittedly, look a little self-conscious for it. Jon rubs at the back of his head.]

Tim told me. When I went to check on him, it's... [Just. A quick short exhale of breath. Not quite a sigh.] I should've realized something was wrong about it sooner.

[curriculum_fictae]

Oh.

[ That gets immediate relief. Tim, of course. He’d told Tim, and Tim and told Jon, and that is an entirely human chain of events. Algric comes to sit down next to Jon on the couch with a soft sigh. ]

You were a bit distracted.

[eyediot]

A bit.

[He sits there, comfortably now with Algric next to him. Odd how fast he can acclimate to this once his head's in the right lane.]

...Why? Did I get the wrong color or?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ That actually surprises a laugh out of Algric. ]

Opaque is precisely the right colour, Jon. I -

[ And he pinks a bit, looking away. ]

Thank you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.

[eyediot]

It's all right. I... understand why you wouldn't.

[It's a hell of a thing, to not be able to look at yourself without a visceral, uncontrollable reaction like that.]

Just... Let me know, next time, if there's something else I can do to make things easier?

[curriculum_fictae]

It’s - it’s not a wouldn’t, exactly, it was a - it just never came up naturally.

[ He puts his hands on his knees, clinging lightly to himself. ]

It wasn’t hurting anyone e-except me until. Until. Until Martin walked in the door.

[eyediot]

[Oh jeez. This is.... where he just. Has the idea and knows he should. Do something to help comfort, but even raising one hand to reach out, he balks at it. It's hard!! But he should. Jon said he wanted to try, so he. Has to. Push a little out of his comfort zone here.

Right.

He... pushes and rests a hand hesitantly over Martin's. Light and easy enough that Martin can brush him off, but. He's trying.]

Even if it's only hurting you, that's too much. Just... Let me know?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Oh. Even that small gesture make Algric jolt. But while he’s startled, he’s not displeased, and - as he has so many times before - he sharpens under Jon’s touch, colour flowing back into his hand. Especially when Algric turns it, hesitantly, and clings back for a moment. ]

There - there are a lot of things that are hurting only me right now, Jon. Compulsion’s probably the worst of the lot, but.

[ Don’t ask Algric to open that well of misery. You’ll fall in. ]

[eyediot]

[Did he do that right? When Martin turns his hand, he almost mistakes it for a brush off and gets ready to move it, but.. Nope. Looks like he did that right.]

...Then only tell me when you're up for it. Doesn't even have to be everything at once.

[And he means that.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Congrats Jon, you have managed one (1) gesture of affection successfully. Even better is that little promise, which gets a shuddering breath of relief. He would have told you, it’s just - better. To go at his own pace.

He rubs at his face a bit with the other hand. ]

It’s just - y-you know, story of my life. I’ve barely even had friends, much less - you.

[eyediot]

[Jon watches him. Then... carefully squeezes that hand, nudges a shoulder gently.]

Makes two of us, then. Didn't even manage the "barely" part.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ More solidity, more colour. Beneath the fog, Algric’s jumper is a lovely shade of blue. ]

... Yeah? Not at all?

[eyediot]

[He clicks his tongue once, a more self deprecating crooked smile.]

None. I was... deeply annoying. Bit of a child prick to everyone around me.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric laughs a bit. ]

Can’t picture it.

[eyediot]

Oh-- oh, you can't? [Okay the laugh has him smiling a little easier. It's not a full smile, but it's there. And he ... sees the color. Huh. That's interesting.

Jon squeezes his hand again.]

I kept - kept wandering off. And being brought back home by the police. My grandmother didn't know what to do with me.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Jon you dumb bastard. Algric laughs harder, at least, because - ]

Jon, that was sarcasm. But I’m glad to know that you were such a troublemaker.

[eyediot]

[That's better. That laugh is better, he... likes that. He rests their hands on his own knee. Now that he's done it and it's fine, Jon is... perhaps a little more touch starved than he'd like to let on.]

I'm just... I'm saying I understand it. But. You're not alone here.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Oh. That’s so pleasant that Algric forgets what he’s saying. For a brief moment, Algric flickers back to his former self: pink cheeked, copper-haired, with warm amber eyes that stare down at Jon with bright surprise and fondness. He gives Jon an aching look, then —

Then he’s cold and transparent again, save for where Jon’s touch continues to give him warmth. ]

Jon ...

[eyediot]

[He saw it. For just that second, he saw the clarity. Jon's starting to get an idea, but isn't sure how well Algric or Martin would take it.]

I-- Yes?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric swallows, thickly, his cheeks still burning under that foggy pallor. He clings a little more tightly. ]

That’s - that’s really nice.

[eyediot]

...It is.

Algric, have you-- I mean, you probably have, you've been dealing with this longer. But have you really given thought to what a counter to the Lonely might be? To. To gve you more solidity? Because I think... I have an idea.