[PSL-Adjacent] time travel side story

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Is this part of the other PSL? MAYBE ... tbd.

But - this is the Martin who went back in time to the second season, before everything really started going to hell. It hasn't been the most pleasant ride - seeing himself, accidentally triggering Not-Sasha's attack, the confrontation with Elias - but it's been better. He'd begged Michaelen not to take him back for multiple reasons. Yes, he thinks help more here, but ... he also doesn't want to go home to die. Not when there's a Jon here who's willing to love him, when Tim is blossoming into a new best friend, and even Martin is slowly moving towards self-acceptance in a literal sense.

For the first time in months, Martin - no, Algric - sees the shape of what a peaceful life could be. This could be a world where he lives in Jon's flat for the rest of his life, where he doesn't only have to be a helpful ghost. The Lonely is still too strong in him, but he feels it weakening in spots, where Tim and Jon and Martin have all helped him remember what it's like to have human connection.

That's why he's here at Hilltop Road. He dares to hope now; he dares to consider the possibility that he might get to keep all of this. And if he wants to keep this, he has to make sure there's no way back to the hell he left. Michaelen's appearance had scared him more deeply than he wants to let on.

As he mounts the steps to the rickety old house, Algric takes in a shivering breath. It's fine. It's fine, this is fine, he's just - just going to look. And if there's a creepy basement with a crack in the world, he's not going to go through it! He's just going to. See if it's there or not. If he thinks his timeline is on the other side or not. ]

Comments

[eyediot]

Nothing wrong! Just not what I would have guessed.

[Dogs.

The music of the carousel is carrying over the small groups of people in front of them now.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Obviously Algric likes dogs (and cats) better, but those aren't in a zoo, now are they.

He sighs a bit, then brightens at the sound of the music. ]

That must be it.

[eyediot]

It is.

[He sounds relieved? Quietly happy, seeing it. Something familiar, and really a bit personal, that hr can share. But he stills in front of the carousel, watching it run and whirl before them. And then it happens. Like in the park before, but somehow worse. It flashes for those initial few seconds, Jon blinking like something's in his eyes. But he sees it. That horrible, dark, screaming carousel of victims. Spinning even faster the longer he looks at it, yet he can't tear his eyes away. It's not really there, he tries to remind himself. But he can even hear Not!Sasha's lilting, strange laugh in the back of his memory. Reminding him that she saw what he is before he became the Archivist. She knows he's alone, that he got them all killed. His limbs go rigid in the evening air, the lights of the innocent carousel shining over the green of his own eyes. The screams in his memory almost drown out his mumblings- ]

Your face is not your face is not your face around the curling carousel it twists in place to take from you and all the tattered stolen souls who sense of me is swollen and distended into nothing.

[The mumbling continue, like an archive of words being spilled out from memory but quietly, just a whisper. He can't tear his eyes away.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric doesn't immediately realise something's wrong. He sees Jon stop and stare, but it seems like regular awe until -

Until those words come spilling out. Algric whirls at that, eyes going wide and hands going to Jon's shoulders. He shakes them gently. ]

Jon? Jon! Jon, don't - wherever you've gone, it's not here, come back, god -

[eyediot]

[He's still staring up at it, the colored lights leaving trails in his eyes. He almost doesn't hear his own name or Algric's worry.

It isn't as difficult here. It's only a memory, and the shaking jostles him back abruptly. Staring up at Algric haunted and breathless.]

I... I-i, um. [He starts to glance back at the innocent, fun carousel behind Algric before clenching his eyes shut, pressing both palms to them and taking a deep breath.]

I'm... sorry.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric steps forward, then, taking Jon's head between both of his hands. And pressing his forehead down against Jon's. ]

It's all right, Jon. I'm - I'm here.

[eyediot]

[With Algric so close, it blocks out any chance he might catch a glimpse of the thing. Jon's trembling trying to bring himself back down.]

Maybe... Maybe the, um. The day time would. Be better for this. Ear-early morning, maybe.

[curriculum_fictae]

R-right, yes, I. I think so.

[ Algric holds Jon close. ]

Let's go back for now.

[eyediot]

... Right. A-all right.

[He sighs, like a pressure valve released before carefully kneeling to pick up the box and blanket.] Can't even enjoy a bloody merry go round now.

[curriculum_fictae]

I'm angry at the apocalypse on your behalf.

[ He starts guiding Jon back away from it. ]

[eyediot]

That's very thoughtful of you. Should we speak to management?

[He's joking but his voice is still on edge. His legs are shaking but he walks leaning a bit on him easily enough.]

[curriculum_fictae]

Does the apocalypse have management...?

[ Algric gladly lets him lean. In fact ... after a moment, he stops. ]

D'you mind if I pick you up?

[eyediot]

...He may not be management here.

[Even if he were, Elisa would probably still be ineffectual. But that question, he blinks up at Algric.]

I-i... No? [It's not like anyone will see them anyway.] Are you sure?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Well. That's permission enough. Algric stoops, then, and moves to carry Jon bridal-style. He's surprisingly strong, despite being so soft. ]

There. That's better.

[eyediot]

Ah--

[He scrabbles to keep hold of the box and blanket and lets them rest on his middle now. Jon can feel his face heating up.]

Is it necessary?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric's smile is just a bit wicked. ]

It's my day, isn't it?

[eyediot]

...Yes.

[curriculum_fictae]

Well. This is what I want.

[eyediot]

..And I would never deny you that.

[You destroy one world and you can't ever say 'no' to the man you love ever again.]

[curriculum_fictae]

Good, glad we're agreed.

[ He's just going to carry Jon out of the zoo, then. ]

[eyediot]

[Truth be told, Jon can't remember the last time he was good and properly taken care of before he woke up here again. He'd already been dressing his own wounds when he ran from the Institute after Leitner's murder... So probably before then.

It's probably too soon to thank him for not asking what that was about.]

I do want to come back. Earlier in the day. I just... Didn't realize it'd-- I'd do that. Sorry.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ It probably helps that Algric is very soft, and reasonably warm. He'll get them all the way to the tube station, at least. ]

Can I - can I ask what it was you saw?

[eyediot]

[Mm yep. Murphy's law. He sighs quietly, tucking his face into Algric's jumper while he... tries to think of the best way to put this.]

I said that... All the other Entities were summoned through the Water's Crown. They each had their own ...domain. They had their own power there, it was made to their liking. [A slow inhale and he just rests his head against Algric's shoulder, watching and picking at a thread of the blanket.] The Stranger's domain was.... Loud. Screaming, but it was hard to tell if it was from joy or pain in some places. And in the center was... a large... brightly lit carousel.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Oh. Oh god. Stranger is enough to give him an unpleasant picture; the details are ... even worse. ]

I - I can only imagine - god, I hate the Stranger.

[eyediot]

[As much as Jon wishes Martin had been with him during his trek through the end of the world... He's massively glad he wasn't. Martin finding out about what lurked in the Dark would've been bad. Best not to go into detail about what the carousel was made of.]

It wasn't the worst, but... Still...very bad up front. [Ahem.] Anyway, I just-- I saw. Flashes of it, with the lights and all, and I. I definitely. Hate the Stranger as well.